Screengrab of turkeys on display at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, from a 2017 promotional video. (CWA video screengrab via YouTube)

Saskatchewan, Ontario ban birds at events

Bans back on as fall migratory season underway, avian flu cases stack up

At least two provinces now have bans in place on birds being brought to fall ag fairs and other such events, as cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza pick up again in Canada’s domestic birds. Ontario — which had such a ban in place this spring — reinstated it effective Sept. 23 through to Oct. […] Read more

File photo of chicks on a genetic map of a chicken. (Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Avian flu returns to southwestern Ontario

More cases also turn up in western provinces

Highly pathogenic avian influenza has circled back to Ontario for the first time in four months with an outbreak in a commercial poultry flock in Oxford County. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Friday confirmed the outbreak at a farm in the township of Zorra, about 20 km east of London. Details on the […] Read more


(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Avian flu circles back in Western Canada

All western provinces book new cases in commercial birds

A relatively quiet summer for highly pathogenic avian influenza in Canada has turned for the worse, with outbreaks on commercial poultry farms in all four western provinces in the past week alone. Cases of high-path avian flu in domestic birds in Canada confirmed and reported by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency since Aug. 31 include: […] Read more

File photo of a plate of tandoori chicken legs. (Paul_Brighton/iStock/Getty Images)

Ontario halal processor to buy poultry packing capacity

Amir Quality Meats taking up Wellington Poultry

An Ontario meat processor specializing in the halal market has a deal in place to boost its capacity by buying a nearby chicken and specialty fowl packer. Amir Quality Meats, which operates a federally registered HACCP-certified boning and cutting plant at Brampton, has an agreement in place to buy the processing plant and “associated supply” […] Read more


As higher protein prices hit consumers in the first half of 2022, chicken had a price advantage over beef and pork.

Chicken lords over beef with consumers

Prime Cuts with Steve Kay

Beef is still king of the meat case in U.S. grocery stores. But chicken wins hands down in per capita consumption and has done so for years. Beef is regarded as the meat treat and chicken the survival food for protein. Now that food inflation stalks grocery store aisles and talk is increasing about the […] Read more

Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA’s logo on a tower in Jundiai, northwest of Sao Paulo in southeastern Brazil, on June 1, 2017. (File photo: Reuters/Paulo Whitaker)

JBS quarterly profit falls almost 10 per cent but tops estimates

Cattle prices 'above the expected level'

Sao Paulo | Reuters — JBS, the world’s largest meatpacker, posted an almost 10 per cent drop in net profits, to US$766 million, driven by the relative weakness of its U.S. beef and pork units in the second quarter, according to an earnings statement on Thursday. Still, it beat analysts’ forecasts. JBS reported a 4.6 […] Read more


(SwissChalet.com)

Fairfax proposes takeover of Recipe dining group

Chains include The Keg, Swiss Chalet, Harvey's

Reuters — Recipe Unlimited Corp. said on Tuesday shareholder and investment firm Fairfax Financial Holdings has proposed to take the Canadian restaurant operator private for $1.23 billion, sending its shares up nearly 50 per cent. The offer price marks a premium of more than 53 per cent to Recipe’s last close. The shares have fallen […] Read more




Jared Epp speaks to the crowd at AiM 2022 about stock dogs and herding. (Liam O’Connor photo)

Lessons on stock dogs from Ag In Motion

'Our dogs do understand that they're worthy'

Ranchers, and perhaps even dog owners, gathered around the Cattle Pen at Ag in Motion on Wednesday to learn about stock dogs and what makes them tick. Jared Epp from the Saskatchewan Stock Dog Association led that day’s demonstration and drove home four main points: showing leadership is key, the appearance of the dog doesn’t […] Read more