Judge says Chinese ownership irrelevant Sunday, October 4, 2015 References to the Chinese government, the Communist Party and China's People's Liberation Army are "highly prejudicial" and must be edited out of statements of claim against large pig farms, a North Carolina judge has ruled.According to Associated Press, U.S. District Judge W. Earl Britt agreed with pork industry leaders that Chinese ownership of Murphy-Brown LLC has nothing to do with recently filed nuisance complaints against the farms, operating since the 1990s. Smithfield Foods bought Murphy-Brown in 2000, and was subsequently taken over by WH Group, based in China, in 2013.The judge did not excise allegations regarding exports to China, and Chinese demand for and purchase of pork, because those allegations address a potential source of the alleged nuisance and "provide potentially useful contextual information." The lawsuit contends that Chinese demand for more pork will only increase demand for more North Carolina pork. BF An action plan for Lyme disease Whole Foods introduces 'value-oriented' stores
Spring Economic Update Sets the Stage for a Challenging Year on the Farm Friday, May 1, 2026 The Federal Government released its 2026 Spring Economic Update on April 28, outlining the country’s current economic position and federal priorities for the months ahead. While the update does not contain new direct funding announcements for agriculture, it offers important signals for... Read this article online
When Grain Stops Moving Rail and Port Delays Cost Canada Up to $540 Million Friday, May 1, 2026 A new economic analysis commissioned by the Agriculture Transport Coalition has found that just one week of rail and port disruptions during peak export season can cost Canada’s grain sector up to $540 million. The majority of these losses stem from missed export sales that cannot be... Read this article online
Colouring a Safer Future for Farm Kids Thursday, April 30, 2026 Teaching children about farm safety is an essential part of protecting the future of Canadian agriculture. With that goal in mind, the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) has launched the Kids FarmSafe Colouring Contest, a creative initiative designed to help young people learn... Read this article online
Inside the Collapse of Monette Farms and What It Signals for Big Agriculture Thursday, April 30, 2026 The restructuring of Monette Farms is raising hard questions about how large is too large in modern agriculture—and whether today’s risk tools are keeping up. (Read the article: Monette Farms Seeks Court Protection as Mega-Farm Restructures Amid Financial Pressures) For years, Monette... Read this article online
Soybean Cyst Nematode Is in almost every soybean producing state and province Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Understanding Detection, Prevention, and Management of Soybeans’ Most Costly Pest Soybean cyst nematode (SCN), , remains the most damaging pathogen affecting soybeans in North America, costing U.S. farmers more than one billion dollars in lost yield annually. Updated national surveys... Read this article online