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
CAAIN receives $50 million from Ottawa Thursday, August 27, 2026 The federal government is investing in Canadian agriculture through technological innovation. Ottawa is providing the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) with $50 million to support its work of funding innovative projects in ag, Industry Minister Mélanie... Read this article online
2026 Great Ontario Yield Tour forecasts a New Record High in Corn and Soybean Yields Thursday, August 27, 2026 Ontario farmers could be on track for one of the most productive growing seasons in provincial history. The 2026 Great Ontario Yield Tour is forecasting a record average corn yield of 206 bushels per acre (“bpa”), with a range of +/-1% at 203.94 to 208.06 bpa depending on how the season... Read this article online
Court Approves First Monette Farms Land Sale Amid Insurance Questions Wednesday, August 26, 2026 Monette Farms has cleared an important milestone in its creditor protection proceedings, with a court approving the first sale of property as the company continues efforts to reduce debt and restructure its operations. At the same time, new uncertainty has emerged regarding the farm... Read this article online
Protect Grain from Allergen Risks Wednesday, August 26, 2026 Maintaining a reputation for clean and safe grain is important for Canadian farmers, grain handlers, and the agriculture industry. Evensmall amountsof allergenic crops mixed with cereal grains can create serious food safety concerns and lead to shipment rejections in domestic and... Read this article online
Canadian Wool Industry Responds to New U.S. Tariffs Wednesday, August 26, 2026 The Canadian Wool Council has raised concerns about the impact of newly imposed U.S. tariffs on Canadian wool and other products. The United States has introduced tariffs of 50% on a range of Canadian goods following the collapse of recent trade discussions between Ottawa and... Read this article online