Surge seen in eastbound shipments through the Port of Thunder Bay as demand from Europe and North Africa increases
The COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed a swath of economic devastation across many parts of Canada’s agricultural landscape. But one segment of the Canadian ag industry has been running full bore since the pandemic took hold a couple months ago. Western Canadian grain handlers have seen record or near-record grain movement throughout most of March and […] Read moreTag Archives COVID-19 virus
Packer outbreaks also affect urban centres
High River and Brooks became COVID-19 hot spots after the virus was found in workers at nearby Alta. slaughter plants
The town and the city where most workers at Alberta’s two large beef processing plants reside have faced particular challenges as cases of COVID-19 multiplied. The Cargill plant in High River is at the centre of the largest single pocket of cases in North America and the JBS plant in Brooks has also had hundreds […] Read more
Pandemic forces Sask. farm show to go digital
Ag in Motion replaces physical event with a series of online video demonstrations, panel discussions and presentations
Ag in Motion, an outdoor farm show held near Saskatoon, will be a digital event this summer. The normal three-day show format will be altered due to COVID-19, but organizers say the new format can deliver quality information for farmers over five days from July 21 to 25. Ag in Motion Discovery Plus will be […] Read more
4-H skills help battle COVID-19
Face masks can be made at home using easily found material to protect against the virus, but it must be done properly
BIRDS HILL, Man. — There are hundreds of different mask patterns on the internet. They vary in degree of protection and degree of complexity. Some are easy for beginners. Others require a skilled seamstress. In making masks for our immediate family, I’m drawing on my 4-H sewing experience from years ago at Kane, Man. My […] Read more
Beekeeping changes focus for Sask. couple
On the Farm: A passion for bees brought them together, but growth has turned the honey operation into big business
GOOD SPIRIT ACRES, Sask. — Bees helped sweeten the deal that brought a young couple together. Sasha Howland and Danny Wasylenchuk both grew up in Yorkton and had summer jobs working with bees. It led to their marriage, family and successful honey business. Apiculture was not part of the original plan for either Howland or […] Read more
COVID sheds light on importance of health on the farm
Farmers have always been connected to several aspects of a healthy lifestyle. As food producers, we’re closely connected to the lifecycle of food, from field to fork. We’re also early pioneers of the concept of community, which happens to be a primary factor for self-reported happiness. But as agriculture has evolved, have we lost aspects […] Read more
Slaughter backlog hits feeders hard
It’s estimated that up to 80,000 Canadian cattle await slaughter, and the number may reach 250,000 head by July
There is little room for fed cattle as slaughterhouses across North America close or slow because of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving farmers with few options for shipping their animals. Outbreaks among plant workers have forced plants owned by Cargill Inc., JBS SA and Tyson Foods to temporarily close or slow production as they balance worker […] Read more
Cats most likely animal to pick up novel coronavirus
A few months into the global COVID-19 pandemic there is growing knowledge about the relationship between the virus and animals. In a recent column, I discussed how wild bats were the likely origins of the virus and how future spill-over events may be prevented by ending the global wildlife trade. Virus origins aside, there have […] Read more
CN reports flat revenues; company withdraws outlook
Canadian National Railway has reported that revenue during the first part of this year has remained flat after recovering from numerous issues in February. In its first-quarter fiscal update on April 27, CN said it generated roughly $3.55 billion in total revenue, while showing improvements in other financial metrics. JJ Ruest, president and chief executive […] Read more
BASF develops online tool to help families with farm safety
The company’s work with ag safety group is based on the expectation that there will be more children on the farm this year
The Canadian Agriculture Safety Association and BASF are digitally expanding farm safety resources for children. The new resource comes as the COVID-19 pandemic affects family life. With kids at home because of school closures, it’s expected more of them will be involved in activities on the farm, said Wayne Barton, the manager of research and […] Read more
