Funding will help Canadian Sheep Federation to combine programs Thursday, June 11, 2015 by SUSAN MANNThe Canadian Sheep Federation has received almost $350,000 in federal government funding to combine the industry’s on-farm food safety program with biosecurity and animal care handling guidelines.Once the programs are combined, buyers of Canadian sheep and lambs will have assurances the animals have been raised “under an integrated farm program that addresses food safety, biosecurity and animal care,” according to an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada press release.Kitchener-Conestoga MP Harold Albrecht announced the funding today on behalf of federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.Ontario sheep producer Rob Scott, Canadian Sheep Federation vice-chair, says the funding announcement is good news. The sheep industry’s on-farm food safety program is voluntary for producers. “We’re trying to develop a culture where people take advantage of these assurance programs.”The federation is a national, non-profit organization representing sheep and lamb producers across Canada. Its mission is to advance the Canadian sheep and wool industries’ viability, prosperity and expansion.Scott says the enhanced assurance system will enable producers to maintain and grow domestic markets. It will also help with export market access and contribute to the industry’s credibility on food safety.The programs being combined are the national sheep and lamb production assurance system called Food Safe Farm Practices, the National Sheep Biosecurity Standard and the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Sheep. The biosecurity standard and animal care code of practice are being integrated into the Food Safe Farm Practices program.The government funding comes from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriMarketing program. It’s a five-year, $341 million program under Growing Forward 2, the national agricultural policy framework.In 2014, Canadian sheep and lamb farm cash receipts totaled nearly $157 million, the government’s release says. BF Canada's dairy industry urged to tackle dairy export caps in trade negotiations U.S. government steps closer towards COOL repeal
Lynmark Farms named Master Breeder for 2025 Wednesday, March 26, 2025 The Canadian Milking Shorthorn Society has announced that Lynmark Farms has been named as a herd for 2025. Lynmark Farms is owned and operated by Tim Shearer and Irene Vietinghoff of Norwood, Ontario. They are the third Milking Shorthorn herd to be recognized as a since this... Read this article online
Ontario Mega Farm Faces Market Chill Wednesday, March 26, 2025 A large working farm in Ontario, one of the province’s biggest on the market, is facing difficulties finding a buyer. Listed at $72.1 million, the 2,300-acre property is located near Lake Erie in Elgin County, spanning both Malahide Township and Central Elgin. Despite its prime agricultural... Read this article online
It’s been a while… Tuesday, March 25, 2025 The International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) is coming to the Niagara Region this fall, providing a unique opportunity to showcase the community’s agricultural diversity and natural beauty. The annual event is hosted in a different community each year, with this year’s... Read this article online
Nutrien Ag Solutions launches its 2025 Hometown Yield Challenge Monday, March 24, 2025 Nutrien Ag Solutions has launched its second year of the , and is again available to growers in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Nutrien Ag Solutions is the retail division of Nutrien Ltd., a leading global provider of crop inputs and services. Enrollment is open until April 11,... Read this article online
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