Livestock

Prince Edward Island farmers and landowners who take on environmental preservation projects on their land may now be eligible for compensation under a new Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) program. P.E.I.’s ALUS will operate on a $750,000 budget in 2008, the province announced Thursday. The concept was hailed by provincial environmental groups and other dignitaries […] Read more

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) now considers Canada free of highly pathogenic avian flu, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency reported Friday. The OIE’s notification follows the end of a 90-day period after the cleanup of the most recent outbreak of the H7N3 strain of avian influenza on a poultry farm near Regina Beach, […] Read more

Quebec’s provincial government says it will boost the funding it provides to ag export agencies as part of its response to the provincial commission on the future of farming. Agriculture Minister Laurent Lessard, speaking Friday at the Salon international de l’alimentation (SIAL) trade show in Montreal, pledged $5 million to support companies that export Quebec […] Read more

“Working-level” talks are reportedly underway to set up negotiations between Ottawa and Seoul to resume Canadian beef exports to South Korea. Korean news agency Yonhap reported Wednesday that Canada is asking for “unfettered access” to South Korea’s beef market after Seoul agreed last week to loosen its ban on U.S. beef imports. The report quoted […] Read more

Prince Edward Island’s agriculture minister is disputing claims that the department’s funding was cut by 30 per cent in Wednesday’s budget. Neil LeClair issued a press release Thursday stating the provincial ag department’s budget has been increased by almost $2 million “over that proposed last year by the previous administration.” During the past fiscal year, […] Read more

Higher grain prices have bit into Maple Leaf Foods’ bakery and hog production businesses, leading the company to break even in its first fiscal quarter. The Toronto food processing company on Thursday posted a net loss of just $10,000 on $1.2 billion in sales in its quarter ending March 31, down from $10.5 million net […] Read more

The Manitoba government will put up $500,000 to process ground pork from animals slaughtered through the new federal cull breeding swine program, for use by the province’s food banks. The pork will be distributed to Manitoba food banks through Winnipeg Harvest, the city food bank which also distributes to 50 rural food banks and two […] Read more

Alberta’s agriculture and rural development programming returns to “normal levels” of spending in the province’s 2008 budget, released Tuesday. Finance Minister Iris Evans’ budget brings ag department program spending to just over $1 billion for 2008-09 and for each of the next three years, a 16.9 per cent increase over forecast spending for 2007-08. “The […] Read more

Training programs will soon be offered to help Ontario farmers mentor the next generation of agricultural leaders. The federal government on Tuesday announced $1.1 million for development of leadership programs, to be delivered by a partnership between the Centre for Rural Leadership, 4-H Ontario, the Ontario Rural Council and the Foundation for Rural Living. Funding […] Read more