Better Pork

By Farms.com To support livestock producers, the Canada-Saskatchewan Feed Program has announced an expansion in eligibility areas and an extension of the application deadline for 2023. This initiative, a collaborative effort between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and Saskatchewan's Ministry of Agriculture, comes as a response to the adverse effects of recent drought conditions in the region. Ministers Lawrence MacAulay and David Marit emphasized the importance of this update, acknowledging the challenges faced by producers. The program, administered by the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC), aims to provide financial relief and support to those in the agricultural sector impacted by dry conditions. An additional 10 Rural Municipalities (RMs) are now included in the program, allowing for a wider range of producers to access vital funds. Producers can now receive up to $150 per head with full cost-shared funding. This expansion reflects the government's recognition of the hardships faced due to the drought and its commitment to supporting the agriculture sector. The deadline for applications has been extended to March 15, 2024. This gives producers more time to review program details and submit their applications. The eligibility criteria require an indication of the number of breeding animals held from August 21, 2023, to January 31, 2024. This extension is geared towards ensuring that the actual extraordinary costs and breeding animal inventory are accurately captured in the applications. Eligible expenses under this program include costs for purchased feed, transportation, and rented land for grazing or additional feed production. The program covers a variety of livestock, including beef cattle, bison, elk, deer, sheep, goats, and horses. Importantly, a Saskatchewan Premises Identification (PID) is necessary for eligibility. For ease of application, an online form along with a user guide is available at the SCIC website. A dedicated team is also on hand to assist producers through phone or email support. This update is part of the broader AgriRecovery initiative, a federal-provincial-territorial partnership aimed at aiding agricultural producers in disaster situations. With a combined commitment of up to $147 million from Saskatchewan and the Federal Government, this initiative underlines the importance of the agricultural sector in Canada and thhe government's dedication to its sustainability and growth, especially in challenging times.

By Farms.com Calling all farmers interested in maximizing winter wheat crop returns! The 2024 Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) is now open for registration, offering a unique opportunity to gain valuable insights into crop performance. Established in 2021, the Great Lakes YEN is dedicated to helping farmers elevate their winter wheat yields by providing in-depth knowledge about crop performance. Registration for this insightful program closes on February 2nd, 2024, or when maximum capacity is reached – so act fast! Participants in the Great Lakes YEN can look forward to: Collecting soil and plant samples, meticulously analyzed at an accredited laboratory. Engaging in multiple in-person networking events, fostering connections with farmers and researchers. Receiving a comprehensive, personalized report summarizing data specific to their individual fields. Agronomists and crop consultants are integral to the success of the Great Lakes

The federal government and provincial governments in Western Canada are providing more support for livestock producers affected by the drought in 2023. In Saskatchewan, the Canada-Saskatchewan Feed Program’s application deadline has been extended to March 15, 2024. And farmers in 10 more rural municipalities are eligible for support payments of up to $150 per head. The new communities are the R.M.’s of: Britannia No. 502 Rosthern No. 403 Bayne No. 371 Lumsden No. 189 Sherwood No. 159 Bratt’s Lake No. 129 Lajord No. 128

Farmers in Manitoba have one less grain elevator to do business at. Parrish & Heimbecker (P&H) sent emails to producers indicating that as of Jan. 31, 2024, its grain elevator in Strathclair (Glossop), Man., would permanently close. Producers will still be able to access the crop inputs business operating out of the same location. Andrew Dalgarno, a farmer from Newdale, Man., posted a photo of P&H’s letter on X on Jan. 11. The email identifies other grain elevators farmers can use. “To continue serving your grain requirements, we have strategically identified alternative locations in Gladstone, Dutton (Gilbert Plaints), and Virden,” the letter says. “These locations will now handle all grain contracts and deliveries, providing you with uninterrupted service and support.” Each of those locations is within two hours of the Glossop elevator. The large steel elevator in Strathclair was built as a Pioneer elevator in 1994. At the time, the elevator was the company’s first high-throughput elevator. It now has a capacity of 22,000 tonnes and can handle 11,000 bushels per hour. It can also store 1,600 tonnes of fertilizer, Gr

The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is officially on the road to choosing a new leader. Party members voted for Wayne Ewasko, the MLA for Lac du Bonnet since 2011, and a former minister of education and early childhood learning to serve as the party’s interim leader and leader of the Official Opposition. “I’m extremely honoured to have been chosen by our PC caucus to lead them going into the leadership race,” he told media at the Manitoba Legislature on Jan. 29. He will be in these positions until party members elect a new leader in a leadership contest planned for later in 2024. Ewasko takes over for Heather Stefanson. She announced her resignation as leader on Jan. 15, calling her time as leader and premier “the honour of a lifetime,” and says she’s looking forward to watching the PCs hold the NDP government accountable. She publicized her intent to step down following the

By: Farms.com In an exciting development for Canada's agriculture and food industry, two leading research universities, the University of Guelph (U of G) and the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), have established a partnership. This collaboration is set to drive sustainable innovation within the nation's lucrative $140 billion agri-food sector. Dr. Evan Fraser from U of G’s Arrell Food Institute and Dr. Lenore Newman from UFV's Food and Agriculture Institute are at the helm of this alliance. The partnership arises amid pressing global concerns such as climate change, food waste, and the increasing issue of food insecurity, coupled with a looming shortage of skilled agricultural workers. The main objective of this collaboration is to explore new pathways for sustainable innovation in the agri-food sector. It aims to mold future leaders in the field, with Canada poised to become a global frontrunner in producing safe, sustainable, and healthy food. “One aspect of this partnership that I am so excited about is the potential to develop a national training platform to inspire and equip the next generation of leaders to help propel Canada on the global stage in terms of being the world leader in the production of safe, healthy and sustainable food,“ said Dr. Fraser. Key initiatives under this partnership include the development of a national agricultural technology strategy, fostering Canada's Agri-Tech ecosystem, and addressing food security as a critical aspect of national security. The collaboration will involve a series of accelerator workshops, the creation of a national network of agricultural technology players, and funding research to scale new innovations for market integration. This partnership is receiving early support from the Abbotsford Tech District, an agricultural technology accelerator. It signifies a major leap towards collaborative pathways for Canadian-made agriculture and food innovations, integrating solution-oriented technologies for mainstream market adoption. The U of G and UFV collaboration marks a significant moment in Canadian agri-food history, focusing on sustainable practices and technological advancements in agriculture. This partnership is a beacon of hope for the future, promising a more sustainable and prosperous agri-food sector in Canada. “Agricultural technology is essential to Canada’s food security and we are at a critical point where we must secure and increase the global food supply,” commented Peter Dhillon, chairman of the board, Ocean Spray, and CEO of the Richberry Group Close collaboration between applie

A new HyLife weaning ramp has the potential to improve animal care across the industry. The in-house invention has even captured the interest of renowned animal behavioralist, Dr. Temple Grandin. "This innovative system should be in every sow farm for vaccinating weaned piglets… I can't say enough good things about it. It should go industry-wide. I was amazed how well those little pigs used the ramp; that's the kind of stuff that makes handling easier," shared Dr. Temple Grandin. Grandin is a leading expert in her field, and as part of HyLife's ongoing commitment to animal welfare, the company recently engaged the professor of animal science and distinguished author. She traveled to Canada to extensively tour operations, including HyLife farms and a processing plant in Neepawa, Manitoba. During her evaluation, Grandin paid close attention to animal handling practices and was extremely impressed with the uniqueness of a recently invented HyLife ramp. "It gets rid of the back-breaking work. It's also going to improve good treatment of the pigs as the job is so much easier. And you make a job easier, and people are going to like it a whole lot better. That is something the whole industry should have," said Grandin. The ramp was created by HyLife's Continuous Improvement Team (CI), a group of engineers dedicated to solving challenges while improving animal welfare. After listening to farm employees, it was discovered that picking up piglets and bringing them to the employee performing the vaccination placed a strain on both the staff and animals.

MPs returned to Ottawa on Jan. 29 for the first question period of the winter session. Farms.com connected with Tyler McCann, managing director of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute, for a preview of this upcoming session and where agriculture could fit into the equation. Most of the spotlight will go towards broader issues, he says. “As we inch closer to an election, I expect the pressure to increase on the government on topics like affordability,” he told Farms.com. But that’s not to say there won’t be opportunities for agriculture to have its time in the sun. Bill C-234, which provides carbon tax exemptions for propane and natural gas used to dry grain and heat barns, is coming back to the House of Commons. This after senators voted in December in favour of an amendment that shortens the sunset clause in the bill from eight years to three. And because Conservative MP introduced Bill C-234, making it a private member’s bill, the government can decide when to bring it up for debate. There doesn’t appear to b

After a disastrous 2023 financially, Canadian producers are looking for a better 2024. The USDA projects that Canada’s pork production will decline a further -1.2% in 2024 and Farm Credit Canada anticipates producers are going to face tight margins until at least the summer. In the last couple of weeks financial projections for 2024 have changed rather dramatically (see charts below). These charts are projections for producers in Ontario for 2024. The first chart came out on January 3, 2024, and the second chart came out on January 10, 2024. As you can see for the calendar year 12 month average the projection went from a loss of $16.23 to $1.48 loss in the span of one week of projections. That dramatic change is positive news for a wounded industry and will hopefully continue in the direction where most of the 2024 calendar year will be profitable.

The Executive Director of the Swine Health Information Center reports progress on multiple fronts during 2023.The Swine Health Information Center, as part of its January eNewsletter, has issued its 2023 progress report.SHIC Executive Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder says one of the key priorities in 2023 was the wean-to-harvest biosecurity research program. Quote-Dr. Megan Niederwerder-Swine Health Information Center: We really wanted to enhance biosecurity in these phases of pork production thinking about the nursery, the grow-finish, the transportation to market and thinking about packing plant biocontainment to reduce the likelihood of pathogens coming back to the farm.We wanted to think about this in a comprehensive approach using both site and transportation biosecurity priorities. The way in which we were able to do that was to leverage the relationship and the funds by collaborating with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research as well as the Pork Checkoff to think about how do we put our funds together?We think about the top priorities for the industry and really try to advance our knowledge and our capability to enhance wean-to-harvest biosecurity. In 2023 we funded 16 individual research projects utilizing this program and these projects are very diverse, looking at for example how do we effectively utilize manure pumping in a more biosecure manner?Also thinking about can we rethink the farm entry system, so think about showering in in a new way in the absence of water, perhaps using an air shower, thinking about how do we motivate our caretakers to complete biosecurity protocols and overcome some of the barriers to that adoption. Dr. Niederwerder says we have a lot of great work that's in progress and we look forward to those results becoming available in 2024. SHIC's 2023 Progress report can be accessed at swinehealth.org.

An Assistant Professor with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine is encouraging pork producers to consider the introduction of protocols to ensure pigs are not exposed by staff to Streptococcus zooepidemicus.Streptococcus zooepidemicus or Strep zoo, a bacterial infection that was first identified as causing disease in pigs in 2019, can result in dramatic symptoms including sudden death and can colonise and be spread by multiple species. Dr. Matheus Costa, an Assistant Professor with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and an Adjunct Professor at Utrecht University, says right now we know very little about the ability of Strep zoo to jump from pigs to people and then people to pigs. Quote-Dr. Matheus Costa-Western College of Veterinary Medicine: We know, we have evidence that it can jump from one species to the other and back so, people pigs, pigs people it goes both ways.People in general would not show up in our list of possible culprits when we had Strep zoo introduced to a barn.The thing is people have access to everything in the barn most of the time. We know that people can carry Strep zoo and may have been implicated on spreading Strep zoo between barns so, as we learn more about it, we may have better recommendations on how to deal with this but we're still unaware of how can we prevent humans being a vector in this case?We do know that humans can carry for a very long period of time. I've talked about weeks to perhaps months and years.It's hard to give specific directions at this point but it's important that people are aware that this is a possibility.Again, wearing protective equipment, making sure biosecurity measures are being followed such as shower in shower out, dedicated clothes, gloves, masks, all of that. We believe all of that will help at least minimise the spread and the risk of people being the agent of introduction of Strep zoo into a herd.Dr. Costa says we're still learning about Strep zoo and its impact on different species but the fact that we're raising awareness is helping veterinarians and animals owners deal with it a bit better.

The Associate Director of the Swine Health Information Center says the ongoing spread and resurgence of African Swine Fever remains the dominant global swine disease concern.As part of its January eNewsletter the Swine Health Information Center has released its domestic and global swine disease monitoring reports.SHIC Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton says this month's report highlights events across six continents. Quote-Dr. Lisa Becton-Swine Health Information Center: ASF still is the predominant disease that is being seen and a lot of countries have had both some new infections but also resurging infections.There are about six different countries, notably Sweden included in that, that have had first time infections noted with African Swine Fever and so that continues to expand the footprint that ASF has globally and that's a bit concerning. But also, as we look at other countries that have had ASF prior, there were five different countries that experienced resurgence of African Swine Fever in their pig populations and notable both in Italy and the Philippines just to mention a few, so definitely something to be aware of.There are other diseases that have been out there but, as a whole, looking at other pathogens such as Foot and Mouth even Nipah virus, those types of viruses actually showed a reduction so that part is at least a little bit of good news. But again, I think that this highlights that African Swine fever is still a big one that people are fighting.There's also a lot of activity for Foot and Mouth Disease in Asia and in Africa. Dr. Becton says the first-time detection at the Taiwanese border of a recombinant strain of ASF identified in 2022, resulting from the illegal import of products from China, highlights the need for continued border protection and monitoring.She suggests its up to all of us to ensure we don't have products imported illegally by keeping up our education for incoming folks and monitoring at our own borders.

Researchers with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine are looking at the use of biomarkers as an indicator of animal welfare.Biological markers are observable characteristics that can be measured to determine whether an animal is in a state of good health and well being. Research conducted through the NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Swine Welfare Research Program, which explored the potential application of biomarkers to assess swine welfare, was discussed as part of a forum held as part of the 2024 Banff Pork Seminar. Darian Pollock, a PhD candidate in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine, says the objective was identify indicators of welfare, in the case of her work measuring chronic stress. Quote-Darian Pollock-Western College of Veterinary Medicine: We wanted to compare these physiological biomarkers so we were focussing on cortisol which is indicative of stress and another hormone called dehydroepiandrosterone or DHEA.We looked at those two physiological markers but we also wanted to compare this with productivity as well as behavior to see if they were related to each other as kind of a cross validation. We raised pigs in two different environments and this was done in two different studies.We looked at pigs that were either reared with straw or without straw and we collected hair and this was used to measure the hormones.Hormones incorporate into the hair as the hair grows.We can shave the hair, take it back to the lab and see the hormone levels within the hair over a long period of time. Pollock says there were no differences in hair hormone concentrations in the groups raised with or without straw but there were some behavioural differences, including indications of more aggression in the group reared without straw and some minor increases in skin lesions, no differences in productivity but there was a considerable amount of individual variation.Full details on this work can be accessed through swinewelfare.com.

Farm Health Guardian reports enhancements to its biosecurity software will help farmers and food companies improve disease prevention by identifying and alerting them to potential biosecurity breaches. Farm Health Guardian is a biosecurity software system that helps protect against diseases on pig farms and poultry farms by allowing farmers and food companies to track animal movement.Farm Health Guardian Customer Success Representative Adam Black says there's been a lot of research that shows the movement of animals, the movement of people and bringing various items onto the farm increases the risk of the spread of disease. Quote-Adam Black-Farm Health Guardian: Different companies have different way of managing their vehicles.Lots of these farmers and food companies use a GPS system to manage their logistics on their vehicles, route tracking and planning.That's what we're integrating with. We're integrating with these preexisting fleet management softwares so Motive, which is our newest integration that we've just linked with, tracks these vehicles and then we can add a biosecurity layer.Its main purpose is to monitor these vehicles.Lots of them can tell when it's time for service but what we're connecting in on is the GPS data and when it enters a farm property, we can then know it’s time of entry and exit and then we can also add a breach alert to that. We can set up different protocols with our system to alert veterinary teams, logistics teams, whoever needs to know that there is a potential breach and that action needs to be taken. Black says by monitoring truck movement veterinarian and logistics teams, can identify the vehicles that might be at risk and pull them, clean them and get them back on the road as quickly and efficiently as possible before they enter any farm properties.Further details can be accessed by searching Farm Health Guardian.

https://www.farms.com/author-bio/andrew-joseph.aspx">Andrew Joseph; Image from Harry Hoffman and Sons Funeral Home Jack Riddell, a former Ontario Minister of Agriculture, passed away on January 23, 2024, at the age of 92. He served in that role from 1985 to 1989. Riddell had also been an MPP for Huron and Huron-Middlesex from 1971 to 1990, winning six consecutive elections for the Ontario Liberal Party. For the Ontario Liberals, he was elected and became the Agriculture Critic in 1973. He was born in London, Ontario, but grew up in Huron County, earning a B.Sc. In Agriculture from the OAC in 1957. He was the Assistant Agricultural Representative in Hastings and Essex Counties, then the Assistant Manager of the Ontario Stockyards. At home, he raised cattle and sheep on a farm near Dashwood, Ontario, even while working as a teacher at the South Huron District High School. He owned and operated the Hensall Livestock Sales Barn and worked as an auctioneer jointly with his brother Doug. After becoming the Ontario Minister of Agriculture and Food in 1985, he introduced the program and formed an of rural MPPs. For his efforts to sustain and advance agriculture, Riddell was elected to the Ontario Agriculture Hall of Fame in June 2017. A service for Riddell took place on January 27, 2024.

By: Farms.com As we enter 2024, FCC says the Canadian cattle and hog sectors are bracing for a year of mixed fortunes. While cattle prices are expected to stabilize or slightly increase for most categories, the hog sector shows a more varied outlook. For cattle, 2023 was a year of notable price increases, particularly for 550 lb. steers, which saw a rise of over 37%. In 2024, prices for most cattle categories, except Ontario 850 lb. steers, are forecasted to either stabilize or show a slight year-over-year increase. This trend is good news for the sector, considering the profitability margins in the cow/calf sector are still expected to be above the five-year average. However, feedlot profitability might face challenges due to high hay prices, especially in Southern Alberta, where prices have doubled since 2020. The hog sector presents a different scenario. Isowean prices are projected to be lower year-over-year, with Manitoba prices for feeders and market hogs remaining stable at 2023 levels. Eastern Canada might see a positive trend with hog prices likely trending higher. However, margins for Isowean are expected to be close to breakeven in the East, with a slightly more favorable outlook in Manitoba. Two key trends worth monitoring in 2024 are feed availability and the global and domestic demand for pork. Feed costs, though easing, remain a concern with barley and corn prices still above their five-year averages. This trend is exacerbated by increasing hay prices in Alberta due to last year's drought impacting alfalfa production. On the pork demand front, global dynamics are shifting. China, the world's largest pork producer and consumer, is experiencing slower economic growth and population decline, leading to a decrease in its domestic pork consumption and production. This change is impacting Canadian exports, which have not reached their pre-African Swine Fever levels. Canadian pork producers also face challenges with a long-term declining trend in domestic demand and global economic pressures affecting export markets. However, recent price competitiveness has helped boost domestic consumption. 2024 is shaping up to be a year of cautious optimism for the Canadian cattle s

Image via Getty Images, MicroStockHub Everybody step back and take a deep breath. After both sides groused about the lack of access to agricultural markets, the UK suspended discussion with Canada about comporting a free trade deal between the countries. Despite the pause, the talks are admittedly still a work in progress, having first begun in March 2022. The UK had initiated the talks—one of many economic deals it is working on around the globe—after announcing it was leaving the European Union (EU). While having many benefits for the UK, leaving the EU also caused it to miss out on existing EU free trade deals. According to a statement from Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng, Canada was not happy with the pause in negotiations. “Their [UK] decision to continue to maintain market access barriers for our agriculture industry and unwillingness to reach a mutual agreement hasonly stalled negotiations,' noted the statement. For Canadian farmers, there’s the complaint that they have been shut out of the UK beef market because of regulations banning the use of hormones. For Canada (and the US), there are complaints that the UK remains under the thumb of the EU and its push for greater progress towards turning its agriculture into a more organic farming industry—and that its trade partners should follow suit. In the face of Canada’s disappointment in the trade talks stalling, a UK government spokesperson wrote on X that 'we reserve the right to pause negotiations with any country if progress is not being made.' Before Britain left the EU trading sphere at the end of 2020, Canada rolled over existing trade arrangements to ensure free trade could continue. However, as of 20243, some of those agreement dates have come and gone. Cheese access is one contentious issue, as Canada has complained that the UK wasn’t interested in working quickly to renegotiate the continuance of the deal. As the late great comedic actor Terry-Thomas said, “Hard cheese, old boy.”

A new herbicide for spring, durum and winter wheat growers across Western Canada is available for the 2024 growing season. UPL’s Batalium product received registration just before Christmas. The herbicide is registered for use in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and in the Peace River and Interior of B.C. UPL testing ensured the product is made for Canadian conditions, said Jon Gough, Canada portfolio marketing lead with UPL. “It can handle variations in environment and temperatures,” he told Farms.com. “We did a lot of work to optimize the formulation and believe this is a high-power formulation that’s going to do what we say it’s going to do.” It combines multiple modes of action – flucarbazone, fluroxypyr, MCPA and bromoxynil, the product’s label says. It can control grass weeds like green foxtail and Japanese brome, and broadleaf weeds like cow cockle, Canada thistle and cleavers. This formulation comes in a drum that can treat 200 acres, or a jug that can cover 40 acres. &lt

A seed company and a junior hockey league are collaborating to tell stories from the farm and how they translate to success on the ice. CANTERRA SEEDS and the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) have launched the Golden Sheaf Program, which will highlight the upbringing of farm kids currently playing in the league. “We will be interviewing and writing stories about SJHL athletes with agricultural backgrounds, and how growing up on the farm helped get them to where they are today,” Jacob Faith, director of marketing and partnerships with the SJHL, told Farms.com. The first player to be featured in an interview will be Connor Miller. The right winger for the Humboldt Broncos has 22 points (7G, 15A) in 22 games this season, and in February 2023 committed to Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D., where he’ll play NCAA Div. I hockey when his tenure with the Broncos is over. He also grew up on his family’s Lipton, Sask., grain farm. And being raised on a farm is what sets Miller and players like him apart from others who grew up in different settings, said Brent Derkatch, president and CEO of CANTERRA SEEDS.

By: Farms.com McCain Foods has released its 2023 Global Sustainability Report, marking significant progress towards its goal of implementing 100% regenerative agriculture by the decade's end. With over half of its global potato acreage now embracing this innovative approach, McCain's efforts are reshaping the agricultural landscape. Max Koeune, President and CEO of McCain Foods, emphasizes sustainability as the core of their business, crucial for combating climate change effects. McCain's commitment extends beyond farming practices, focusing on resource-efficient operations and community engagement. Key initiatives include the Farm of the Future projects in Canada and Africa, where regenerative agriculture is actively demonstrated and tested. These efforts have led to improved water-use efficiency, particularly in water-stressed regions, and the development of water stress-tolerant potato varieties. Significantly, McCain has achieved a 9.8% reduction in absolute carbon emissions since 2017, with over 21% of its electrical energy coming from renewable sources. The company has also made notable advances in packaging recyclability, with a high percentage of its paper and plastic packaging now designed for recycling. In the realm of product quality, McCain has launched global policies focusing on clean ingredients and nutrition while maintaining high safety standards across its facilities. These efforts include reducing sodium in appetizer products and eliminating artificial ingredients from key items. Community involvement is another pillar of McCain's strategy. Through the McCain Chips In initiative, employees have contributed over 17,000 volunteer hours, supporting various development programs and donating millions of meals. As McCain Foods continues to lead the charge in sustainable food production, their collaborative approach with farmers, governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders underlines a collective journey towards a resilient, planet-friendly food system. This Canadian family-owned business, with a global footprint, is setting a precedent in the agri-food sector, balancing economic succe