Foot-And-Mouth Surfaces In Two Countries

China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang has reported an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among pigs, which killed 25 hogs and sickened 58, the second outbreak in the region so far in the year, the Ministry of Agriculture said. The recent outbreak was less serious than the one reported in February, when 3,941 pigs were culled. The

What’s Up – for Mar. 31, 2011

Please forward your agricultural events to [email protected] or call 204-944-5762. March 31:Making Manitoba Maple Syrup seminar, 7-8 p.m., Red River Complex, Winkler. For more info email [email protected] or call 204-325- 9672. April 7:“A threat to family farms, public health care and public services,” a National Farmers Union Region 5 public meeting on the Canada/ European


Flax Council Reminds To Test For Triffid

The Flax Council of Canada is encouraging growers to ensure that all planting seed has been tested for the presence of Triffid prior to seeding. “Continued testing at all levels of the value chain is essential to reduce the frequency and severity of Triffid events found in the Canadian flax crop to the point where

Bulgaria Culls 130 Cattle For FMD

Veterinary teams will cull 130 cattle in a southeastern Bulgarian village after tests showed another outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the Balkan country. The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency said six out of seven samples taken from a herd tested positive for the highly contagious disease. This is the fifth outbreak of foot-and-mouth since the beginning


Reformers Left Isolated In EU Farm Policy Debate

European Union governments calling for far-reaching reform of the bloc’s farm policy from 2014 were left isolated earlier this month after 20 EU countries signed a joint declaration opposing radical change. The declaration by EU farm ministers was the last chance for governments to spell out their priorities for the reform of the common agricultural

EU Wrestles With Issue Of Food From Cloned Animals

European Union governments and lawmakers remained deadlocked on how to regulate the production and sale of food from cloned animals, following all-night talks in Brussels that ended recently. EU sources said the remaining sticking point was a demand by lawmakers in the European Parliament for a full EU ban on the sale of food derived


Ritz Pulls Back From CWB Debate

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says his party “respects the vote” of farmers who back the single desk and suggested there won’t be any attempt to impose dual marketing on the Canadian Wheat Board unless a majority of producers vote for it. “Until farmers make that change, I’m not prepared to work arbitrarily,” said Ritz. “They

Britain Adds Voice To Criticism Of EU GM Crop Plans

Britain has become the latest European Union country to raise serious doubts over proposals to let EU governments decide individually whether to grow or ban genetically modified (GM) crops. Several large EU countries including France, Germany and Spain have already criticized draft legislation tabled by the EU executive in July, which would allow governments to


Flax Growers Vote To Scrap Checkoff Cap

The Manitoba Flax Growers Association (MFGA) wants the $275 cap removed from its farmer checkoff of half a per cent of the value of flax when it’s sold. MFGA members voted in favour of removing the cap at their annual meeting here March 3. The MFGA will ask the Agricultural Producers’ Organization Cer tification Agency

Hormone-Free Beef Moves Into EU

ACanadian company has shipped 120 tonnes of hormone-free beef to the European Union since the EU granted Canada duty-free access, Canada’s agriculture minister said March 14. Alberta-based Canada Gold Beef made the sales, worth $1.5 million, and shipments look to continue at the same pace, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said in a press release. Canada