CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association continues to support product labeling that would indicate the country of origin on all meat imported by the United States. “We are proud of our product and we want it labeled,” said a producer from New Mexico during the international markets committee meeting at the cattle producer’s […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Canada gets sympathy from U.S. producers
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Record exports of beef put the United States over the magic million-tonne mark for the first time last year, yet the country has embroiled itself in trade actions with its two best customers, Canada and Mexico. “Economists are telling us we’re winning the export battles and yet we’re here attacking them saying […] Read more
Late spring for American great plains?
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – If La Nina rules this summer, weather watchers can expect drought in some regions and vicious hurricanes in others. After prolonged El Nino conditions for most of the 1990s, climatologist Art Douglas says some of the coldest sea surface temperatures in 20 years have occurred this February. “The cold water along the […] Read more
Beef customers must be wooed
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The beef industry can’t hope to remain viable if demand for its product continues to drop, say Cattlefax analysts. American beef producers faced a series of blows during the few years and poor demand for their product is one more bitter pill to swallow. Bad weather, overseas economic crises and discouraging bids […] Read more
U.S. allows irradiation of raw meat for ‘food safety’
and Reuters News Agency news CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The American government has approved irradiation for raw meat and raw meat products. Secretary of agriculture Dan Glickman announced the United States Department of Agriculture will allow irradiation on all meat products. The decision came 14 months after the Food and Drug Administration said the procedure is […] Read more
Purebred cattle sales humming this year
The Canadian purebred industry is closing out the decade with a bang. Sales averages are up and record prices for breeding stock have buoyed the industry. Hirsche Herefords of High River, Alta., established a Canadian record price last fall when it sold a bull for $235,000 to 66 Fires Ranch in Texas. The previous record […] Read more
Bulls sell like hotcakes at sale
The first major bull sale of the season turned out to be a barn burner when the Creech family of Lloydminster sold 320 bulls in five hours. The MC Quantock bull sale is the largest private breeder bull sale in Canada. This year seven different lines of bulls were offered to a record crowd of […] Read more
Farm chemicals showing up in rain water
RED DEER, Alta. – Last summer chemical residues were detected in southern Alberta rainfall. Traces of 2,4-D, dicamba and bromoxynil were detected in eight test sites in the Lethbridge area that included a golf course, three urban backyards and farm sites. The chemicals were found in varying levels in rainfall samples collected between May 30 […] Read more
Study checks if feedlots really do dirty the water
RED DEER, Alta. – Every time there is a boil-water order in the Lethbridge, Alta., region, the intensive livestock industry is blamed for water pollution. “No scientific studies have been done to prove or disprove this hypothesis,” said an Agriculture Canada scientist. Jim Miller is part of a team investigating the effects on water runoff […] Read more
Farmers must plant smarter to save crops
RED DEER, Alta. – In the ongoing battle of farmer versus disease and weeds, the bad guys are winning, say Agriculture Canada scientists. “We’re looking at an increased risk of disease,” said Kelly Turkington at a recent workshop here. Part of the problem is due to modern practices where plants are bred for specific production […] Read more
