Humans spread ASF in Europe Tuesday, February 9, 2016 Humans are responsible for the spread of African Swine Fever in eastern Europe. That is the conclusion of scientists Klaus Depner and Sandra Blome at Germany's Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut.High levels of the virus causing ASF are found in the blood of infected animals, much less in saliva and feces, so living animals are not that contagious. Furthermore, sick animals with fevers don't travel; they stay put and die a few days after infection. Carcasses of infected wild boars do remain a source of infection for some time. The scientists speculate that, when many pigs were going to die, they were sent to slaughter and infected meat made it to markets, homes and suitcases. The virus spread along main roads.Farms that became infected were found to have insufficient biosecurity measures in place. Attempts to eradicate wild boars, thought to be a source of the disease, simply scared sick animals away, so that they died in other locations. Good hygiene and biosecurity are the answer, the scientists say. BP Venting on the weather Sizzle hasn't left the price of bacon
Al-Katib says Canada has Resources and Talent to Lead the World Wednesday, July 2, 2025 In a recent episode of Asia Pacific Conversations, Murad Al-Katib, CEO of AGT Foods and Ingredients, shared insights into the journey of Canadian agriculture in global markets. As the head of a Saskatchewan-based startup that has grown into a billion-dollar international food company,... Read this article online
Drought Support for Saskatchewan Includes Allowing Low Yield Crops as Livestock Feed Wednesday, July 2, 2025 The Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) is implementing urgent support for producers dealing with ongoing dry conditions. The federal and provincial agriculture ministers have announced changes that allow low-yielding crop acres to be salvaged for livestock feed through a doubled... Read this article online
Canadian Farmers Increase Wheat and Soybean Acres Wednesday, July 2, 2025 In 2025, Canadian farmers increased the planting of wheat, oats, soybeans, lentils, corn, and dry peas, while reducing the area seeded to canola and barley. The warm and dry spring conditions across much of Western Canada helped speed up seeding operations, with all Prairie provinces... Read this article online
Manitoba pork, canola producers hold steady amid heavy tariffs Wednesday, July 2, 2025 A slab of back bacon from Natural Raised Pork comes with a waitlist. Ian Smith points to tariffs. Since the United States placed levies on imports from Canada, Manitobans have increasingly been calling Smith about his farm near Argyle, some 40 kilometres northwest of... Read this article online
Crop and Pasture Health Rise in Alberta Wednesday, July 2, 2025 According to the AFSC and Alberta Government Crop Reporting Survey, Alberta's crop conditions improved significantly this week. Major crops are now rated 59 percent good to excellent, up 10 percent from the previous week. However, this is still below the five- and ten-year averages of 73 and... Read this article online