More skepticism greets report about link between cancer and red meat consumption Monday, May 16, 2016 by SUSAN MANN Dr. David Klurfeld, the national program leader for human nutrition in the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, told delegates at the Canadian Nutrition Society conference May 7 the evidence in the cancer agency’s report isn’t adequate enough to link meat consumption to causing cancer. He adds in a meat council news release “considerable uncertainty remains about the relationship of any dietary factor with cancer.” Klurfeld is also a member of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the group that issued the report in October 2015 placing red meat in the group of products that are probably carcinogenic to humans and processed meat in the group of products that are carcinogenic to humans. The working group, a sub section of the World Health Organization, has a mandate to review various agents to determine if they’re carcinogenic. The meat council sponsored the session, called ‘evaluating meat and cancer risk,’ at the nutrition society conference, which was held May 5 to 7. About 400 academics, health professionals, policy makers and other nutrition professionals attended. Ron Davidson, meat council director of international trade, government and media relations, says the council also pointed out flaws in the international cancer agency’s 2015 report when it was first released. “We had real concerns about the way this was presented,” he says. “It was as if arsenic, cigarettes, meat, alcohol and caffeine were all exactly the same, which of course is just not accurate.” In its report, the international cancer agency “didn’t explain the difference between hazard and risk,” he adds. “What they were actually reporting in their report (in October) was if someone consumes unlimited quantities of processed meat, maybe there is some risk to the person’s health. But it didn’t say how much risk” and the agency didn’t specify in the report how much someone needed to consume to face the risk. “You need to take into account those two factors before coming anywhere near to considering a risk,” he adds. “To suggest eating red meat has the same risk as ingesting arsenic is illogical. You take an eighth of a teaspoon of arsenic and you’re dead.” Arsenic is in the same group the international cancer agency placed red meat consumption. BF Ontario growers join forces to market biomass Consultations begin on new national agricultural policies
Potato industry on PEI to save up to $7 million because of cuts to bridge tolls Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Effective August 1, 2025, tolls on the Confederation Bridge will drop dramatically, with personal vehicle tolls falling from $50.25 to $20. Commercial vehicles will also benefit from these reductions. In addition, ferry tolls in Newfoundland and Labrador and other regions will see... Read this article online
Soil Compaction Challenges Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Ontario’s spring planting faced challenges from soil compaction, impacting crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat. Despite some areas experiencing rapid planting under ideal conditions, other regions, even those with lighter soils, struggled due to excessive rainfall. The team at OMAFA –on... Read this article online
2026 Grains Innovation Fund is now open Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), the province’s largest commodity organization representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers, is now accepting applications for its . “This year marks another exciting chapter for the Grains Innovation Fund,” stated Paul... Read this article online
Applications Open for Grains Innovation Fund 2026 Monday, July 28, 2025 Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), the province’s largest commodity organization representing 28,000 farmers, is now accepting applications for the 2026 Grains Innovation Fund. The fund offers grants up to $75,000 to support innovative projects that promote the use of Ontario’s grains such as... Read this article online
Sowing the Seeds of the Future -- A Fresh Look at Farm Succession in Canada Monday, July 28, 2025 “You’ve worked the land for decades—through changing seasons, shifting markets, and long days that begin before sunrise," says Jason Castellan, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Skyline when he spoke with Farms.com. “You know every acre, every decision, every responsibility that... Read this article online