Tennessee backs down on ag-gag law Monday, August 5, 2013 In June's Better Pork, we reported that lawmakers voted to make Tennessee the latest state to approve a so-called "ag-gag" law, a bill to make it illegal to record animal cruelty incidents on livestock farms without reporting them to the police right away.Just after we went to press, Tennessee Republican governor Bill Haslam vetoed the bill, following the opinion of his Democratic attorney general that it wouldn't pass a constitutional challenge, freedom of speech being nearly as important in that country as freedom to own a gun.According to Meatingplace.com, Haslam also cited concerns that the new law might take away reporters' rights to gather information for stories, and that it might be harder to prosecute legitimate animal cruelty cases "as an unintended consequence."As well, a number of Tennessee celebrities jumped on the bandwagon, among them songwriter Emmylou Harris, country music singer Carrie Underwood and even Priscilla Presley. The Humane Society of the United States sees it as a victory; the Animal Agriculture Alliance, which writes and speaks out against animal rights legislation, is not pleased. BP A Chinese takeover of Smithfields? The battle of the polls over gestation stalls
Protein Industries Canada Invests in AI for Agriculture Thursday, September 3, 2026 Protein Industries Canada is investing $4.9 million in two artificial intelligence (AI) projects designed to help Canadian farmers and the broader value-added agriculture sector improve productivity, safety, and decision-making. The investment includes up to $2.2 million from Protein... Read this article online
CN and CPKC report record grain movement in August Thursday, September 3, 2026 Both major railways serving Canadian farmers reported record grain movement for the month of August. Last month, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) moved 2.54 million metric tonnes of grain and related products, and 26,051 carloads. These figures include the first four weeks of the... Read this article online
Ottawa starting to roll out tariff supports Thursday, September 3, 2026 Parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba’s ag sectors are among the early recipients of tariff support from the federal government. On Sept. 3, Eleanor Olszewski, the minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), announced almost $16 million in funding for 15... Read this article online
Quinoa - How an Ancient Grain Became a Prairie Crop Opportunity Thursday, September 3, 2026 What began as an experimental crop on Canadian farms has become a small but increasingly recognized part of the country's specialty crop sector. Quinoa, often celebrated for its high protein content, gluten-free status, and versatility in food products, has been grown commercially in... Read this article online
Manitoba providing tariff support for farmers Wednesday, September 2, 2026 The Manitoba government is taking steps to assist farmers and other businesses affected by the ongoing trade war between Canada and the U.S. On Aug. 28 the provincial government announced more than $100 million in tariff supports. From an ag perspective, most of the supports come from... Read this article online