Brook Pries has high hopes for the cannabis business in Canada. Pries and her husband, Cole Bosnick, applied March 12 for a retail dispenser’s licence in Strathmore, Alta., and hope to be among the first out of the gate when cannabis is legalized later this year. She sees the trade as a new form of […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Alberta marketing trailblazer awarded Order of Canada
Fun is the definitive word when Kim McConnell describes his life so far. A founder of AdFarm, North America’s largest advertising agency entirely focused on agriculture, McConnell’s lifetime achievements promoting youth and farming were recognized when he was inducted as a member of the Order of Canada in January. While he will never know who […] Read more
More traceability rules coming
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is expected to release new rules governing animal movement this fall. These regulations are part of the Canadian livestock traceability strategy that covers animal and premise identification, as well as movement. “No one has seen the content of these proposed regulations but we don’t know for sure what is coming,” […] Read more
Time to end cannabis prohibition: health researcher
Legalizing marijuana in Canada should have happened a long time ago, says a public policy researcher from the University of Calgary. “We know that in the past, Canada’s policy has not reflected how many people use it,” said Rebecca Saah of the O’Brien Institute for Public Health at the University of Calgary. Her research includes […] Read more
Lameness in dairy cattle requires proper care
Lameness shows up with a change in gait and involves a complex list of symptoms:
RED DEER — Lame dairy cows need immediate attention to prevent chronic problems. “Lameness is not a disease. Lameness is a sign of pain and discomfort in the cow and it results in production losses,” said Karin Orsel, an epidemiologist and specialist in infectious diseases of cattle at the University of Calgary faculty of veterinary […] Read moreRegulators outline Alberta’s cannabis plan
Medical marijuana is legal in Canada with a doctor’s prescription, but once the recreational form is allowed later this year, the game changes. It is a new industry drawing a lot of attention, said Jenna Hall of Health Canada’s cannabis legislation and regulation branch. “We have been living in a prohibition based regime for 100 […] Read more
Beef technology faces opposition from buyers
Trading partners are increasingly leery of growth promoting agents that help producers produce more pork and beef
HOUSTON, Texas — With a world population likely to hit 12.3 billion by 2100, technology will be needed to deliver nutrient-rich food to the masses, said meat scientist Keith Belk of Colorado State University. “The world population is going to continue to grow and livestock and meat production will continue to provide a significant proportion […] Read moreCanadian beef exports maintain steady pace
OTTAWA — Canadian beef exports for 2017 are up 5.7 percent in volume but six percent in value at $2.4 billion. Seventeen percent of Canada’s exports went to Mexico, Japan, South Korea, China and Hong Kong. The United States remains the top destination for Canadian beef, said Francis Andres, president of Canada Beef. In 2017, […] Read more
Canada prepares way to boost beef exports to Europe
OTTAWA — Canada needs to do three things to get beef into the European Union. Demand must be built up, trade barriers over food safety must be overcome and 500,000 cattle must be raised in a manner capable of meeting that market’s ban on growth-promoting hormones. Canada received a 50,000 tonne duty-free quota with the […] Read more
Marbling scores higher than yield
OTTAWA — More of Canada’s cattle are achieving the top marbling grades of Prime and AAA but that accomplishment has come at the expense of red meat yield. Last year, 99 percent of cattle killed in federally inspected plants were graded, said Marty Carpenter, president of the Canadian Beef Grading Agency. Last year, 1.9 percent […] Read more
