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
Beiseker Manufacturing Facility in Alberta 90 Percent Complete Wednesday, September 17, 2025 Replenish Nutrients Holding Corp is close to completing major upgrades at its Beiseker manufacturing facility in Alberta. The company reports that the plant is now 90 percent finished, with final automation, conveyance, and electrical work underway. During commissioning, the site has... Read this article online
Warm Dry Weather Speeds Alberta Crop Harvest Wednesday, September 17, 2025 According to the AFSC and Alberta Government Crop Reporting Survey, Alberta farmers combines are busy as they have harvested 42 per cent of all crops as of September 9, 2025, ahead of the five-year average of 40 per cent and the ten-year average of 32 per cent. Warm, dry weather has... Read this article online
Small Business Owners – Including Farmers -- Seek Tax Relief Wednesday, September 17, 2025 As Canada’s Parliament resumes, small business owners are demanding urgent action to ease financial pressure. A new Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) survey shows that 63% of small business owners are seriously concerned about high taxes, 59% worry about rising operational... Read this article online
Bunge Backs BeGrainSafe to Boost Farm Safety Wednesday, September 17, 2025 The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is recognizing Bunge for its commitment to farm safety through continued support of the BeGrainSafe program. This program raises awareness about the dangers of moving grain and provides firefighters with practical rescue training. Bunge... Read this article online
Provincial meat inspectors declared essential in B.C. Wednesday, September 17, 2025 Some members of B.C.’s public service received an “essential” declaration as the labour dispute between the provincial government, and the B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) continues. Agriculture and Food Minister Lana Popham announced on Sept. 11 that provincial meat inspectors are... Read this article online