Just leave it alone. Don't ask for too much and jeopardize a deal that could potentially be finalized this weekend. That's what Canadian agriculture groups representing farmers who depend on trade are telling the Ottawa as leaders from the remaining 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership countries head to Vietnam. The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance sent a strongly-worded... Read More

The federal government has decided to not make any changes to how it treats deferred cash purchase tickets for grain after proposing in the 2017 budget to potentially eliminate the option. Many farm groups voiced their opposition to the idea of dropping the income tax deferral mechanism during consultations held in spring and early summer.... Read More

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) provided an update on the bovine tuberculosis investigation on Friday, while the federal government announced additional tax relief on Monday. Testing has now expanded to trace-in herds, with the majority of the on-farm testing planned to be completed by the end of December. As... Read More

Chicken Farmers of Canada says it is welcoming Alberta producers back to the flock after the province withdrew from the national agreement that determines how much production each province is allocated under the national supply management system for chicken. CFC says it has a new federal-provincial agreement "in hand" after the Farm Products Council of... Read More

Montreal-based dairy company Saputo has announced another international acquisition — the largest goat cheese manufacturer in the U.S. Saputo says it has entered an agreement to acquire Betin, Inc., which operates mainly under the Montchevre brand, and employs 319 people at its manufacturing facility in Belmont, Wisconsin. Montchevre generated C$150 million in revenues in the... Read More

McDonald's has announced that they are "elevating [their] global commitment to source chickens raised with improved welfare outcomes". It's a topic that has been on the company's radar for decades, according to Bruce Feinberg, senior director at McDonald's, responsible for Global Quality Systems for chicken, beef, pork, fish and dairy products. "Shortly after I joined... Read More

Flying, biting midges (Culicoides spp.) — sometimes called no-see-ums — are a scourge to wildlife. Hunters recognize their effects on deer in particular, which are highly susceptibility to a group of midge-transmitted viruses. But there are growing concerns about their potential effect on livestock, too. Here’s why. A midge swarm will blood-feed on animals, causing... Read More

Montreal-based Canadian dairy company Saputo has reached a deal to buy Murray Goulburn Co-operative — Australia's largest milk processor — in a deal worth $1.3 billion, including the Australian company's debt. Debt aside, the deal is reportedly worth around $488 million. Murray Goulburn produces a full range of dairy products, including milk, milk powder, cheese,... Read More

Live cattle futures have found reasons to rally since early September, even in the face of large placements in a bearish cattle on feed report last week. It's a combination of market fundamentals — profitable margins, lower carcass weights, and strong demand — driving the market out of the lows set around Labour Day, says... Read More