Ontario Pork board plans meetings with farmers before releasing its position on a mandatory sow stall ban Thursday, May 16, 2013 by SUSAN MANNOntario Pork’s board will issue its position on a mandatory sow stall ban after it consults with farmers and others once the national Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs is released for public comment June 1.The National Farm Animal Care Council in consultation with industry and other stakeholders is developing the code. Keith Robbins, Ontario Pork spokesman, says they anticipate there will likely be a 60-day consultation period as part of the code’s release.He says the board will host a minimum of one meeting and possibly a series of three meetings across Ontario near the end of June with elected producer representatives and farmers. The board talked about having a representative from the council that developed the code give a briefing about what’s in it, the background behind what’s included and then “soliciting some kind of feedback” from farmers, he says. “I don’t think the board is going to issue a position statement until after that consultation.”Producers will be given support materials ahead of time, he says. Ontario Pork will try and get as many farmers as it can to the meetings, which will probably be held in areas with the largest numbers of pork farmers.The meetings will cover all aspects of the code, including the use of sow stalls. The code also talks about pain controls, spacing and “all the aspects, such as lighting and all the rest of it,” he says.In March, delegates at Ontario Pork’s annual meeting voted 69-12 against a mandatory sow stall ban in Ontario. But several pork buyers, including Tim Hortons and the Retail Council of Canada, representing grocery stores, have called on the industry to discontinue the stalls’ use by 2022. BF Ontario Pork starts collecting fees on out of province weaner sales Certification program aims to produce ractopamine-free pork
Crop and Pasture Health Rise in Alberta Wednesday, July 9, 2025 According to the AFSC and Alberta Government Crop Reporting Survey, Alberta's crop conditions improved significantly this week. Major crops are now rated 59 percent good to excellent, up 10 percent from the previous week. However, this is still below the five- and ten-year averages of 73 and... Read this article online
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Best Remote Security Systems for Farms Without WiFi Tuesday, July 8, 2025 In rural areas where WiFi connectivity is scarce, farmers often rely on cellular-based security systems to monitor their remote buildings and equipment. In this article, we explore the top five remote security systems that operate over cellular networks, highlighting their pros, cons, and... Read this article online
Alberta Grant Helps Farmers Hire and Train Class 1 Drivers Tuesday, July 8, 2025 Did you know that if you are looking to expand your farm team with skilled Class 1 drivers Alberta's Class 1 Learning Pathway Grant Program offers employers up to $25,000 per new hire to support training, onboarding, and professional development? This initiative is part of the... Read this article online
Battle River-Crowfoot voters decide Poilievre’s future on Aug. 18 Tuesday, July 8, 2025 The date is set for the federal byelection in Battle River-Crowfoot. On Aug. 18, the riding of 107,979 people as of the 2021 Census, will either grant or deny Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre a seat back in the House of Commons. “It would be an honour to represent the people of... Read this article online