An overhead shot of cattle at Perlich Bros. Auction Mart as they await their turn in the sales ring May 12 during the Canadian Livestock Auctioneer Championships.

Countdown begins for traceability

Cattle industry gears up for an overhaul of the system as long-awaited new regulations promise to reshape the sector

Canadian cattle producers are awaiting new federal traceability regulations following a two-year consultation process.

There are 10 premises infected with H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in B.C. and one in Saskatchewan. The nation estimates 11,099,000 birds are affected, according to the latest data from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. | File photo

Sask. farm among those infected with HPAI

Glacier FarmMedia – As migratory birds wing their way south, some of them leave cases of bird flu in their wake, especially in British Columbia, where producers, industry groups and governments are trying to keep the seasonal problem from worsening. There are 10 premises infected with H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in B.C. and […] Read more

On-farm testing and public data is available on the efficacy of fertilizer supplements and biological products, but it can be difficult for producers to find the results.  |  File photo

Feds not expected to resume supplement testing

WINNIPEG — Some farmers and producer groups would like the federal government to restore testing of non-fertilizer supplements to prove they work before the products are commercialized. That’s unlikely to happen, says a fertilizer expert who has been in the industry for decades. The federal government stopped regulating non-fertilizer supplements in 2013, and efficacy testing […] Read more


The NFU report comes at a time when hundreds of novel supplements are now available to Canadian producers. | Screencap via nfu.ca

NFU calls for efficacy testing of non-fertilizer supplements

WINNIPEG — The federal government should re-instate efficacy testing for non-fertilizer supplements, says the National Farmers Union. The current system, where it’s unknown if products work or not, is a cost and a risk for Canadian growers, the NFU says in a report published Oct. 21. “‘Farmer buy-and-try’ should no longer be the norm for […] Read more

On Sept. 16, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency released new guidance for beef and dairy producers, given the still climbing number of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza south of the border. | File photo

Bird flu warning issued for U.S. cattle shows

Glacier FarmMedia – Canadian cattle owners are being urged not to take animals across the U.S. border to participate in agricultural shows due to ongoing bird flu outbreaks in American dairy herds. On Sept. 16, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency released new guidance for beef and dairy producers, given the still climbing number of cases […] Read more


The winter 2024 survey received feedback from 412 respondents, including seed growers, seed companies, farmers, farm organizations, commodity groups, academics, and others. | File photo

CFIA releases latest on seed regulatory modernization process

Glacier FarmMedia – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency released a report today on its latest round of industry and expert consultation as it seeks to modernize its seed regulations. “Using an experimental approach to co-develop recommendations for change takes time in order to bring a diverse set of stakeholders together to reach consensus,” the agency […] Read more

Some of the top cattle from North America travel to World Dairy Expo in Madison each fall. Due to the outbreak of the bird flu virus , WDE officials ramped up biosecurity at this year's show to protect the dairy cattle. | USA Today Network via Reuters Connect photo

CFIA cautions against taking cattle to U.S. shows as bird flu outbreak continues

Glacier FarmMedia – Canadian farmers are advised against taking cattle over the border to participate in U.S. agricultural exhibitions as outbreaks of avian influenza in American dairy cattle continue, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said. “While we understand the traditional and business significance of attending these events, the current HPAI situation in the U.S. […] Read more

The author writes that an enfeebled media has failed to hold Danone accountable for the listeria outbreak in its plant-based milk products.  |  Reuters photo

Where’s the listeria outbreak outrage?

The reaction to the recent Silk and Great Value plant-based dairy recall has been perplexing, to say the least, despite three confirmed deaths now linked to the listeria outbreak. The first fatality occurred back in August 2023, almost a year before the official recall on July 8, 2024. Yet, there has been little public explanation […] Read more


Reading vaccine labels ensures proper use and dosage, whether producers are branding or otherwise treating cattle.  |  File photo

Read the label to be safe when using vaccines

Close attention to labels not only ensures the proper dose is administered but also that the vaccines are mixed correctly

The labels on cattle vaccines have important information and producers should make a point of reading them. Lauren Carde, programs director for the Canadian Animal Health Institute, notes they contain information on route of administration, correct dose, timing, animal age and whether boosters are needed. Attention to these specifics “ensure the safety of the human, […] Read more

Bovine TB lesions are typically found in the lungs, chest cavity and rib cage of animals. They will be yellow to tan in colour and typically two to 20 millimetres in diameter.  |  Photo supplied by Saskatchewan environment ministry

Sask. expands bovine TB monitoring in wildlife

Hunters in two wildlife management zones in east-central Sask. will now be required to submit samples to the province

Hunters in Saskatchewan may have an extra task added to their to-do lists this year, depending on their wildlife management zone. The provincial government has made it mandatory to provide disease testing samples of elk and white-tailed deer in certain zones due to potential bovine tuberculosis. The decision by the provincial environment ministry builds on […] Read more