RED DEER — A made-in-Canada price reporting system is needed for agriculture commodities, says Iebeling Kaastra, research director with Gibson Capital Inc. “Typically prices are not public information. You have to be a customer or a grain company to get prices, or you have to have a cash broker,” Kaastra told a recent Alberta Agricultural […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Food sector opportunities abound, says report
Markets offshore | Benefits of Canadian brand are not promoted, says Conference Board of Canada
TORONTO — It is time to make the public more aware of how important the food sector is in Canada, says a recently released strategy paper from the Conference Board of Canada. “Every country in the world can make a car, but not everybody can grow food like we can,” said Michael Bloom, vice-president of […] Read moreTest bulls for trich, then have plan
OMAHA, Neb. — People who are diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease are told to inform all their potential partners. The same policy does not always apply if a ranch has trichomoniasis, but Jeff Ondrak, a bovine veterinarian at the University of Nebraska’s Great Plains Veterinary Educational Centre, said producers should test for the bovine […] Read more
Canada to test food chain’s sustainability plan
Beef production | Canadian Cattlemen’s Association expects to work with McDonald’s
McDonald’s promise to offer sustainable beef at its restaurants is likely to start with a pilot project in Canada by 2016. “We haven’t had confirmation of that, but every indication is they will be doing it here,” said Fawn Jackson of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. She is responsible for handling issues on the environment and […] Read moreCanada’s COOL challenge slow to progress
CRESTON, B.C. —The years-old dispute over the legitimacy of country-of-origin labelling in the United States continues to drag on as livestock producers and processors wait for decisions from the World Trade Organization and a U.S. court of appeal. “It appears at this point it is something that is going to take a long time to […] Read more
Land reserve review worries B.C. ranchers
Proposed amendments | Diversification may challenge local agricultural producers
CRESTON, B.C. — Rancher David Zehdner worries about the future of food production in British Columbia if changes are made to the province’s Agricultural Land Reserve. A review of the 40-year-old policy has created considerable controversy within the agriculture community, and a vigorous opposition campaign has been launched. The act to amend the ALR has […] Read moreB.C. ranch family wins stewardship award
CRESTON, B.C. — Richard and Nancy Martens of Vanderhoof are British Columbia’s environmental stewardship award winners. The award was presented at the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association annual meeting in Creston May 23. It recognized the Martens family’s contribution to improving grazing and water management on their ranch, which is owned by a family partnership. They are […] Read more
Trade deals expand reach of Canadian meat
Opening borders | Canadian meat industry officials applaud new pacts with the European Union and South Korea
TORONTO — The Canadian meat packing and processing sector is a $24 billion a year industry that welcomes meaningful trade agreements. Recently inked agreements with South Korea and the European Union are not perfect, but these deals have considerable value, said Jim Laws, manager of the Canadian Meat Council. Canada exports $4.5 billion worth of […] Read more
New technology enables improved meat grading
Linking production with value | Infrared spectroscopy can scan a carcass and an X-ray absorptiometry machine can assess bone density
TORONTO — The ranking of beef and pork carcasses may be due for a change. Grading systems have been around for decades, but new technology can assess carcasses at the molecular level for a better estimation of lean meat yield, fat cover and other commercially valuable traits. Scientists at Agriculture Canada in Quebec and Lacombe, […] Read moreCattle prices take wild ride
Producers seeing profits | Consumers are finding even ground meat is more expensive
The beef industry is finally feeling the effects of short supplies as price records are broken on a weekly basis in the competition for all classes of cattle. “We are setting a record this week for fat cattle prices,” said market analyst Brian Perillat of Canfax. “Cull cow prices and our feeder cattle are hitting […] Read more
