The Canadian Beef Improvement Network is moving closer to becoming operational. An executive committee has been named to guide its establishment and work is underway to determine the governance and operational models. The beef industry has been discussing the idea for years. The network is intended to link and unify genetic research and data to […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Canada’s BSE status moves to negligible risk
Canada’s application for negligible risk status for BSE has been approved. The World Organization for Animal Health, known as the OIE, announced the change from controlled status today. Canada had applied for the designation through the voluntary process last summer. The change will mean improved beef and live cattle trade 18 years after the discovery […] Read more
Reducing methane can benefit livestock
Reducing methane emissions from cattle likely depends on more than one strategy, a researcher told the Animal Nutrition Conference of Canada. Dr. Cecile Martin from the Universite Clermont Auvergne in France said feeding strategies and phenotypic selection both have roles to play. “Reducing methane has a double interest,” she said through an interpreter. “An environmental […] Read more
Farm girl shoots agriculture videos
A nine-year-old Saskatchewan girl is drawing praise and thousands of Twitter views for her videos about farming. Mady Adamson, who is in Grade 3 in Kindersley, said she realized her classmates didn’t understand much about farming so she decided to make her own short videos to help educate them. “The discussion of agriculture got brought […] Read more
Sask. gov’t announces new trade offices
Saskatchewan has announced the locations of four new trade offices promised in the recent budget. The offices are expected to open later this year in London, Dubai, Mexico and Vietnam. Trade and export development minister Jeremy Harrison said he has been working with officials from those countries who are on the ground in Canada. He […] Read more
Venture capital fund focuses on ag tech
A new $15-million Calgary venture capital fund intends to focus on commercializing agricultural technology. AVAC Group launched Carrot Ventures Fund May 3. It is backed by AVAC Ltd. and Farm Credit Canada. According to a news release, Carrot Ventures will address systemic challenges that ag tech startups face. “The goal is to offer holders of […] Read more
Producers to defend grazing sector at UN food summit
Canadian producers and conservationists want to reinforce to the world that grazing livestock is a sustainable part of the food system and the environment. The United Nations is planning the first Food Systems Summit in 25 years later this fall. Dialogues to prepare for the summit are going on around the world and the Canadian […] Read more
Quarter of Canadians consider dropping beef
Dedication to beef consumption remains strong in Canada, but a recent survey found sizeable interest in cutting back
A Canadian survey has found that most people are still strongly committed to eating beef. However, in the last year at least one in four has considered cutting the red meat from their diets and there are rising concerns about beef consumption. The Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, along with Angus Reid, conducted the […] Read more
Sask. sodium sulfate plant expands to produce fertilizer
Construction of a $220 million expansion at Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals Inc. at Chaplin is slated to begin later this year. The expansion is expected to be complete in late 2023 and will allow the sodium sulfate plant to produce 150,000 tonnes of sulfate potash fertilizer (SOP) each year. This is a new product for […] Read more
Pulse project aids food bank
Several Regina-based businesses have come together to provide more nutritious choices to food insecure families. Viterra, Canmar Food Products and Conexus Credit Union are collaborating on the Viterra Farmers Feeding Families initiative. Viterra will spend $225,000 to buy pulses from Saskatchewan farmers. Canmar will then package the pulses into more than 200,000 bags each year […] Read more
