There is a lot riding on a farm, year by year. When a farm transition — or talk of a farm transition — gets added in to the mix, it can be a real challenge to manage the farm, the discussions, and navigate all the important decisions necessary to bring on the next generation of... Read More
Category: Livestock
The federal government, along with the provincial governments of Alberta, B.C., and Saskatchewan, have announced a total commitment of $365 million for AgriRecovery programs to help livestock producers affected by drought and wildfires this past summer. The awaited AgriRecovery funding, application details and timelines were announced on Friday, Oct 20. The total federal commitment to... Read More
The chair of the House of Commons' agriculture committee has introduced a private member's bill aimed at speeding up regulatory approvals of new seed genetics, feed products, and crop protection products for Canadian farmers. Kody Blois, Liberal MP from Nova Scotia, tabled Bill C-359 — An Act to amend the Feeds Act, the Seeds Act... Read More
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has announced a new loan program to help cattle producers maintain or expand herds in the face of high cattle prices and tight feed supplies. The FCC Replacement Heifer Program is a loan with a maximum two-year period of interest-only and a maximum life of seven years. For this loan, variable... Read More
With food costs having risen rapidly over the last two years, Canada's national dairy farmer organization is recommending the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) hold off on increasing the farmgate price of milk in 2024. The CDC reviews dairy farms' cost-of-production data annually to calculate the price to be paid to dairy producers the following year.... Read More
The Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers (CCWG or Wool Growers) held its 105th annual general meeting October 14, 2023 near Carleton Place, Ont. The meeting was tense, given the months-long uncertainty after long-time general manager Eric Bjergso was placed on paid leave in March 2023, following what the Wool Growers' board calls “undisclosed liabilities” and “corporate... Read More
What's top of mind on the policy front this week? Well, there are some fireworks over grocery store prices and what's really driving food costs, a plant breeding technique is edging ever-closer to the finish line, and farmers are weighing in on a proposed grain company acquisition. On this episode of RealAg Politics, host Shaun... Read More
After a two-year review, the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) has chosen the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) to provide live cattle chain of custody tracking for the CRSB's Certified Sustainable Beef Framework. CRSB says it is confident working with the CCIA will enable consistent implementation of its Chain of Custody Requirements and improve... Read More
Highly pathogenic avian influenza is rearing its head again as migratory birds head south for winter. After a quiet summer, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed four new cases on commercial farms in Alberta and one commercial farm case in Saskatchewan over the past four weeks. There have also been at least two confirmed... Read More
When it comes time to replace cows in the herd, one of the biggest questions producers face is whether to raise their own heifer calves or buy in bred-heifers or young cows. Kathy Larson, research associate and extension economist at the University of Saskatchewan, recently joined RealAgriculture's Lyndsey Smith to discuss the factors to consider... Read More