Paris | Reuters — A French court has banned the sale of two glyphosate-based herbicides produced by Swiss chemical group Syngenta because of a lack of analysis on the chemical’s potential harm to some wildlife. “The decision on Sept. 30, 2020 by French health security agency ANSES to renew the marketing authorization for the chemical […] Read more
French court bans sale of two Touchdown glyphosates
Court cites lack of analysis of effects on wildlife
Bighorn deaths attributed to sheep contacts
Wild Sheep Foundation calls for domestic flocks to be tested and kept separate from wild population
Reading Time: 3 minutes There are calls for more separation between domestic and wild sheep following the death of several Bighorn rams in Bluerock Wildland Provincial Park and Sheep River Provincial Park. The animals were infected with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Movi), a disease common in the airways of domestic sheep and goats. The disease is bacterial and there is no vaccine for […] Read more
Nature Conservancy adds wildlife corridor
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Nature Conservancy of Canada has purchased two parcels of land next to Waterton Lakes National Park that it says will serve as a key wildlife corridor. Although the 630-acre purchase “may seem like a relatively small addition … it will result in a large benefit for nature,” the organization said. The properties, located just […] Read more
Opinion: Avian influenza is a threat that’s flying under the radar
The response has been strong, but this outbreak has caused massive losses and poses an ongoing threat
Reading Time: 3 minutes Avian flu deserves more media attention. The illness affecting our poultry sector has become a real problem. Unlike previous strains, H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza has spread across the country, raising fears that it could become endemic in wild birds, no less. A nightmare. This year alone, avian flu has infected approximately 200 farms with […] Read more
U.S. avian flu outbreak of 2022 wipes out record number of birds
Vast majority of caseload originated with wild birds: USDA
Chicago | Reuters — Avian flu has wiped out 50.54 million birds in the United States this year, making it the country’s deadliest outbreak in history, U.S. Department of Agriculture data showed Thursday. The deaths of chickens, turkeys and other birds represent the worst U.S. animal-health disaster to date, topping the previous record of 50.5 […] Read more
Avian flu cases drop in October
Reading Time: < 1 minute After soaring sharply in September, no commercial poultry operations in Alberta were hit by H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza during the first three weeks of October. As of Oct. 24, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website had only four incidents for the month. Three were for “non-poultry” and the lone poultry flock was a non-commercial […] Read more
Avian flu cases steadily rising
Reading Time: < 1 minute The number of cases of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza continues to grow on an almost daily basis as migratory birds head south. As of Sept. 26, there were more than 140 cases with 2.7 million birds affected, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Alberta has been hardest hit with one-third of the cases […] Read more
Wildlife compensation program now covers damage by wild boars
Reading Time: < 1 minute The growing threat of wild boars in Alberta has prompted Agriculture Financial Services Corporation to include the invasive species in its Wildlife Damage Compensation Program. “The program will compensate producers for wild boar damage to eligible unharvested hay crops and eligible annual unharvested crops, wildlife-excreta contaminated crops, stacked greenfeed and silage in pits and tubes,” […] Read more
Market value alone is selling nature short, governments told
Economic valuations needed but 'not sufficient,' co-chair says
Reuters — What is the value of a river? Is it for the nutritional content of the fish it sustains? The economic benefit of the local livelihoods it supports? Or does the river have its own value which humans cannot measure? Such questions may seem removed from the issues the world faces, from deepening climate […] Read more
Total ban on killing grizzly bears isn’t working, say cattle producers
ABP wants government to issue permits to kill bears that repeatedly kill cattle and damage property
Reading Time: 5 minutes The province’s main cattle group says producers should be able to get a permit to kill grizzly bears that repeatedly kill livestock and damage property. “Alberta Beef Producers has resolved to lobby the government to provide livestock owners and landowners with permits, allowing them to kill a dangerous grizzly without being charged,” said Brad Dubeau, […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
