Livestock
Goat producers in Ontario are now waiting to hear whether they’ll get to put their proposal for a marketing board to a provincewide goat farmers’ vote. A proposal seeking marketing board status was submitted before Christmas to the province’s farm products marketing commission (OFPMC) for review and possible recommendation to the provincial ag minister’s office. […] Read more
Ont. goat producers seek marketing board status
Klassen: Feeder cattle edge higher
Feeder cattle prices in Western Canada were steady to $2-$3 per hundredweight (cwt) higher during the first week of 2012. There is a market tendency for feeder prices to jump after the holiday season and this year was no exception. Small, non-feature groups of feeder cattle were noted at most auction barns, which made buyers […] Read more
U.S. gets more time to appeal WTO’s COOL ruling
The U.S. government now has until well into March to file any appeal of a World Trade Organization panel’s ruling against its controversial country-of-origin labelling (COOL) law. Responding to complaints filed in 2008 by Canada and Mexico, a panel of the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body on Nov. 18 found COOL to be inconsistent with the […] Read more
No extra tax for Ont. farms’ small-scale power plants
Ontario farmers generating power for the provincial grid through roof-mounted solar panels, small ground-mounted panels or biogas digesters won’t face added property taxes on those installations. The province on Wednesday announced "additional categories" of property tax assessment based on the size and location of privately-owned systems generating and selling power through its FIT and microFIT […] Read more
Data show COOL’s ‘significant’ impact on cattle exports
U.S. laws on mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) have not only led to a substantial drop in U.S.-bound Canadian cattle exports, but helped widen the price gap between Canadian and U.S. marketings, Canadian research shows. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, in the wake of the November 2011 ruling against COOL by a dispute settlement panel at the […] Read more
Ont. hog farmers backed for projects to fight PRRS
The federal government plans to put up funding for a series of "small-scale" projects examining ways for hog farmers to control and wipe out a notorious livestock disease. The collaborative two-year project, to be co-ordinated by the Ontario Pork Industry Council’s Swine Health Advisory Board (OSHAB), is expected to involve producers, veterinarians and industry and […] Read more
U.S. FDA prohibits cephalosporins in animals
U.S. health regulators on Wednesday banned a class of antibiotics for use in animals to prevent the rise of drug-resistant bacteria that also infect humans. The Food and Drug Administration issued an order to prohibit cephalosporin, a popular class of antibiotics, for use in cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys from April 5, with some exceptions. […] Read more
Klassen: Stronger feeder prices expected
The last week of 2011 was quiet with most auction barns closed for the holiday season. Feeding conditions remain favourable and margins look positive through January, which should provide a healthy environment moving forward. The industry is expecting stronger feeder prices over the next month as fed cattle have a tendency to percolate higher through […] Read more
Another step toward resumed access for beef to South Korea
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and International Trade Minister Ed Fast on Dec. 30 announced "a major step" toward restoring access for Canadian beef in South Korea. The announcement follows the South Korean Parliament ratifying the import health requirements (IHRs) for Canadian beef under 30 months of age. The government release said the South Korean Government […] Read more
Polycrops help dry wet soils
With both extremely wet and dry conditions happening in the same growing season, it is not a stretch to call 2011 a strange year in Manitoba, but it has helped prove the effectiveness of perennial and annual forage seed blends known as “polycrops” in dealing with extremes of weather. “One thing that became very clear […] Read more
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