Americans aim to meet European (and Canadian) standards Monday, December 6, 2010 The National Milk Producers Federation in the United States has passed a resolution to increase standards for somatic cell counts (SCCs) in steps over the next three years to a legal limit of no more than 400,000 SCCs per millilitre of milk by Jan. 1, 2014. The current standard is 750,000. High somatic cell counts arean indication of infection in the udder. (Dairy Farmers of Ontario considers an SCC over 400,000 to be "elevated" and penalizes producers.)Jamie Jonker, the federation's vice-president of scientific and regulatory affairs, says the resolution has nothing to do with pressure from the European Union to have a similar standard on dairy products that are exported to that trading bloc.The federation is made up of 31 co-operatives producing the bulk of the U.S. milk supply and representing 40,000 dairy producers, according to the organization's website.The resolution will be passed to the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments for a final decision next April. BF EU policy convoluted on cloned farm animals The Queen of Egypt would not have been amused
Some Challenges Related to the 2026 Raspberry Season in Ontario Monday, July 20, 2026 Only400 acresof raspberries are grown in Ontario each year,producing1,237,000lbsof raspberries, but what a delicious crop it is. The prized summer fruit is a favorite among consumers for its bright flavor, versatility, and nutritional benefits, making it one of Ontario's most recognized... Read this article online
Fresh Ontario Broccoli Arrives as Harvest Season Starts Monday, July 20, 2026 July marks the beginning of Ontario's peak broccoli harvest season, as growers across the province begin supplying fresh broccoli to grocery stores, wholesalers, food-service operators, and local markets. Long recognized as one of Ontario's leading vegetable crops, broccoli is an... Read this article online
Ontario Plum Season Begins in July Across Niagara Orchards Sunday, July 19, 2026 Ontario Plum Season Begins as Niagara Growers Prepare for Summer Harvest Ontario is Canada's leading plum-producing province, with most production concentrated in the Niagara Peninsula.In 2025, 775 harvest acres of plums,producedg7,130,000poundsof fruit. Plums are one of Ontario's key... Read this article online
EMILI Celebrates 10 Years of Connecting Farmers, Innovators, and Industry Partners Saturday, July 18, 2026 The Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative (EMILI) has received $3.5 million in funding from the Government of Canada to strengthen agricultural innovation and technology adoption in Manitoba. The announcement was made earlier this week during EMILI’s Field Day event... Read this article online
Minnesota Wildfires Threaten Agriculture as Governor Walz Mobilizes National Guard Friday, July 17, 2026 Farmers across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario and Manitoba are closely monitoring a growing wildfire situation in northern Minnesota after Governor Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency and mobilized the Minnesota National Guard to assist firefighting efforts. The decision... Read this article online