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
BASF brings Calovor herbicide to corn producers Wednesday, November 11, 2026 BASF is bringing a new weed control product to Canadian corn farmers for the 2027 season. Calovor combines dicamba (Group 4) and diflufenzopyr (Group 19) for post-emerge control of weeds like kochia, wild buckwheat, Canada thistle, and redroot pigweed. “The Group 19 acts as a transport... Read this article online
CGC compensates producers for dealings with Grasslands Brokerage & Consulting Ltd. Wednesday, November 11, 2026 The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) has compensated eligible farmers for unpaid deliveries to Grasslands Brokerage & Consulting Ltd. A review of submitted claims showed two were eligible for support under the Safeguards for grain Farmers Program, which protects farmers from non-payment if... Read this article online
Ag in the House: Nov. 2 – 6 Wednesday, November 11, 2026 During question period on Nov. 2, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre asked the government if it would cut taxes to provide farmers and Canadians with relief from high fuel prices. “The Liberal government is out of touch,” he said. “Yes, the farmers in my riding say the single biggest... Read this article online
Canada Makes Rural Immigration Program Permanent to Address Labour Shortages Wednesday, November 11, 2026 Rural Canadian employers struggling to find workers will have a permanent immigration pathway designed specifically to help smaller communities address persistent labour shortages. The federal government announced Nov. 9 that the will become a permanent program, following previous... Read this article online
Organic Demand Is Growing, But Canada Is Importing Much of the Opportunity Wednesday, November 11, 2026 Canada’s organic market is growing quickly, but industry leaders say Canadian farmers and processors are not yet capturing enough of that growth. Leaders from across the country’s organic value chain gathered in Ottawa Nov. 2 and 3 for where discussions focused on how Canada can... Read this article online