Pigeons no circovirus threat Friday, June 20, 2008 © AgMedia Inc. by BETTER FARMING STAFF The provincial veterinarian, based in Fergus, says to his knowledge pigeons do not carry circovirus inside their intestinal systems and do not excrete it in their waste. University of Guelph-based virologist Suzy Carman adds that birds have their own circovirus but it is "host specific" and not transmissible to pigs. Pigeons have become a concern of poultry producers and some pork producers since the announcement this week of the failure of Waterloo-based Pigeon King International. The company sold pigeon pairs to breeders and contracted to buy offspring back; there appears to be no other buyer. In a letter to holding barn operators and some contract holders, PKI's founder, Arlan Galbraith suggested releasing pigeons into the wild to fend for themselves as an alternative to euthanizing them. Many pigeon barns are located in Waterloo, Perth, Oxford and Wellington Counties, also major pork producing areas. Poultry producers remain concerned that released pigeons may spread disease and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is urging producers to euthanize birds rather than release them. BF Pigeon King breeders turn to squab markets Agricorp audit reaches final stage
$15.1M to Scale Whole-Cut Plant-Based Protein Friday, May 22, 2026 Protein Industries Canada has announced a $15.1 million co-investment in a multi-partner project aimed at scaling advanced manufacturing technology for whole-cut protein alternatives and strengthening Canada’s domestic agri-food value chain. The initiative brings together NS/TX... Read this article online
90 percent of agri-businesses are concerned about the future of Canadian agriculture Friday, May 22, 2026 Canada’s agriculture sector is facing a prolonged period of low confidence and limited growth, raising concerns about its long-term resilience. According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), agri-business sentiment remains near the bottom across all industries, with... Read this article online
Free safety kits help Canadian farm families teach children safe farming habits Thursday, May 21, 2026 BASF Agricultural Solutions Canada is celebrating five years of the BASF Safety Scouts program, an initiative designed to help farm families teach children about farm safety in a fun and engaging way. Since its launch in 2021, the program has supported safe learning by providing free... Read this article online
Ontario Farmers Face Warmer 2026 Growing Season with Uneven Moisture Outlook Thursday, May 21, 2026 Ontario producers are heading into the 2026 growing season under a familiar but complex weather pattern. According to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s latest seasonal outlook, temperatures across much of the province are expected to trend above normal, while precipitation signals... Read this article online
Canada Faces Below-Average Hurricane Season, Will Farmers be Safe? Thursday, May 21, 2026 As the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season begins, Canadian farmers and rural communities are being reminded that preparation remains critical, even with forecasts calling for fewer storms. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) says modern forecasting systems are ready to deliver... Read this article online