Livestock

The Parti Quebecois’ critic for wildlife, parks and tourism will now also handle the agriculture, food and fisheries file. Sylvain Page, the provincial MNA for the Labelle constituency since 2001, was named to the ag critic’s role Friday by PQ leader Pauline Marois. Page was named to handle the file after the opposition party’s previous […] Read more

Despite substantial objections from hog farmers leading up to a public protest, Manitoba has formally passed its bill ending hog industry expansion in three key hog-farming areas. The provincial government’s Bill 17, which the Manitoba Pork Council dubbed the “Anti-Farm Bill” in a high-profile advertising campaign this summer, passed third reading Wednesday afternoon in the […] Read more

Grain growers and livestock producers in Manitoba’s rain-soaked Interlake region can now get up to 75 per cent of their total AgriStability payment in advance. Eligible producers will be able to complete a “simplified” form to get the advance, which was previously boosted from 50 up to 60 per cent “in recognition of the challenging […] Read more

An Ontario company’s E. coli vaccine for cattle has earned notice from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that it meets requirements for full licensing in terms of its safety and effectiveness. Bioniche Life Sciences of Belleville announced Wednesday that CFIA’s notice puts it within one more task of full licensing for the vaccine to be […] Read more

Efforts to preserve land, water, wildlife and wetlands on their ranch have earned a national environmental award for a northwestern Saskatchewan family. The Campbell family of Meadow Lake, Sask., was presented last week with “The Environmental Stewardship Award” (TESA) for 2008 by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. In a CCA release, the Campbells said they’ve never […] Read more

Following through on plans in a departmental reorganization announced earlier this month, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development has dedicated over 30 additional staff to help the province’s cattle producers age-verify their 2008 calf crop. Another 30 part-time staff from Livestock Identification Services (LIS) are also now trained available for age verification work, the province said […] Read more

Consumers of organic cheese on Prince Edward Island are expected to soon have a locally-produced option for the first time. In a provincial government release Wednesday, the province’s Organic Dairy Club said it has been working with both Amalgamated Dairies Ltd. (ADL) and Purity Dairy for about two years on an organic cheese and now […] Read more

The Australian parent of Winnipeg feed manufacturer Ridley Inc. has sold its controlling stake in the feed company to a Toronto financial services firm. Fairfax Financial Holdings said in a release Wednesday that it paid $8.50 a share for 9.53 million shares of Ridley Inc., for an aggregate price of about $81 million, to Ridley’s […] Read more

Health Canada will allow meat packers to use a combination of preservatives that help control listeria bacteria in ready-to-eat meats. The department announced Saturday in the Canada Gazette that it will issue an interim marketing authorization for the use of sodium diacetate and sodium acetate in meat products. The interim authorization will allow the products’ […] Read more