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
Swine Health Ontario confirms first PED case of 2026 Tuesday, January 6, 2026 Ontario has its first case of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in 2026. A finisher barn in Perth County is dealing with the disease as of Jan. 2, Swine Health Ontario says. In total, Ontario has 23 active instances of PED dating back to January 2025. Seven are in Perth County,... Read this article online
Bushel Plus unveils modular X9 Split Frame MAD Concaves for John Deere X9 combines Tuesday, January 6, 2026 Bushel Plus Ltd. has introduced a major update to its MAD Concave lineup with the launch of the X9 Split Frame MAD Concaves, a modular system engineered specifically for John Deere X9 Series combines. Bushel Plus is a global leader in harvest optimization technology, dedicated to helping... Read this article online
Winter AGM roundup Monday, January 5, 2026 It’s early in 2026 and industry groups are preparing for annual general meetings. Here’s a brief roundup of the meetings on the horizon. The Sask Crops Forum on Jan. 13 and 14 at the Western Development Museum at 2610 Lorne Ave. in Saskatoon, will include AGMS for four producer... Read this article online
Ag represented in Order of Canada recipients Monday, January 5, 2026 A member of Saskatchewan’s ag community is among the 80 newest appointees to the Order of Canada. Governor General Mary Simon appointed Wayne Brownlee, the CFO of PotashCorp who helped the company become Nutrien, to the Order of Canada on New Year’s Eve. The Order of Canada is Canada’s... Read this article online
Ontario Farmers -- Share Your 2026 Planting Plans and Win Big! Monday, January 5, 2026 Would you like an early look at what Ontario farmers will plant in 2026 and how the acreage mix might shape up? Farms.com Risk Management is inviting farmers across Ontario to participate in the Annual Ontario Planting Intentions Survey—a quick and easy way to share your plans and gain... Read this article online