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
Canada Packers Posts Strong Volume Growth and Profitability in First Year as Standalone Company Tuesday, March 17, 2026 Canada Packers Inc., recently split off from Maple Leaf Foods, reported its financial results earlier this month for the fiscal year ended December 27, 2025, highlighting increased hog volumes, steady sales growth and disciplined financial execution. In the fourth quarter of 2025,... Read this article online
Senators examine Canada’s food system firsthand during southwestern Ontario fact finding mission Monday, March 16, 2026 A delegation of Canadian senators conducted a full day fact finding mission on Friday, March 6, 2026, visiting several major food system organizations and research facilities across Southwestern Ontario. The tour supported the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry’s ongoing... Read this article online
Canada’s Real Seasons (According to Farmers Who Actually Live Here) Monday, March 16, 2026 According to a chart that’s been making the rounds on social media, courtesy of The Weather Network—the Canadian calendar has officially been updated. Apparently, we no longer live by the simple rhythm of winter, spring, summer, and fall. Instead, we now rotate through such crowd... Read this article online
Ontario Equine Industry Drives Rural Economy Monday, March 16, 2026 A new economic study has revealed the major contribution of Ontario’s equine agricultural sector to the province’s economy and rural communities. The Ontario Equine Agricultural Economic Impact Study Report provides the first comprehensive evaluation of the industry since 2010 and offers... Read this article online
Julia Montgomery Named OVC Dean Monday, March 16, 2026 The University of Guelph has announced the appointment of Dr. Julia Montgomery as the new dean of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC).She will begin her five-year leadership term on June 15, 2026.The appointment marksan important stepfor one of Canada’s most respected veterinary... Read this article online