Livestock

The federal government plans to put “special agricultural safeguards,” a form of duty allowed by the World Trade Organization, around Canada’s supply-managed dairy, egg and poultry sectors. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced Thursday that the government has served the WTO with notice of Canada’s intent to proceed with “finalizing the operationalization” of special agricultural safeguards […] Read more

A $12 million bailout for the Atlantic Beef Products plant on Prince Edward Island is on hold waiting for the company to hold up its end of the agreement, CBC reported Thursday. As per an agreement announced in December, the federal government was to invest $6 million through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and […] Read more

The Manitoba government’s “pause” on approvals for new or expanding hog operations will extend to Feb. 29, while the province ponders a report on the industry’s sustainability. The province has received its long-awaited report from the provincial Clean Environment Commission (CEC), reviewing its environmental protection measures already in place relating to hog production. The CEC […] Read more

An Ontario firm developing a vaccine expected to cut down the amount of harmful E. coli bacteria in cattle and cow-pies is now eligible to get a conditional license for the vaccine’s use by U.S. cattlemen. The company announced Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture now finds the data from Bioniche Life Sciences of […] Read more

Winnipeg feed maker Ridley Inc. will pay $6 million to Canada’s cattle producers to end its exposure to class actions over the arrival of mad cow disease. The company said in a press release Tuesday that it will pay $6 million into a plaintiffs’ settlement trust fund to settle claims against it in four co-ordinated […] Read more

A Saskatchewan poultry farm quarantined for H7N3 avian flu since last September has been given the all-clear to bring new birds to the property. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Monday that all cleaning and disinfection have been completed on the affected farm and all quarantine measures have been removed. CFIA regulations allow quarantines to […] Read more

Manitoba hog production company Hytek Ltd. has finalized its deal to buy the Springhill Farms pork packing plant near Neepawa, Man. Hytek, based at La Broquerie, east of Steinbach, first announced the deal in October to buy the facility, about 75 km northeast of Brandon, for an undisclosed sum. Hytek representatives told reporters in October […] Read more

“Micro-generation” projects, in which Albertans generate power for their own needs from biomass, wind and other sources, are welcome to send their surplus power into the provincial grid. The province announced new micro-generation regulations Friday that will allow Alberta residents to generate their own power, and will credit them for any power that they don’t […] Read more

A Vancouver Island mayor whose municipality is at the centre of a debate over what constitutes a “farm” for municipal tax purposes will lead the province’s review of the bigger issue. Provincial Revenue Minister Rick Thorpe on Thursday named Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard as one of two co-chairs for the province’s farm status assessment review. […] Read more

The federal Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) will get a new boss for its reorganization. Jamshed Merchant, who’s currently executive director of the federal National Land and Water Information Service, will serve at the same time as acting director-general for PFRA, replacing Harley Olsen effective immediately. Olsen, who also directed PFRA in an “acting” capacity, […] Read more