Approximately 31 per cent of food produced in the U.S., or 133 billion pounds of food worth $162 billion, was wasted in 2011, according to the USDA.

The problem with ‘all-you-can(‘t)-eat’ dining

Study says unfinished meat wastes more resources than other foods

In a new study, University of Missouri researchers say that while less meat is wasted on average compared to fruits and vegetables, it represents more total resource waste in inputs such as fuel and fertilizer. “While many of us are concerned about food waste, we also need to consider the resources that are wasted when

Outright repeal of COOL defies consumer sentiment

Outright repeal of COOL defies consumer sentiment

It was how the meat-packing industry applied the law that caused the negative effects on imports

The fate of the U.S. COOL (country-of-origin labelling) program for beef, pork, and poultry hangs in the balance as Congress goes on its Independence Day recess. Given the May 18, 2015 WTO (World Trade Organization) ruling against COOL, the threat of $3 billion in retaliatory tariffs being imposed on U.S. products by Canada and Mexico,


pig on a fundraising website

Public rallies around loose sow

Within hours the sow had been named and a rescue fundraiser started

Pigs were in the Winnipeg headlines last week over the fate of a sow that had fallen off a livestock truck and was found roaming near Winnipeg’s south perimeter. Manitoba Pork says staff, representatives from the Office of the Chief Veterinarian of Manitoba, and the Winnipeg Police Service contained the animal and loaded it onto

barn full of chickens

Federal government unveils plans to tackle drug resistance

Federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose has held a workshop 
with industry to discuss the plan

The federal government has unveiled a national plan for tackling the growing threat from bacteria increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Late on April 17, the Department of Health issued a press release saying it would propose regulations under the Food and Drugs Act to end growth-promoting claims and bulk imports. It didn’t provide any details on


overhead view of cattle auction

Antimicrobial use in feedlots could be slashed, say experts

Simple management changes, like pre-weaning vaccinations, can greatly increase immunity in cattle

The livestock sector could significantly reduce and in some cases, eliminate, antimicrobial use with simple changes in management practices, say veterinarians. And that would reduce the threat of antimicrobial resistance and boost consumer confidence in the cattle industry. “The key is to have animals that are properly vaccinated,” said Craig Dorin of Veterinary Agri-Health Services.

pigs in a pen

A combination of new additives and husbandry can replace antibiotics

Animal Health: If Scandinavian pork producers can go antibiotic free, so can Canadians, says U of M animal scientist

If you think you can’t raise a healthy pig and turn a profit without the aid of antibiotics, think again. While there is no silver bullet lying in wait to replace antibiotic growth promotants, a thoughtful mix of improved husbandry and antibiotic alternatives can prove as effective, University of Manitoba animal science professor, Martin Nyachoti


PHOTOS: A pork chop workshop

After seven years of conferences, Food Matters Manitoba decided to try a more hands-on event this year. It held a “Pork Chop Workshop” at The Food Studio in Winnipeg March 14, with participants learning how to take a hog carcass down to meal-sized portions. Manitoba Co-operator reporter Shannon VanRaes attended with her camera and recorded

Temple Grandin

Fight the video cameras with video cameras: Temple Grandin

Famed animal welfare advocate says well-run operations can welcome public scrutiny

Fixing the slaughter plants was easy,” Temple Grandin told the 2015 annual meeting of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). “But now I see problems that we are going to have to fix at the farm: lame dairy cows, emaciated dairy cows because somebody let them go too long, animal production to the point we


cattle feedlot

What’s good for producers may mean pain for meat packers

Cargill and JBS plants in Alberta need more cattle, but a low dollar makes 
it harder to get them and also has some negatives for feedlots

A low dollar means double trouble for Alberta’s big packers — and puts stress on feedlots, too. “In 2015, with smaller cattle numbers and bigger exports, we’re going to see some pressure on our packing plants and feedlots to stay better utilized,” said Brian Perillat, senior analyst and manager with CanFax. Despite its shrinking herd,

Manure applicators are spending up to four extra hours cleaning equipment between jobs.

PED virus costly for manure applicators

Applicators taking extra precautions and spending more time washing equipment


Much is still not known about the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus infiltrating the pork industry. Researchers are investigating the virus’s survivability, but what they do know is that PED thrives in wet, cold environments and is spread by fecal-oral contact. Manure applicators, like others working near or with the pigs, are taking extra precautions to