Research says disease travels on feed. The hog sector is working to limit the risk.

Livestock feed imports restricted to limit disease risk

There are cascading effects in the global feed and ingredients system as countries, including Canada, clamp down to limit African swine fever risk

North America’s livestock feed system continues to change to manage the risk of disease travelling on feed. The changes have meant world-leading restrictions on feed imports to Canada and a decline in imports of soybean meal into the U.S. from areas of major swine diseases. It’s also meant that some large farms are adopting supplier-to-farm […] Read more

U.S.-based Impossible Foods, whose Impossible Burger is shown here on display at U.S. grocery chain Wegmans, launched the product at Canadian retail in late October 2020, selling exclusively at Sobeys stores until February 2021. (ImpossibleFoods.com)

CFIA to consult on new near-meat, non-meat guidelines

Clarity for labels, promotion, composition to be considered

“Greater clarity” in federal guidelines for the makeup and labels of “simulated” meat and poultry products is the end zone for a new round of consultations underway for the next month. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Tuesday announced the launch for the public consultation, which includes an online survey and runs until Dec. 3. […] Read more

Meat producer groups have been advocating for freer interprovincial trade in meat for years.

Easier interprovincial meat trade could be allowed in a meat shortage

A process was recently created to allow meat that isn't federally inspected to move across provincial borders

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will allow interprovincial trade of provincially inspected meat if necessary to alleviate meat shortages. Moving meat not inspected by the federal system across a provincial border will require a Ministerial Exemption. A process to obtain that was released last week. The process is temporary, in place during the COVID-19 […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

CFIA funded to build up inspection corps against COVID-19

Short spells of disruptions still to be expected at food plants

Ottawa — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is spending $20 million to hire, train and equip additional staff members to limit disruptions resulting from COVID-19. With meat packers and food processing plants considering extended hours as they adjust to taking extra measures to combat the pandemic, CFIA was in need of a response to […] Read more

Several seed organizations have been moving towards a merger since 2017.

Seed Synergy plan moves forward

Partnership currently working on the details of the program

Work continues on the Seed Synergy plan to bring together several organizations in the Canadian seed sector. The merger between Canadian Seed Trade Association, Canadian Seed Growers Association, Canadian Seed Institute, Canadian Plant Technology Association and Commercial Seed Analyst Association of Canada began back in 2015 to simplify the seed industry system. Crop Life Canada […] Read more


(Jeremy Woodhouse/DigitalVision/Getty Images Plus)

CFIA rethinking limits on travellers’ personal food imports

Consultation running until March

The federal government is considering changes to the amounts of food travellers can bring into Canada with them from other countries for their personal use. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Thursday announced public online consultations on the proposed new limits, which CFIA said would “better reflect the volume of foods typically moved by travellers […] Read more

The new meat science laboratory includes a student observation deck.

Federally licensed university abattoir upgraded

University of Guelph abattoir helps small research projects get processed

The University of Guelph is home to the only federally licensed university abattoir in Canada. The almost 50-year-old facility recently underwent a $2.5 million overhaul, re-opening last year as a modern meat science laboratory. Why it matters: Large commercial abattoirs find it difficult to accommodate small pilot projects and most smaller plants lack the necessary […] Read more

It’s increasingly difficult to find processing capacity for Ontario cattle.

What’s the future for Ontario’s beef herd?

Commodity organization says elimination of Ryding-Regency Meat Packers as a cattle-buyer hurts an industry already constrained by inadequate processing capacity

Ontario beef farmers are struggling to find buyers for their cattle with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) recent decision to revoke federal slaughter, processing and export licenses for Ryding-Regency Meat Packers and affiliates. According to Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO), the elimination of Ryding-Regency as a viable purchaser comes at a time when the […] Read more


A colourized low-temperature electron micrograph of a cluster of E. coli bacteria. Individual bacteria in this photo are oblong and colored brown. (Eric Erbe photo and colourization by Christopher Pooley courtesy ARS/USDA)

Ryding-Regency’s federal beef packing licenses cancelled

Citing “false or misleading information” given them during an E. coli probe, food safety officials have now permanently pulled the federal slaughter, processing and export licenses for Toronto’s Ryding-Regency Meat Packers and related companies. The cancellation, announced Monday, indefinitely prolongs what was already described as “critical processing capacity shortage” for the province’s cattle producers, leaving […] Read more

Transportation regulations are changing for all major livestock in February.

Trucking group still looking for clarification on new livestock transport rules

Latest changes need to be shared before February implementation: OLTA

[UPDATED Oct. 10, 2019] Efforts to clarify several issues with looming federal livestock hauling regulations are ongoing, attendees at the recent Shakespeare Swine Seminar were told. Ontario Livestock Transporters’ Alliance Executive Director Susan Fitzgerald said that the updated regulations come into effect in February 2020. Why it matters: Significant fines or requirements to change practices […] Read more