Tennessee backs down on ag-gag law Monday, August 5, 2013 In June's Better Pork, we reported that lawmakers voted to make Tennessee the latest state to approve a so-called "ag-gag" law, a bill to make it illegal to record animal cruelty incidents on livestock farms without reporting them to the police right away.Just after we went to press, Tennessee Republican governor Bill Haslam vetoed the bill, following the opinion of his Democratic attorney general that it wouldn't pass a constitutional challenge, freedom of speech being nearly as important in that country as freedom to own a gun.According to Meatingplace.com, Haslam also cited concerns that the new law might take away reporters' rights to gather information for stories, and that it might be harder to prosecute legitimate animal cruelty cases "as an unintended consequence."As well, a number of Tennessee celebrities jumped on the bandwagon, among them songwriter Emmylou Harris, country music singer Carrie Underwood and even Priscilla Presley. The Humane Society of the United States sees it as a victory; the Animal Agriculture Alliance, which writes and speaks out against animal rights legislation, is not pleased. BP A Chinese takeover of Smithfields? The battle of the polls over gestation stalls
Canada’s 2025 Wheat Crop Shows Strong Quality and Yields Thursday, November 20, 2025 Cereals Canada has released its annual New Wheat Crop Report, offering global and domestic buyers a detailed look at the performance and quality of Canada’s 2025 wheat harvest. The report outlines key findings on milling characteristics, flour and semolina quality, and how the wheat... Read this article online
Manitoba throne speech touches on ag and rural communities Thursday, November 20, 2025 Manitoba’s agriculture and rural communities received a few mentions in Nov. 18th’s throne speech to open the third session of the 43rd legislature. One mention included future support for the livestock sector. Over the coming year “we will develop the legislative tools for a new... Read this article online
CFIA suspends certain livestock shipments from the U.S. Thursday, November 20, 2025 Some shipments of Canadian hogs, horses, and other livestock returning to Canada from the U.S. are suspended indefinitely. A note from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to exporters says it took this action after horses on two separate premises in Arizona’s Cochise County tested... Read this article online
Ont. farmer raises money for employees affected by Hurricane Melissa Thursday, November 20, 2025 An Ontario farmer collected donations to support members of his staff affected by Hurricane Melissa. Brad Raymont employs nine migrant workers from Jamaica to help harvest strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries at Raymont’s Berries in Cottam. “Our farm wouldn’t exist without these... Read this article online
Canadian Farmers Seek Fair Succession Tax Reform Thursday, November 20, 2025 Family farmers across Canada are urging the federal government to update tax rules that they say no longer reflect the reality of modern farming families. Current laws under the Income Tax Act allow farmers to transfer their farms to their own children without immediate tax... Read this article online