Shanghai | Reuters — China has drawn up new guidelines to reclassify dogs as pets rather than livestock, the agriculture ministry said, part of a response to the coronavirus outbreak that the Humane Society called a potential “game changer” in animal welfare. Though dog meat remains a delicacy in many regions, the ministry of agriculture […] Read more
China reclassifies dogs as pets, not livestock
New guidelines drafted in post-virus regulatory push
Road tests suspended in Alberta
Reading Time: < 1 minute Commercial and passenger road tests have been suspended in Alberta because of COVID-19 for at least four weeks — which means about 200 commercial road tests would have been delayed. Alberta Transportation’s priority will be to determine which drivers require tests to address urgent needs, such as supporting the delivery of essential goods. Following this, […] Read more
Albertans coming together while keeping their distance
COVID-19 can't stem the flow of good will and generosity
Reading Time: 3 minutes Drawing a heart and putting it in your window or turning on the Christmas lights. Finding small containers so you can give away farm-milled flour to a food bank. Teaching kids how to grow a garden. Across Alberta, people are finding ways to give their neighbours and communities a lift in these troubled times. In […] Read more
Province announces new ag research agency
The new Results Driven Agriculture Research will fund both pure and applied research for the crop and livestock sectors in Alberta
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s back to the future for ag research in Alberta. After holding a series of consultations across the province as well as an online survey, the provincial government has created a new organization that “takes the best parts of previous research models.” That’s a reference to two former agencies — the Alberta Livestock and Meat […] Read more
Kraft Heinz cuts output at three plants, adds mac and cheese shifts
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Kraft Heinz said Friday it has moved to significantly reduce production at three plants providing restaurant supplies amid the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, but its CEO noted the company has added shifts at others to meet demand for packaged foods such as macaroni and cheese. Speaking in a video presentation hosted […] Read more
‘There’s no better feeling’ — distillery makes, gives away, hand sanitizer
Distilleries have switched to sanitizer production and Medicine Hat company is even giving it away
Reading Time: 4 minutes Local distilleries are shifting their production lines away from their typical spirits to something that will lift spirits in the midst of the pandemic — hand sanitizer by the still-full. “We’ve shut down our normal operations at our distillery and we’ve changed over to just producing hand sanitizer,” said Andy Schmunk, owner of Grit City […] Read more
‘Northern Farmer’ reaps a bumper crop of YouTube followers
Reading Time: 3 minutes Tyson Kucheruk never expected to be internet famous when he started his YouTube channel in 2006. “Back then, it was pretty much just for fun — take a video, upload it, that was pretty much it,” said the High Prairie producer known as Northern Farmer on the popular video-sharing site. “But later on, we gained […] Read more
Farmers Grow Communities accepting applications
Reading Time: < 1 minute A program that gives farmers a chance to help their favourite community charity or not-for-profit receive a $2,500 grant is now accepting applications. Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities Program gives out two grants in each of the country’s 33 grain-growing regions each year — for a total of $165,000. Nine of those regions are in Alberta. […] Read more
Livestock or pets not considered a risk for COVID-19
Reading Time: < 1 minute There is currently no evidence that animals become sick with COVID-19 or spread the infection. Imports and exports of plants and animals to and from Canada are not currently affected. However, the CFIA will take any necessary action to protect the safety of Canada’s plants and animals. (Updates will be posted at inspection.gc.ca) There have […] Read more
Thrust into the spotlight, the farm sector shines during pandemic
Food supply chain does something extraordinary in unprecedented crisis — keeps things running ‘mostly normally’
Reading Time: 4 minutes Never in our lifetimes has the ordinary been so extraordinary. Take, for example, the simple act of delivering a load of grain. The whole business of receiving, grading, and getting the paperwork to the farmer or truck driver is hands-on work, usually done in close quarters. So you not only have to be fastidious about […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
