Imported fruit linked to Aussie hepatitis outbreak Friday, May 1, 2015 Australian farmers are selling more fresh berries than usual after imported frozen berries were implicated in a February hepatitis A outbreak, the Free Press Leader reports.The outbreak has been linked to poor hygiene and water supplies in a Chinese packaging plant, Pork Network reports. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott supports plans for new Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) in response to the incident: "We don't want to add needlessly to the burdens of business, but we do want to ensure that consumers get the information that they need and the public is protected."Otto Saeck, a blueberry farmer in New South Wales, told ABC Rural: "I think if you buy Australian fruit you're going to get good quality fruit; if you buy imported you have to take your chances unfortunately." By early March, 26 cases of hepatitis A had been reported, News.com.au reports. BF Goat meat and milk finding favour in North America Plant protection bill gets mixed response
A new front in the repair access debate Friday, March 13, 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
Senators examine Canada’s food system firsthand during southwestern Ontario fact finding mission Thursday, March 12, 2026 A delegation of Canadian senators conducted a full day fact finding mission on Friday, March 6, 2026, visiting several major food system organizations and research facilities across Southwestern Ontario. The tour supported the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry’s ongoing... Read this article online
Middle East conflict pushes fertilizer costs higher, forcing Ontario growers to rethink corn acres Wednesday, March 11, 2026 Ontario farmers are bracing for a turbulent spring as fertilizer and fuel prices surge in response to the escalating conflict involving Iran, a development that analysts say could reshape planting decisions across North America. The spike in nitrogen costs—the most critical and... 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