File photo of a farmed mink. (Konstantin Sokolov/iStock/Getty Images)

Coronavirus kills 15,000 U.S. mink

Affected states aren't planning to cull

Chicago | Reuters — More than 15,000 mink in the United States have died of the coronavirus since August, and authorities are keeping about a dozen farms under quarantine while they investigate the cases, state agriculture officials said. Global health officials are eying the animals as a potential risk for people after Denmark last week […] Read more

File photo of a farmed mink. (Konstantin Sokolov/iStock/Getty Images)

Denmark tightens lockdown as mink cull devastates industry

WHO and ECDC experts support Denmark's strategy

Copenhagen | Reuters — Denmark announced strict new lockdown rules on Thursday in the north of the country after authorities discovered a mutated coronavirus strain in minks bred in the region, prompting a nationwide cull that will devastate the large pelt industry. The government said on Wednesday that it would cull all minks — up […] Read more

File photo of a farmed mink. (Konstantin Sokolov/iStock/Getty Images)

Denmark to cull entire farmed mink population

Coronavirus mutation spreads to people

Copenhagen | Reuters — Denmark will cull its mink population of up to 17 million after a mutation of the coronavirus found in the animals spread to humans, the prime minister said on Wednesday. Health authorities found virus strains in humans and in mink which showed decreased sensitivity against antibodies, potentially lowering the efficacy of […] Read more

File photo of a quality control check on fresh peppers in a Canadian vegetable packing plant. (Jeffbergen/E+Getty Images)

Federal program to protect farms, workers from COVID-19 underway

'Highest-risk' farming operations to get priority, Bibeau says

Applications are now open for a federally-administered $35 million emergency on-farm support fund to help limit the impacts of COVID-19 on farms and on-farm workers. Aimed at farm workplaces and employee living quarters, the fund is being managed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), but cost-shared with participating producers at a 50-50 level. Money is […] Read more



CBOT December 2020 wheat with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat, soy, corn fall sharply on fund selling

'It is basically risk-off across the board'

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soybean, corn and wheat futures plunged on Monday as concerns about fresh coronavirus-driven lockdowns due to rising global case counts sparked a wave of risk-off trades. The grains, led by a 3.7 per cent drop in wheat that marked its biggest daily percentage decline since August 2019, […] Read more

(Shadowinternet/E+/Getty Images)

Hog farmers face prolonged pain as pandemic gives way to glut

Canadian Pork Council takes new tack on AgriStability reform

Winnipeg | Reuters — North America’s hog farmers face prolonged pain beyond the COVID-19 pandemic that has interrupted packing plants , as a pig glut in the U.S. holds prices low and pressures producers to downsize. Many North American hogs had nowhere to go in spring as slaughter plants suspended production due to workers becoming […] Read more

Syngenta’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo courtesy Syngenta)

Syngenta says IPO ‘on track’

Ag chem firm books higher first-half profit

Zurich | Reuters — Agricultural chemical maker Syngenta posted higher first-half profit and sales on Thursday, helped by maintaining supplies to farmers and controlling costs during the coronavirus outbreak, and said it was on track to complete its public listing by mid-2022. The Swiss company, bought by state-owned ChemChina for $43 billion in 2017, posted […] Read more


COVID-19 and the farm: Stories from the GFM network

COVID-19 and the farm: Stories from the GFM network

COVID-19 has added an unprecedented level of uncertainty and disruption to the agricultural communities we serve. Throughout this crisis, Glacier FarmMedia is leveraging the strength of its farm news network to help you stay up to date on developments important to your family and farm. Look here for links to all the coverage provided by our […] Read more

(PorcOlymel.com)

Olymel’s Red Deer plant holds at one COVID case

Pork plant employee's contacts returning to work

A production line employee at Olymel’s hog slaughter plant at Red Deer, Alta. remains the facility’s lone COVID-19 case after her contacts at the plant tested negative for the virus, the company says. Olymel, the meat packing arm of Quebec ag co-operative Sollio, confirmed the lone COVID-19 case at its Red Deer site on Aug. […] Read more