Behind the Lines - February 2016 Tuesday, February 9, 2016 Based in the heart of western Ontario's pork-producing belt and with a long history in the hog transporting business, Doug Luckhart saw a need for a better way to move hogs to market coming. He was already working with trailer manufacturers in Europe and the United States when animal rightists stepped up their activities in 2015 and Toronto-based animal activist Anita Krajnc made herself famous last summer by being arrested for mischief for watering pigs outside the Sofina plant in Burlington. Truckers and farmers can't win this battle, Luckhart says. "We can do better." Senior Staff Editor Don Stoneman's story on humane trucking starts on page 6.While Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea has garnered huge headlines in the last couple of years (that's what happens when an epidemic skews a commodity's prices), our resident contributing veterinarian Ernest Sanford points out that Porcine Reproductive Syndrome Virus and Porcine Parvovirus are still the most profit-robbing diseases hurting pork profits. Read what Sanford has to say about that starting on page 18.Computer algorithms may already be a familiar term to farmers who use higher-tech methods in their fields to determine where fertilizer should be spread. But in the pig barn to monitor and analyze when coughing pigs are becoming sick? Our Europe writer Norman Dunn is always bringing us new technology from across the pond. His story starts on page 21. BPROBERT IRWIN Sizzle hasn't left the price of bacon Pork council victor in ear tag dust-up
Fresh Immigration Stream for Farm Jobs Friday, July 11, 2025 Canada’s agriculture industry is facing serious labour shortages. To resolve this issue, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is working on a new immigration stream that will help bring international workers into this essential sector. The Agri-Food Pilot, which previously... Read this article online
CFIB urges clarity on internal trade rules Friday, July 11, 2025 As the Committee on Internal Trade (CIT) prepares to meet, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is urging officials to finalize a pan-Canadian mutual recognition agreement and support interprovincial alcohol delivery. In a letter sent to the committee, CFIB highlights... Read this article online
Ontario farmers get boost for energy upgrades Friday, July 11, 2025 The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $3 million in the third round of the Agricultural Stewardship Initiative (ASI). This funding will help farmers improve the energy efficiency of their operations and support the long-term sustainability of the agriculture... Read this article online
Ag industry remembers Bob Mazer Thursday, July 10, 2025 Members of the Canadian and American ag industries are remembering Bob Mazer, the president and CEO of Mazergroup, an equipment dealership network with 18 locations between Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Mazer passed away on July 6 after a battle with cancer, a Facebook post says. He was... Read this article online
Swede midge and cabbageworm found in Ontario canola Thursday, July 10, 2025 As reported on the OMAFA website fieldcropnews.com, Ontario canola crops are at various growth stages, ranging from seedling to full bloom depending on planting time and region. Winter canola is now fully podded, and harvest is expected to begin soon in Essex and other southern... Read this article online