Chinese pork on steroids? Sunday, April 3, 2011 Clenbuterol, a treatment for respiratory infections in horses but never cleared for use in food animals, is showing up more frequently in pork in China's far western Xinjiang region, according to Associated Press. Consumers end up in hospital with stomach aches and heart palpitations. Clenbuterol hurries pigs to market and increases lean meat deposition. It's also known as a performance enhancer. Recently cyclist and Tour de France champion Alberto Contador was cleared of wrongdoing by the Spanish Cycling Federation after he claimed that he had failed a drug test because he had eaten contaminated meat. German table tennis player Dimitrij Ovtcharov was also cleared by anti-doping authorities. They accepted his claim that he had eaten drug-tainted meat from China.In February 2009, 70 Chinese were reported poisoned by Clenbuterol after eating pig offal. The drug accumulates in treated animals' organs. "There is still a debate whether ingesting meat products contaminated with steroids can lead to a positive result for steroid test," according to the website Steroidsources.com. The lab in Cologne, Germany, accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency reported that 22 of 28 travellers returning from China showed low levels of the anabolic steroid. BP The swine welfare challenges facing Canada's pork producers Inconsistent reports on red meat
Alberta Crop Harvest Nears Completion with Gains Friday, October 3, 2025 According to the latest AFSC and Alberta Government Crop Reporting Survey, Alberta’s harvest is advancing quickly thanks to warm and dry conditions across much of the province. By September 23, 2025, 77 percent of major crops were harvested, an increase of 18 percent from the previous... Read this article online
Sowing Solutions--Guelph’s Agri-Food Research Gets Federal Spotlight Friday, October 3, 2025 The University of Guelph welcomed two prominent federal representatives for a day of engagement and discovery on Friday, October 3rd. Dominique O’Rourke, Member of Parliament for Guelph, hosted the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, for a comprehensive tour... Read this article online
Downtown Diner Delivers a Taste of Canadian Farming to Ottawa Friday, October 3, 2025 This week, the heart of Canada’s capital was filled with the sights, sounds, and flavors of Canadian agriculture as Sparks Street played host to the Downtown Diner, a pop-up event celebrating Canadian food and the farmers who make it possible. At the center of the conversation was... Read this article online
Peavey Mart Reboot- New Ownership Group Targets 7–12 Stores Thursday, October 2, 2025 For many, Peavey Mart, is a name synonymous with rural retail in Western Canada. As previously reported by Farms.com (read the article Is Peavey Mart Making a Comeback?), the new ownership group that acquired the Peavey Mart name and intellectual property from the now-defunct Peavey... Read this article online
When Cattle Roam--Legal Risks and Road Safety for Rural Drivers Thursday, October 2, 2025 It’s late. A vehicle barrels down a rural highway. Suddenly—impact. A Black Angus steer, nearly invisible against the asphalt, has wandered into the road. The consequences are costly—and potentially litigious. According to attorney Kelsea Eckert, whose firm , PA, has handled numerous... Read this article online