Humans spread ASF in Europe Tuesday, February 9, 2016 Humans are responsible for the spread of African Swine Fever in eastern Europe. That is the conclusion of scientists Klaus Depner and Sandra Blome at Germany's Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut.High levels of the virus causing ASF are found in the blood of infected animals, much less in saliva and feces, so living animals are not that contagious. Furthermore, sick animals with fevers don't travel; they stay put and die a few days after infection. Carcasses of infected wild boars do remain a source of infection for some time. The scientists speculate that, when many pigs were going to die, they were sent to slaughter and infected meat made it to markets, homes and suitcases. The virus spread along main roads.Farms that became infected were found to have insufficient biosecurity measures in place. Attempts to eradicate wild boars, thought to be a source of the disease, simply scared sick animals away, so that they died in other locations. Good hygiene and biosecurity are the answer, the scientists say. BP Venting on the weather Sizzle hasn't left the price of bacon
Preparing for Farming Uncertainty Friday, July 31, 2026 Farm Management Canada has introduced a new report that proposes a , aimed at improving how Canadian producers and agricultural service providers understand and use the wide range of risk management programs, tools and practices available to them. The report highlights that while... Read this article online
Rural Albertans wanted for grief study Friday, July 31, 2026 Researchers from the University of Alberta are looking to connect with rural Albertans who’ve dealt with grief related to substance use. “What we’ve been hearing from our past research and work in the community is there’s a lot of substance use related grief,” Holly Mathias, a human... Read this article online
Central Ontario FS Expands Grain Network with Acquisition of Haley's Elevator in Burford Friday, July 31, 2026 Central Ontario FS is strengthening its presence in southwestern Ontario after signing a purchase agreement to acquire Haley's Elevator Inc., a long-established grain handling facility located in Burford. The acquisition marks another step in the growth of the company's grain elevator... Read this article online
Ag Union concerned about MOU related to Sask. research farms Thursday, July 30, 2026 The union representing agriculture workers in the public sector is concerned an MOU to keep two research farms in Saskatchewan open will ultimately result in job losses. The Agriculture Union, which represents more than 770 workers in federal agencies like the Canadian Food Inspection... Read this article online
Manitoba Produces Most of the Nation's Sunflower Crop Wednesday, July 29, 2026 With their bright yellow blooms and towering stalks, sunflowers are among the most recognizable crops in agriculture. While they are often associated with decorative gardens and summer tourism, sunflowers also represent an important commercial crop in Canada, supplying food, birdseed, and... Read this article online