There are those that say if you talk about something enough, it's more likely to happen. If that's the case, you can blame Kelvin Heppner for the rate of inflation and perhaps Shaun Haney for the fact that you can't lock down enough glyphosate for the spring. While I'm mostly kidding, both supply chain disruption... Read More
Category: Livestock
Imports of feed into southern Alberta since November have been unprecedented, but delays in shipments, of both corn and distillers' dried grains (DDGs), from the U.S. have resulted in cattle feeders still having to scramble to find feed. As we reported earlier this week, many feedlots are waiting nervously for trains to arrive, with feed... Read More
Early in 2021, #buttergate caused a media frenzy when a foodie from western Canada suggested that butter seemed firmer at room temperature than before. Some suggested a link between farmers feeding palm oil and too-firm butter, but there was no readily available science to prove or disprove the theory. A year later, a working group... Read More
There's a rising number of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) cases in Manitoba's hog population. The numbers are so high in fact, that Cam Dahl, general manager of the Manitoba Pork Council, has deemed the issue to be a "general outbreak." "Normally, this is a disease that we see spread in late spring or summer, a... Read More
Corn imports into Western Canada from the U.S. have risen dramatically following the 2021 drought, but cattle feeders in Alberta say unpredictable shipments are not keeping up with demand. In some cases, feedlots say they are scraping together the last of their feed supplies, and are banking on delayed trains still arriving in time to... Read More
Ontario veterinarians will be able to access a portion of up to $4 million for new, portal and virtual equipment. Funded through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the Livestock Veterinary Innovation Initiative is intended to increase the access options for veterinary care, especially in rural and northern Ontario. The province says the program will target investment... Read More
South Korea has announced it will end its almost month-long ban on buying Canadian beef. The ban lasted almost one month, after an atypical case of BSE was reported in a beef cow on an Alberta farm Dec. 17, 2021. South Korea closed its doors to Canadian beef on Dec. 21. This morning, South Korea... Read More
On January 15th, Canada officially put in place a vaccine mandate for cross-border truck drivers. The United States is planning on doing the same starting January 22nd. Cam Dahl, general manager of the Manitoba Pork Council, says from the perspective of the pork industry, the entire system is already strained and it's uncertain know what... Read More
How do you rebuild a farming community after the most serious flooding event in modern history? Last week on the Farmer Rapid Fire, Shaun Haney was joined by Rudi Meier, Abbotsford, B.C.-area farmer. Meier shared what his community is dealing with, now two months after the first flooding began in the Fraser River valley. "There's... Read More
With the Government of Canada planning to implement its vaccine mandate for cross-border truck drivers on Saturday, January 15, and a looming domestic mandate still at play, the agricultural industry is trying to adjust and cope with the impact. Under the more pressing mandate of January 15, unvaccinated Canadian drivers will be allowed back to... Read More