Chinese pork on steroids? Sunday, April 3, 2011 Clenbuterol, a treatment for respiratory infections in horses but never cleared for use in food animals, is showing up more frequently in pork in China's far western Xinjiang region, according to Associated Press. Consumers end up in hospital with stomach aches and heart palpitations. Clenbuterol hurries pigs to market and increases lean meat deposition. It's also known as a performance enhancer. Recently cyclist and Tour de France champion Alberto Contador was cleared of wrongdoing by the Spanish Cycling Federation after he claimed that he had failed a drug test because he had eaten contaminated meat. German table tennis player Dimitrij Ovtcharov was also cleared by anti-doping authorities. They accepted his claim that he had eaten drug-tainted meat from China.In February 2009, 70 Chinese were reported poisoned by Clenbuterol after eating pig offal. The drug accumulates in treated animals' organs. "There is still a debate whether ingesting meat products contaminated with steroids can lead to a positive result for steroid test," according to the website Steroidsources.com. The lab in Cologne, Germany, accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency reported that 22 of 28 travellers returning from China showed low levels of the anabolic steroid. BP The swine welfare challenges facing Canada's pork producers Inconsistent reports on red meat
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