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
Manitoba providing tariff support for farmers Wednesday, September 2, 2026 The Manitoba government is taking steps to assist farmers and other businesses affected by the ongoing trade war between Canada and the U.S. On Aug. 28 the provincial government announced more than $100 million in tariff supports. From an ag perspective, most of the supports come from... Read this article online
FETCO Calls for Labour Reform at West Coast Ports Amid Trade Uncertainty Wednesday, September 2, 2026 Canada’s growing trade dispute with the United States is creating significant uncertainty for businesses, investors and consumers. As the country works to strengthen trade relationships and diversify its international markets, reliable supply chains and greater labour stability have become... Read this article online
Irrimap Opens New Era of Smart Irrigation Wednesday, September 2, 2026 Researchers at Lethbridge Polytechnic have introducedIrrimap, a new web-based tool designed to help farmers, agronomists, and researchers better understand crop water use. The platform measures evapotranspiration (ET), which combines evaporation from soil and water surfaces with... Read this article online
CGC issues two licenses to start September Wednesday, September 2, 2026 Two grain companies started September by receiving licenses from the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) One is from Saskatchewan. On Sept. 1, JGL Commodities received its primary elevator license for a facility in Marengo. This type of license goes to “an operator of an elevator which... Read this article online
Massey Ferguson launches N-Series planters at Farm Progress Show Wednesday, September 2, 2026 Massey Ferguson North America has unveiled its new N-Series Split/Narrow Row Planters during the 2026 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, introducing a lineup designed to offer growers greater flexibility, integrated planting technology and lower long-term ownership costs. The new series... Read this article online