Bacon-lettuce comparison questioned Tuesday, February 9, 2016 Producing a calorie of bacon causes fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a calorie of lettuce. That's according to a new study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University published in Environment Systems and Decisions and reported on in Climatewire. That's because, on a calorie basis, many fruits and vegetables are resource-intensive. If Americans switched their diets to fall in line with U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, energy use, water use and greenhouse gas emissions would increase by 38 per cent, 10 per cent and six per cent respectively.One of the authors, Paul Fischbeck, professor of social and decision sciences and engineering and public policy, concludes that a strictly vegan diet isn't good for the environment. However, pork isn't really off the hook. No one eats lettuce for calorie content, points out Martin Heller, a research specialist with the Center for Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan, who published a similar study last May saying the bacon-lettuce comparison is ridiculous.One lesson is that life-cycle assessments of foods are questionable. Maybe the newest dietary guidelines will be affected by climate change concerns anyway. BP Pressure grows on the trucking industry to introduce more humane trailers Venting on the weather
Expert Gopher Help for Farmers Friday, June 27, 2025 With gopher populations increasing across Saskatchewan, many landowners are struggling with crop loss and land damage. These rodents not only reduce crop yields but also create dangerous conditions for livestock. In response, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF), supported by the... Read this article online
Cattle Stress Tool May Boost Fertility Friday, June 27, 2025 Kansas State University researchers have developed a cool tool that may help reduce cattle stress and improve artificial insemination (AI) results. The idea came from animal science experts Nicholas Wege Dias and Sandy Johnson, who observed that cattle accustomed to their environment... Read this article online
Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost Friday, June 27, 2025 The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $5 million to strengthen shared community grazing pastures. This funding supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario’s agriculture sector and help cattle farmers improve pasture quality, ensuring long-term sustainability and... Read this article online
Pigs on the prairie: Manitoba’s fight against a growing wild hog invasion Thursday, June 26, 2025 They root through farmland, tear up native landscapes, spread disease, and multiply rapidly. Wild pigs are fast becoming one of Manitoba’s most destructive and difficult invasive species — and experts say the time to act is now. Dr. Wayne Lees, coordinator of Squeal on Pigs Manitoba,... Read this article online
Olymel announces $142-million expansion of Trois-Rivières plant Thursday, June 26, 2025 In a recent press release, Olymel announced a $142-million expansion of its La Fernandière pork and poultry processing plant in Trois-Rivières, Quebec in Canada. Construction is set to begin immediately, with operations scheduled to start in spring 2026. The project will expand the... Read this article online