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
New Canola Hybrids to Help Western Canadian Growers Combat Disease Pressure Friday, July 10, 2026 As disease pressure intensifies and weather conditions become increasingly unpredictable across Western Canada, crop genetics are playing a more important role in helping growers protect yield potential and maintain profitability. Proven Seed, the proprietary seed brand of Nutrien Ag... Read this article online
How Farmers and Rural Residents Can Protect Themselves from Tick-Borne Illnesses Friday, July 10, 2026 For many Canadians, ticks were once considered a problem limited to a few isolated regions of the country. Today, that is no longer the case. As temperatures warm and tick habitats expand, public health officials are reporting increasing numbers of Lyme disease and other tick-borne... Read this article online
Federal Agriculture Minister Visits Farming Smarter Friday, July 10, 2026 Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald toured Farming Smarter's research farm in Lethbridge this week to gain first-hand insight into how collaborative agronomy research is supporting producers and strengthening the agriculture sector. The visit comes ahead of a... Read this article online
Lutz Lube Drive Cuts Workplace Strain Friday, July 10, 2026 Lutz Pumpen has introduced a mobile grease pump powered by a cordless screwdriver. Their goal is to help farmers, and others who work regularly with grease pumps to reduce ergonomic strain. Workplace ergonomic strain continues to cost U.S. businesses billions of dollars each year,... Read this article online
Greenfield Global Expands U.S. High-Purity Alcohol Supply Friday, July 10, 2026 Greenfield Global is strengthening its position in the North American high-purity alcohol market through a new long-term agreement with Missouri-based Show Me Ethanol (SME), a move designed to provide customers with enhanced supply security, faster delivery times, and greater protection... Read this article online