More Canadian beef heads to China Wednesday, January 23, 2013 by SUSAN MANNMore Canadian beef is headed for China including product from two Ontario plants.The two Toronto-area plants, Ryding Regency Meat Packers Ltd. and St. Helen’s Meat Packers Limited, are among four facilities that have been approved by the Chinese to export product to its country. The other two are: Canadian Premium Meats Inc. of Lacombe, Alberta, and Les Viandes Laroche Inc. of Asbestos, Quebec.Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said in a Jan. 11 press release “this important step sets the stage to further trade opportunities in China for our beef producers.”Ritz and International Trade Minister Ed Fast announced the approval of the Canadian facilities that can now export to China.They also said according to Canada Beef Inc. the Chinese market for Canadian deboned beef from animals under 30 months of age is worth about $20 million annually. Once Canada has full market access, the Chinese market for Canadian deboned beef from animals under 30 months is age is expected to be worth $110 million a year.The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association said in a press release it welcomes the news additional Canadian plants can export beef to China. The government’s announcement brings the total number of approved facilities to seven and “should lead to expanded access opportunities for Canadian beef,” the cattlemen’s release says. BF Sheep abduction case makes appearance in Cobourg, Ontario court UPDATED Chicken Farmers of Ontario holds firm on small flock size
A new front in the repair access debate Friday, March 6, 2026 Iowa lawmakers have pushed the right‑to‑repair conversation into new territory with House File 2529, a bill that focuses specifically on diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) systems—the single most common cause of emissions-related downtime on modern farm machinery. The bill would require... Read this article online
March 8 is International Women’s Day Friday, March 6, 2026 Across the United States and Canada, women are taking on increasingly visible roles in agriculture—managing farms, leading ag-tech startups, advancing research, and strengthening the rural economies that feed both nations. Their work reflects a shift in an industry once defined... Read this article online
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to Visit Toronto and Southwestern Ontario Tuesday, March 3, 2026 The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry will be in Toronto and Southwestern Ontario later this week as part of its ongoing study on the role of Canada’s agriculture and agri‑food sector in strengthening national food security. The fact‑finding mission is scheduled for... Read this article online
AgriStability Program Updated to Include Pasture-Related Feed Costs Beginning in 2026 Monday, March 2, 2026 In case you missed it last week, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that pasture-related feed costs will be added as an allowable expense under AgriStability starting with the 2026 program year. The update addresses rising operational... Read this article online
Bringing more Food and Ingredient Processing Back to Canadian Soil Monday, March 2, 2026 Protein Industries Canada has announced the second cohort of nine companies participating in its Program, an initiative designed to bring more food and ingredient processing back to Canadian soil and expand the nation’s value‑added agriculture sector. The selected companies span the... Read this article online