The Canadian Food Inspection Agency decision to not publicly report the latest case of BSE may have hurt the beleaguered beef industry, says an industry official. CFIA tests confirmed Canada’s 17th case of BSE in an Alberta beef cow in February, but federal officials told only people in the cattle industry, the chief provincial veterinarians […] Read more
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Delayed reporting causes concern in latest BSE case
Seeding to start dry but late spring showers are in the forecast
Western prairie farmers will probably seed into dry soil this spring and pray for rain, weather experts say about the long range weather outlook. However, they agree that timely rain and generally good growing conditions will dominate most of the Prairies during the summer and harvest season. The exception will be the Peace River region, […] Read more
Food makers’ profits defied recession last year
Food manufacturer profits in Canada increased 13 percent last year, says the George Morris Centre, despite the recession that dragged down profits in the general manufacturing sector. Part of the reason is that food manufacturers paid 16 percent less for raw commodities than they did the previous year. Senior market analyst Kevin Grier said the […] Read more
Feds bet on existing programs
As the potential impact of the H1N1 flu epidemic started to emerge last spring, Agriculture Canada analysts recognized that it would batter an already hard-hit hog industry. They also recognized that payouts to hog producers from existing programs based on historic margins were decreasing sharply. Yet they insisted the programs would rise to the occasion. […] Read more
Flax trades like a special crop
Quietly and awkwardly, flax has walked away from bulk commodity markets, something that would have surprised an earlier generation of farmers. “You’ll notice that flax has now become a special crop (in our analysis reports) and that’s because of popular demand from our subscribers,” Informa Economics’ Chuck Penner said at a recent presentation. It’s not […] Read more
Bull checkers sidelined at show
LLOYDMINSTER – After more than 20 years on the job checking the legs and feet of bulls at the Pride of the Prairies Lloydminster Bull Show and Sale, George Larre and Doug Eaton found themselves laid up together, unable to lend a hand at his year’s event. Foot and leg injuries kept the two men […] Read more
CWB sets price pace in new PRO
There’s a new number for farmers to ponder in the Canadian Wheat Board’s monthly pool return outlook. It’s called the price pace and it indicates how much of the wheat crop has been priced, including both grain actually sold and the board’s futures position. For example, in the most recent PRO for 2009-10, the board […] Read more
when can we go?
Canadian inspectors sent to Mexico MEXICO CITY, Mexico (Reuters) – Canada has agreed to send a team of meat inspectors to five Mexican meat packing plants in June, which could allow Mexico to begin exporting beef to Canada. Canada will also join talks between Mexico and the United States aimed at formulating rules that would […] Read more
Feed pellets can offer advantages
Pellets are a better feed for pigs than straight mash from a mixer, researchers generally agree. However, producers paying for expensive pellets may not be getting the gains they expect, an American expert told the recent Manitoba Swine Seminar. “You really need to focus on pellet quality,” Kansas State University animal nutrition specialist Joe Hancock […] Read more
U.S. grows too many table potatoes
Idaho farmers grew a fantastic crop of potatoes last year, producing 131 million hundredweight, up 12 percent from the 116 million cwt. grown in 2008. However, the massive crop has provoked a controversy among North American potato growers because fresh potato prices have plummeted in the United States in the last year. “In general, they […] Read more
