Meat coolers are going to look a lot different as we navigate COVID-19, but according to the Canadian Meat Council, each step of the livestock processing chain is collaborating, communicating, and committed to keeping food moving to grocery stores. Chris White, president and CEO of the Canadian Meat Council, says the livestock processing sector is... Read More
Category: Livestock
During the NAFTA renegotiations, it was continually reinforced by Canada and the U.S. that the beef supply chain between the two countries is highly integrated. From a trade perspective many look at this as a positive, but that does mean we share in market risk. Early on Monday, April 13, RealAgriculture was notified by feedyards... Read More
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) is recommending the immediate reinstatement of a set-aside program that was implemented during the BSE era to address the challenges with beef processing capacity being created by COVID-19. The CCA says it's in discussions with the federal government about implementing the program to encourage producers to hold cattle longer when... Read More
The week has started off with more livestock processing issues, as the industry attempts to deal with COVID-19. Cargill's High River, Alta., beef plant is the latest in a growing list of plants to either slow its slaughter line down or shut it down entirely due to COVID-19 risks. According to several sources, the High... Read More
The decision to close a processing plant as it relates to COVID-19 infection of staff is a complicated one. Food processing plants have strict protocols and clear guidance on food safety issues, but the advent of a human disease pandemic is a new territory for all — processors included. Ultimately, the decision to close a... Read More
Ontario's beef producer group has asked both beef and dairy producers to hold back cull cows in an attempt to ease the pinch on beef processing capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Processing backlogs have plagued the eastern Canadian beef sector for many months due to a lack of sufficient processing capacity and plant closures, says... Read More
Olymel says it will be resuming operations at its hog slaughter and cutting plant at Yamachiche, Quebec on Tuesday, April 14 after closing for more than two weeks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The plant, which normally processes 28 thousand pigs per week, has been closed since March 29, after nine employees tested positive... Read More
It's been a difficult last few weeks in the livestock markets, to say the least. For much of the time we are all focused on making the right decision, but what has been weighing heavily on a lot of people lately has been trying not to make the wrong decision. A wrong decision in the... Read More
The dairy world has been turned upside down seemingly overnight. Whether it's north or south of the Canada/U.S border, dairy farmers have to dump milk as the entire value chain adjusts to the disappearance of restaurant and foodservice dairy demand and a spike in retail demand. Michael Dykes, CEO of the International Dairy and Food... Read More
I've seen over the last few days a lot of stories, comments, and mixed messages about farmers having to dump milk. I thought I'd clear a few things up with my perspective, direct from the farm. We were included in the farmers asked to dump milk. We dumped a little over 4,000 litres of raw,... Read More