OTTAWA – Ontario hog industry leader Curtiss Littlejohn said publicly last week what many Ontario farmers have only been willing to say privately – government farm support is biased toward grain and the West. At a House of Commons agriculture committee meeting Nov. 23, Littlejohn said his once prosperous hog operation southwest of Toronto now […] Read more
News
Hog leader says Ottawa favours grain farmers
Larger Chinese hog operations could fuel corn imports
In commodity markets these days, the story is all about China. On the one hand is the Asian giant’s effort to rein in inflation, particularly food inflation that is running at about 10 percent annually. On the other hand is its voracious appetite for imported oilseeds and, potentially, corn. Last week, China declared it was […] Read more
Jerseys increase herd numbers
Economic considerations have driven growth of the Jersey breed in Canada. The number of dairy herds that contain Jerseys has increased to 1,188 from 607 in 2001, says Jersey Canada. Growth of the breed is most pronounced in Quebec, where the number of herds containing Jerseys has more than tripled in the last nine years. […] Read more
Western Producer Livestock Report – for Dec. 2, 2010
HOGS RISE Strong U.S. packer profit margins encouraged packers to bid hog prices higher. Iowa-southern Minnesota cash hogs delivered to plants rose to $48.50 US per cwt. Nov. 26 from $45- $46 Nov. 19. The U.S. pork carcass cut-out value rose to $79.33 Nov. 26, up from $77.84 Nov 19. The U.S. federal slaughter estimate […] Read more
Quick BRM changes not expected
Farm leaders demanding immediate changes to business risk management programs are wasting their breath, a senior Agriculture Canada official suggested last week. Any changes to the programs will not happen until the next generation of farm programs takes effect April 1, 2013. Danny Foster, director general for business risk management program development at Agriculture Canada, […] Read more
Mustard promotion
The federal government is spending $30,000 to promote mustard seed in international markets. The funding follows a $35,450 announcement earlier this year. The Canadian Special Crops Association will use the money to increase the knowledge and appreciation of mustard through promotional activities. Canada is the world’s second largest producer of mustard and its largest exporter. […] Read more
Companies expand distribution network
A U.S. company with a 40-year history of providing crop inputs to organic growers is setting down roots in Canada. Green World Path has been working with its Canadian partner Global Green Organics for about three years. The two companies are actively expanding their Canadian distribution network. “We’re getting pretty well organized,” said Ray Nielsen, […] Read more
Canfax Report – for Dec. 2, 2010
The Canfax weighted average steer price was $97.74 per hundredweight, up $2.79, and heifers were $97.29, up $2.87 in the week ending Nov. 26. The steer price was $19.37 higher than last year at this time and the highest since May 2009. Sharply higher bids for cash fed cattle in the United States helped the […] Read more
Wildlife help not enough for sheep
The Manitoba government’s decision to increase compensation for wildlife damage isn’t going to help the province’s sheep industry, says the chair of the Manitoba Sheep Association. Last week, Manitoba’s agriculture minister, Stan Struthers, announced the province would compensate producers for 100 percent of wildlife losses, beginning in the 2012 fiscal year. “I’m pleased that compensation […] Read more
4-H award
This year’s RBC 4-H Award of Excellence for the RBC 4-H Rural/ Urban Youth Outreach Program was recently presented to Ontario’s Frontenac 4-H Association for its Country Comes to the City program. The program, in conjunction with the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Kingston, Ont., offered 4-H programming to members of the Boys’ and Girls’ […] Read more
