Beef tenderness predictor works for pork Tuesday, October 2, 2012 A beef tenderness predictor also works on pork chops, says the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).The technology is based on visible and near-infrared reflectance (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy and predicts tenderness without destroying the valuable parts of the carcass. The tenderness predictor was validated using a shear cutting test to measure tenderness. It can be used to predict which USDA Select grade beef steaks will be tender when cooked.Pork isn't presented for grading the same way, so the challenge was different. A computer model was used to predict tenderness and that test was validated using 1,800 boneless loin chops during the boning and trimming process in commercial meat plants. The test also predicts which cuts of meat will look fresh longest in the grocery store. If the industry adopts the technology, the ARS' news service says, genetic selection might be based on predictions of the colour of the meat and also of tenderness. BP Diagnosing and treating umbilical and inguinal hernias in pigs The son of H1N1 spreads, with less panic
NOAA Declares El Nino, Raising Key Weather Risks for Agriculture Thursday, June 25, 2026 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has officially declared the onset of El Niño, confirming that ocean temperatures in the central Pacific have risen high enough to trigger one of the world’s most influential climate patterns. The declaration follows sustained... Read this article online
Anti-Dumping Probe Targets Wheat Gluten Imports in Canada Thursday, June 25, 2026 The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has opened an anti-dumping investigation into certain wheat gluten imports entering the Canadian market from Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom. The inquiry will examine whether these products are being sold in Canada at unfairly low prices,... Read this article online
Fertilizer Sees Relief, but Grain Markets Stay Weak Thursday, June 25, 2026 On the latest episode of Ag Commodity Corner+ Podcast titled, “A Reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is Bearish Long Team Diesel/Fertilizer!” Farms.com Risk Management Chief Commodity Strategist Moe Agostino and Commodity Strategist Abhinesh Gopal agreed that global markets saw major changes... Read this article online
Ag in the House: June 15 – 18 Thursday, June 25, 2026 In the final week of question period before Parliament rose for the summer, the Bloc asked the government why it ended bill debates. On June 16, Yves Perron, the Bloc’s ag critic, accused the government of avoiding the accountability of the opposition. “Yesterday (the prime minister)... Read this article online
Canada Funds Poultry Health Innovation Thursday, June 25, 2026 Canada is strengthening its agriculture sector by supporting innovation in animal health. A new investment aims to help poultry farmers reduce their dependence on traditional antibiotics while improving food safety and animal welfare. The Government of Canada announced funding of up to... Read this article online