Sao Paulo | Reuters –Brazilian food processor JBS SA has invested more than 100 million reais ($19.3 million) in health, safety and contingency measures at all its Brazilian production units, according to a Wednesday company statement that comes as the novel coronavirus continues to ravage local meat plants. The company said the funds were invested […] Read more
JBS invests $19-million in safety measures amid COVID-19 pandemic
Alberta loosens animal slaughter rules after pandemic hit packers
Reuters – Canada’s main cattle-producing province, Alberta, said on Wednesday it would allow the slaughter of animals on farms for meat sales to consumers, loosening regulations after the coronavirus pandemic interrupted production at its biggest packing plants. Alberta previously restricted the consumption of meat from animals slaughtered outside of government-inspected plants to farmers and their […] Read more
National COYF cancelled for 2020
The national Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer (COYF) event, previously scheduled to be held in Saskatoon in December this year, has been cancelled due to COVID-19. In a statement in the ‘Land Leader’, the official publication of the COYF program, Steve Cooper, the organization’s chair, said, “the Saskatchewan Hosting committee for the 2020 National Event advised […] Read more
BASF unveils InField Innovation Tours
BASF is making it easier, and during the pandemic, safer for farmers to get information about its products. On July 27 it launched a new website allowing farmers to visit the company’s research farms virtually. “InField Innovation Tours is a unique, virtual tour experience that enables anyone, from anywhere, to journey into our fields and […] Read more
Farm aid is raining down south of the border, but not in Canada
Alberta farmers say they don’t want bailouts – but effective risk management programs are needed
Reading Time: 7 minutes American farmers will receive record-high amounts of farm aid this year, but Canadian producers say they don’t want a handout — just a business risk management program that works. The current programs, such as AgriStability, don’t function well, said Sexsmith-area farmer Greg Sears. “It’s not predictable, it’s not timely, and it rarely pays out — […] Read more
Farewell, fairs: Alberta’s ag societies struggling during pandemic
Reading Time: 4 minutes The buildings are empty. The crowds are gone. Alberta’s ag societies are facing a summer like no other — and some may not survive it. “Our groups are based on gathering people, and they’re not able to do any of that, which is a big concern,” said Tim Carson, chief executive officer of the Alberta […] Read more
Loblaw beats profit estimates as online sales surge
Reuters — Loblaw beat quarterly revenue and profit estimates on Thursday, driven by a near-fourfold jump in online sales, as stay-at-home Canadians used the retailer’s pickup and delivery services to stock up on bread, milk and eggs. With consumers still limiting their trips outdoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company said it would invest […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle backslide amid cautious slaughter improvements
Lean hogs down on supply backlog
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed lower on Monday, pulling back after a rally last week on signs that meatpackers may be working through backlogs of market-ready cattle, traders said. Although slaughter rates have returned to pre-coronavirus levels, cattle remain heavier after backing up in feedlots when processing plants closed this spring […] Read more
U.S. meatpackers try air cleaning tech after COVID-19 outbreaks
Chicago | Reuters — Two of the world’s largest meatpackers said on Friday they have installed ultraviolet air cleaning equipment in some U.S. plants, as pressure mounts on food companies to protect workers amid growing concerns about airborne transmission of the coronavirus. JBS USA, owned by Brazil’s JBS SA and one of four major U.S. […] Read more
Feds proposing to expand wage subsidy program
Ottawa | Reuters — The Canadian government wants to expand an emergency wage subsidy program so that all businesses suffering losses from the COVID-19 outbreak will benefit, Finance Minister Bill Morneau said on Friday. Morneau told a news conference that Ottawa would drop an earlier requirement stipulating that businesses needed to show a 30 per […] Read more
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