Livestock

The federal government is finalizing details on how it will implement a new, enhanced surveillance program for avian flu viruses in Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Friday. The enhanced Canadian Notifiable Avian Influenza Surveillance System (CanNAISS) has been designed to meet current guidelines from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), as well […] Read more

Small operators selling meat in remote and isolated communities in British Columbia will get an extra grace period on the province’s recent move toward full licensing and inspection for all meat facilities. Currently, B.C. meat producers working toward becoming fully licensed can submit a construction plan and then receive a Class C transitional license. Class […] Read more

Canada’s biggest dairy processor has logged a substantial boost in its year-end bottom line, partly through “rationalization” in its Canadian business and increased Canadian fluid milk sales. Montreal-based Saputo posted $288.2 million in net earnings on $5.06 billion in revenue in its fiscal 2008 ending March 31, the company reported Thursday. Earnings were up 20.9 […] Read more

Cash-strapped Alberta livestock producers can expect $150 million in immediate aid payments, with another $150 million where that came from if they help create a provincial brand for their meat by setting up age verification and premises ID systems. On top of that aid package, announced Thursday by provincial Agriculture Minister George Groeneveld, is $56 […] Read more

The Manitoba government has doubled the maximum loan available under its hog assistance loan program to $5 million. “We’ve monitored the program, we know larger hog operations need to maintain higher cash flows and we are responding to that reality,” provincial Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk said in a release Thursday. “We have also extended the […] Read more

Higher-than-normal loads of mites that have built up resistance to pesticides have helped lead to higher-than-normal rates of winterkill in Alberta bees, according to the provincial apiculturist. Alberta producers are seeing about 25 per cent overwintering losses, the province said, compared to the normal 15-20 per cent range. “The hardest hit regions are the Peace […] Read more

An Aleutian disease management program for Newfoundland and Labrador is expected to allow that province’s mink farmers to step up biosecurity. Under a $5.4 million, two-year program announced in April’s provincial budget and rolled out Thursday, eligible mink farmers may use the funding for improving biosecurity measures on farms, carcass disposal, disinfection and replacement of […] Read more

A program to help Alberta ranchers and farmers develop wildlife habitat management plans for their property will be expanded, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) said Thursday. The program, which ran as a pilot last year under the name “On-Farm Wildlife and Biodiversity Planning Service,” will be relaunched under the name “Natural Advantage” and will now employ […] Read more

The New Brunswick government is introducing “temporary” legislation that would require all chickens raised in the province to be processed only in designated plants. Agriculture Minister Ron Ouellette said in a release Tuesday that the amendment to the Natural Products Act is meant to prevent the province’s poultry producers from “making changes in the trade […] Read more

Russia’s two-month ban on imports of Canadian pork will be lifted as Canada upgrades the security of its export documents, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Tuesday. Russia closed its ports of entry to Canadian pork on April 1 this year because of concerns about “fraudulent export documents,” Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said in a release. […] Read more