The first benchmark study of the condition of culled dairy cows in Canada shows many animals in less than optimal condition are transported to auction in Ontario, and sold at discounted prices. The study, by a University of Guelph research team, involved 4,460 cows at three Ontario auctions. Over 16 weeks last May through August,... Read More
Category: Livestock
Live cattle led the futures market lower this past week, with cash prices in tow, thanks to large supplies hitting the market. Cash cattle values in Canada fell by ten to 12 dollars, while U.S. prices were five to six dollars lower on the week. What's frustrating for beef producers is demand and retail prices... Read More
Food companies go to great lengths to differentiate and sell their products, using all kinds of marketing claims displayed on food packaging. Peel Back the Label, a campaign funded by U.S. dairy producers, and the well-known comedy outfit Funny Or Die, recently launched a tongue-in-cheek video highlighting the problems with food labeling and what happens... Read More
Nearly all of Canada's international trade negotiations, at some point, involve discussions about the future of supply management for our dairy and poultry sectors. We've heard the U.S. dairy industry push hard against the supply management system for dairy in NAFTA 2.0 talks, especially Canada's new class 7 pricing. Some Canadians cheer this U.S. rhetoric... Read More
"What does someone who raises cattle look like?" Adrienne Ivey, a Saskatchewan cattle rancher, stood in front of a TEDx audience in Regina recently and asked this question. Soon after, she openly admitted to some pretty shocking things — like running a corporate farm, using growth implants in cattle, and even using antibiotics. She also... Read More
As farmers in Western Canada are working hard at seeding across the Prairies, many ranchers are branding and taking stock on the quality of the spring 2018 calf crop. Also on the minds of many ranchers on the southern half of the Prairies: pasture conditions and what the bleak spring moisture outlook could mean for... Read More
There is an expectation that when the North American Free Trade Agreement talks resume as early as Monday, dairy access could be a higher priority in the talks. Recently, U.S. lawmakers wrote a letter to trade representative Robert Lighthizer to remind the administration of the desired changes to U.S. dairy access into Canada. In the... Read More
The former president of Agropur has been appointed as the new CEO of the Canadian Dairy Commission. Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay on Thursday announced Serge Riendeau's appointment to a three-year term, effective May 14th. Riendeau will oversee the Crown corporation that coordinates federal and provincial dairy policies, and administers the regulatory system designed to... Read More
"Hello, I'm calling on behalf of Statistics Canada. Would you have time..." It's a familiar phone call for most Canadian farmers when StatsCan conducts its surveys for estimating crop and livestock production statistics across the country. The inconvenience of having to spend the time on the phone, combined with not wanting to share information about... Read More
The news After program changes were introduced to the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program for January 1, 2017, the government launched a review last fall into how the adapted program was working. Based on feedback received from the concluded review, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs will soon release updates to the... Read More