“I have no idea why they went about it this way.” – LAURENT SOULIGNY, EFC Manitoba’s new policy on alternative housing for layer hens has caught Canada’s other egg-producing provinces by surprise. Manitoba did not consult with other members of Egg Farmers of Canada before announcing its policy last week, said Laurent Souligny, the national
Manitoba Policy Catches Canada’s Egg Farmers Off Guard
Anaplasmosis Intensifies In Southeastern Manitoba
“It’s not a food safety issue.” “It’s not a food safety issue.” – Dr. Lynn Bates, Cfia Canada’s largest anaplasmosis outbreak in more than a quarter-century continues to spread in southeastern Manitoba. Eleven infected cattle herds have been found in a hot spot within the Rural Municipality of Stuartburn near the Canada-U. S. border. Another
Riding Mountain Wildlife Cull Will Resume
An on-again, off-again wildlife cull in Riding Mountain National Park to control tuberculosis in the herd is back on. Parks Canada will kill 30 bull elk and 50 whitetail deer in a TB core area hot spot at the western end of the park in early April, park officials said last week. The wildlife cull
Traceability Target Date Unchanged
Canada remains committed to national livestock traceability, even though Canadian cattle producers want some slack and the United States is backpedalling on its own traceability program. Plans for a traceability system in 2011 are unchanged, despite recent developments in the U. S., Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said. “Our government remains committed to working with industry
Wildlife Group Opposes Riding Mountain Elk Cull
“They’re going in there and taking out healthy animals.” – DALE GARNHAM, MWF Manitoba hunters are up in arms over Parks Canada’s handling of a wildlife cull to control tuberculosis among elk in Riding Mountain National Park. The Manitoba Wildlife Federation opposes the cull in principle but says if it has to occur, it shouldn’t
Hawaiian Queen Bee Imports To Resume
Canada and the United States have reached an agreement allowing imports of queen bees from Hawaii to resume, at least for 2010. But Canada may have to change federal legislation if it wants those imports to continue next year and beyond. Canada stopped issuing import permits for Hawaiian queen bees in October 2009 after the
Farmers Willing To Tackle Climate Change
Farmers can adapt to climate change, but they need the necessary tools to help them do it, a conference in Winnipeg last week heard. If they don’t get them, agriculture in Western Canada will take a big step backwards, Barry Routledge, a farmer from Lenore, Manitoba, told the gathering. Farmers will not take unnecessary risks
Long-Awaited Hog Recovery Finally Happening
Relief is finally in sight for Manitoba’s beleaguered hog farmers after a financial battering that’s lasted nearly four years. Producers can expect to see profit margins of $20 to $25 a hog for most of 2010, beginning this spring, according to a Manitoba Pork Marketing Co-op outlook. The expected average fixed forward contract price from
Cattle Producers Call For Predator Bounties
“The populations have just gotten way out of hand.” – SHEILA MOWAT, MCPA Acall by Manitoba cattle producers for a province-wide bounty on wildlife predators looks like a non-starter with the NDP government. “We’re not about to introduce a general provincial removal program for coyotes and wolves,” said Barry Verbiwski, Manitoba Conservation’s head of problem
2010 Weather To Parallel Last Year’s: Weather Expert
The weather outlook for this summer: much the same as last year. Dry conditions currently prevailing in the western Prairies could ease later this spring, giving way to timely rains and a cool summer, a U. S. weather analyst said during last week’s annual Grain World conference in Winnipeg. That would be similar to the
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