Two more states whose migrating birds’ flight paths cross over much of the Prairies and Ontario now have outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian flu in commercial turkeys. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Tuesday expanded its restrictions on cross-border imports of U.S. birds, eggs and uncooked poultry products to include those from Missouri. The […] Read more

H5N2 avian flu spreads down Mississippi flyway

Manitoba Case dealerships to join Rocky Mountain chain
Predicting a “challenging environment” ahead for revenue growth as crop prices slip, Case IH dealership mega-chain Rocky Mountain Equipment is set to expand further into Manitoba. Calgary-based RME on Tuesday announced its fourth-quarter and year-end results plus a deal to buy southern Manitoba dealership chain Chabot Implements for $6.8 million. Family-owned Chabot includes dealerships at […] Read more
Wild boar must be PigTrace-compatible by July 1
Canada’s farmed wild boar industry has almost four months left to get ready for the same mandatory identification, record-keeping and movement reporting rules as the mainline hog industry. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Monday put out a reminder to all pork producers that they and other “pig custodians,” such as breeders, auction markets and […] Read more

Mosaic fast-tracking Esterhazy potash mine expansion
U.S. fertilizer firm Mosaic Co. has put expansion work at its southeastern Saskatchewan potash mining site on an “accelerated” timeline. Mosaic, which said in 2008 it would invest $1.7 billion to add 1.8 million tonnes of capacity at its Esterhazy, Sask. site by 2020, now plans to have its new “K3” satellite mine delivering potash […] Read more

CP’s shopcraft staff ratify new labour deal
Repair, maintenance and locomotive and rail car inspection staff at Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) have voted to ratify the last-minute deal that kept them off the picket line. The 1,625 unionized workers, represented by Unifor’s CP shopcraft bargaining unit, voted 79 per cent in favour of their four-year deal at membership meetings over the past […] Read more
Early cowpoke turns doctor
History pages reprinted from the March 1949 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Alberta Cowpoke Turns Doctor Guy Weadick, High River, Alta. ‘In the old open range days it used to be said that the dream of many a cowpuncher was to become a wagon boss and when his range days were over to graduate to a steady job as a bartender. Be that as it may, there was one […] Read more

Monsanto rolls out fababean inoculant
Fababean growers in Canada in the market for a granular inoculant now have their first-ever option. Monsanto BioAg, the joint microbial marketing arm for Novozymes and Monsanto, announced Friday it will now launch TagTeam fababean granular inoculant, which picked up Canadian Food Inspection Agency approval last fall. The product’s CFIA registration covers its dual-action use […] Read more

Ont. expands rain gauge options for forage insurance
Ontario farmers buying production insurance for forage crops this year can use data from up to three rainfall reporting stations in their coverage. Agricorp, which manages Ontario’s provincial farm programs and production insurance, said Thursday its move will allow forage growers enrolled in the forage rainfall plan to choose stations closer to the spots where […] Read more

Canada blocking poultry, eggs from Minnesota
Discovery of H5N2 avian flu at a commercial turkey operation in central Minnesota has led Canada to curb cross-border imports of poultry and eggs from the state. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Friday announced restrictions blocking any raw poultry or poultry products or byproducts that aren’t fully cooked. Such products — including eggs […] Read more

H5N2 avian flu found in Minnesota turkey flock
U.S. officials have confirmed a commercial turkey flock in central Minnesota to be the first in the Mississippi flyway with a highly pathogenic strain of H5N2 avian flu. The high-path strain is confirmed as the same seen in recent months in backyard flocks and wild birds in the Pacific flyway states of Washington, Oregon and […] Read more