Photo: Reuters/File

Fat herds, leaner profits: For China’s pig farmers, New Year feasts bring cold comfort

Beijing/Reuters – With China’s Lunar New Year festivities fast approaching, pig farmers in the world’s biggest pork market have little to cheer. As they fatten herds to meet peak demand, a slump in retail prices and a spike in feed costs are grinding up profits. A wave of imports has squeezed pork retail prices 10 […] Read more



(MHEby.com)

Livestock transport regulations up for comment

The public can comment until mid-February on proposed new livestock transport regulations which the government says will help Canada line up with international standards and limit how long livestock can go unfed during shipping. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Monday announced amendments to the federal Health of Animals Regulations dealing with transportation have been […] Read more

(Thinkstock photo)

Canada again declares as avian flu-free

With an Ontario duck farm depopulated and disinfected, and no new outbreaks in the three following months, Canada has again declared itself free of notifiable avian flu. The federal government announced Wednesday it has informed the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) that Ontario is considered free of avian influenza as per OIE guidelines. About […] Read more


(Ontario.ca)

Restricted zone tightens for Algonquin wolf hunting

Farmers will be able to protect their livestock and families from Algonquin wolves in any areas and hunting will only be restricted in areas near four parks, allaying some concerns of farmers after the wolf was declared a threatened species. Kathryn McGarry, Ontario minister of natural resources and forestry, spoke to the Ontario Federation of […] Read more

(ManitobaPork.com)

Argentina pledges access for Canadian pork

Canada and Argentina are in late-stage talks that would see Canadian pork exporters regain access to that South American market. Following a meeting between Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the federal government last Friday said the two countries have “acknowledged the necessary steps to complete the process to allow for […] Read more


Manitoba in the past decade has imposed restrictions on intensive hog production in a bid to reduce the nutrient load on the Red River heading north toward Lake Winnipeg. (Dave Bedard photo)

Investors press meat producers to cut water pollution

Reuters — Forty-five large investors collectively managing C$1.6 trillion in assets are pressing some of the nation’s largest meat producers to set policies for reducing water pollution in their feeding, slaughtering and processing operations. The investors, who are members of sustainability non-profit advocate Ceres and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), sent letters to […] Read more



(Stephen Ausmus photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Tighter border programs eyed for poultry, dairy imports

Federal programs meant to give importers tariff breaks on certain imports and products destined for re-export are up for tweaks to better cover Canada’s supply-managed poultry and dairy sectors. The federal government said Friday it plans to launch consultations with “industry stakeholders” over potential changes to its Duties Relief Program (DRP) and Import for Re-Export […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

McDonald’s investor renews push to cut antibiotics in all meat

Reuters — A McDonald’s Corp. shareholder is redoubling efforts to convince the fast-food chain to stop all of its global restaurants from serving the meat of animals raised with antibiotics that are vital for fighting human infections. More than 70 per cent of medically important antibiotics in the U.S. are sold for livestock use. Scientists […] Read more