Big chickens, big problems Monday, March 7, 2016 The market in the United States for chickens weighing more than six pounds accounts for about 55 per cent by head count and about 70 per cent by pounds of meat produced as the industry gears up to meet high demand for boneless breast meat while reducing labour costs in plants. But the big bird trend has run squarely into a problem with so-called "woody breasts," defined as meat that is hard to the touch.There is also a concern about a phenomenon called "white striping," which appears on raw meat. One out of five birds in commercial plants appears to be affected, according to meatingplace.com, and quality, as defined by decreased water-holding capacity, increased fat and lower protein, is affected.There is no indication of this being a problem in Canada, where the percentage of birds raised as "roasters" remains relatively small. BF Metabolic diagnoses in a minute? Grass-fed label rescinded in U.S.
A new front in the repair access debate Friday, March 6, 2026 Iowa lawmakers have pushed the right‑to‑repair conversation into new territory with House File 2529, a bill that focuses specifically on diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) systems—the single most common cause of emissions-related downtime on modern farm machinery. The bill would require... Read this article online
March 8 is International Women’s Day Friday, March 6, 2026 Across the United States and Canada, women are taking on increasingly visible roles in agriculture—managing farms, leading ag-tech startups, advancing research, and strengthening the rural economies that feed both nations. Their work reflects a shift in an industry once defined... Read this article online
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to Visit Toronto and Southwestern Ontario Tuesday, March 3, 2026 The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry will be in Toronto and Southwestern Ontario later this week as part of its ongoing study on the role of Canada’s agriculture and agri‑food sector in strengthening national food security. The fact‑finding mission is scheduled for... Read this article online
AgriStability Program Updated to Include Pasture-Related Feed Costs Beginning in 2026 Monday, March 2, 2026 In case you missed it last week, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that pasture-related feed costs will be added as an allowable expense under AgriStability starting with the 2026 program year. The update addresses rising operational... Read this article online
Bringing more Food and Ingredient Processing Back to Canadian Soil Monday, March 2, 2026 Protein Industries Canada has announced the second cohort of nine companies participating in its Program, an initiative designed to bring more food and ingredient processing back to Canadian soil and expand the nation’s value‑added agriculture sector. The selected companies span the... Read this article online