Just two short weeks ago, no one was really sure what was ahead for the COVID-19 virus lockdown and social distancing — but now cities are ghost towns, and grocery store shelves and coolers are suspiciously absent of some key items; beef, pork, and chicken among them. A flurry of retail buying may have emptied... Read More
Category: Livestock
Canada's domestic food and agriculture supply chains have been put to the test and (the hoarding of toilet paper, flour, and meat notwithstanding) held up exceptionally well under the sudden panic-buying ahead of the COVID-19 self-isolation directive. Al Mussell, research lead with Agri-Food Economic Systems, says that these supply chains have proven to have a... Read More
The Chicken Farmers of Canada have announced its new executive following its recent annual general meeting, and has unveiled a new logo as well. Continuing as chair is Benoît Fontaine, from Stanbridge Station, Que., a chicken and turkey grower. He has served on the board since 2013 and has been chair since 2016. First vice-chair... Read More
Some of Canada's largest meat processing companies are publicly announcing their COVID-19 response measures in an effort to offer reassurance and transparency to the public and others in the food supply chain. While minimizing the human health risk associated with having a large number of employees working at a single facility is the primary concern,... Read More
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it's prioritizing critical services to preserve the integrity of Canada's food safety system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with that, the agency says it has temporarily suspended "low-risk activities that do not immediately impact the production of safe food for Canadians." The list of critical activities includes the following:... Read More
Regenerative, restorative, and climate-smart agriculture — they're all terms with roots firmly planted in farmers' commitment to improving soil heath. Farmers who subscribe to these philosophies typically commit to five core practices: minimizing soil disturbance, maximizing soil diversity, keeping soil covered, maintaining living roots year-round, and integrating livestock. But how quickly should farmers be integrating... Read More
The last three years in agriculture have been trying times from a profitability perspective, and through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) American producers have received financial assistance in the form of a direct payment for the past two years. Many policy followers suggested that with 2020 being an election year and the Phase One deal... Read More
Update, as of 11pm EDT Friday, March 20: The Canadian government confirmed late Friday that it will be exempting seasonal agricultural workers from the travel restrictions put in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. "The participation of temporary foreign workers on our farms and our food businesses is absolutely necessary," says Minister of... Read More
Zoetis is introducing long-acting implants to the Canadian market, with options for both finishing and grass cattle. Synovex LA-F and Synovex LA-G are identical to the company's Synovex Choice and Synovex Plus, but with patented coating technology for an up to 200-day effective duration. And while they may be new to Canada, they aren't new... Read More
Both provincial and federal governments have been working diligently on a daily basis to keep Canadians abreast of any changes to recommended protocols. For livestock auction markets across Canada, the restriction on the number of people allowed to attend due to social distancing practices is a challenge, but not defeat. Although governments have not laid... Read More