Teams of livestock and government officials are quickly creating plans and policies to keep the sector functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic, says the executive vice-president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. “Our primary objective obviously is to insure there is stable beef production and trade that can continue under the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dennis […] Read more
Tag Archives livestock — page 10
Beef sector mobilizes against supply disruptions
Keeping border open, meeting demand for beef are top priorities
Ahead of any emergency, plan for the worst
Disaster planning is not a pleasant task but it's vital that producers have a plan, expert says
Identify your resources and review your plan, says an expert in emergency planning for livestock. The COVID-19 pandemic is a very different type of emergency, said Rebecca Husted, a teacher of technical large animal emergency rescue. “Most disasters like fires and floods have people moving around, but in COVID-19, people are not supposed to move […] Read more
Call your vet before you go to clinic during COVID-19
Different vet clinics have adopted different protocols
Animal welfare is paramount during COVID-19 — but so is human health. That’s why Darrell Dalton, registrar of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, recommends you call ahead before you go to your vet. “Different practices have taken different measures and different steps,” he said. “Some of the small practices are limiting the number of people […] Read more
Livestock auction marts to decide on next steps
Livestock Marketing Association of Canada pondering next move in face of pandemic
You may want to call first to see if it’s open, but many auction marts in Alberta were still having sales on Tuesday morning. The Livestock Marketing Association of Canada has a conference call set for this evening to discuss COVID-19 safety measures for staff, customers and buyers, said Chance Martin, an LMAC director and […] Read more
Ethanol woes spur new feed focus for Green Plains
Biofuel maker to reinvent itself as DDGS-based feed maker
Chicago | Reuters — Green Plains Inc., one of the biggest U.S. ethanol producers, is planning to flip its business model upside down to survive a crash in prices for the corn-based fuel. The company will invest some $400 million in the next two to three years at its 13 plants to make high-protein, corn-based […] Read more
Colombia cleared of foot-and-mouth
Country now aims to double meat exports
Bogota | Reuters — Colombia will look to double its meat exports now it has regained its status as a country free of foot-and-mouth disease, President Ivan Duque said on Thursday. Foot-and-mouth is a highly contagious viral disease found in animals and is one of the most serious to affect livestock, including cattle, sheep and […] Read more
Amended CUSMA pact includes anti-COOL clause
The new Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), a free trade deal set to replace NAFTA, includes language meant to block any future bids at a trade-disrupting country-of-origin labeling (COOL) law. The new clause would, in theory, checkmate a move made last summer by some Democrat members of the U.S. House of Representatives to have a new North […] Read more
Fictional nation Wakanda removed from USDA trade list
Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said it removed the fictional country of Wakanda from an online list of nations that have free trade agreements with the United States on Thursday. The Kingdom of Wakanda is the home of Black Panther, the Marvel superhero, and is portrayed in comic books and the 2018 […] Read more
NFU paper lays out solutions for climate, farming challenges
MarketsFarm — The global climate crisis is interlinked with the financial crisis on Canadian farms, according to a new discussion paper from the National Farmers Union (NFU). The paper proposes changes to agriculture practices that could help the sector become part of the solution to both major issues. Compiled by Darrin Qualman in collaboration with […] Read more
Ontario draws new legal lines against on-farm trespass
Ontario has introduced a legislative package setting up new legal boundaries around livestock in that province, whether on farms or in transit. The Security From Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, introduced Monday by Agriculture Minister Ernie Hardeman, is expected to “address the unique risks and challenges associated with trespass onto a farm or into […] Read more
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