U.S. Egg Producers Agree To Phase In Large Cages

U.S. egg farmers would give hens twice as much space as they now have under an agreement with an animal welfare group on July 7 that would be written into federal law and end years of state-by-state battles. It would be the first federal law on treatment of animals on the farm, said the groups.

EFC Funds Research Chair In Poultry Welfare

Canada’s egg producers are funding a poultry welfare chair at the University of Guelph to help them develop new housing systems for their birds. Egg Farmers of Canada will contribute $110,000 a year for the next seven years to research alternative housing for layer hens. The research will be headed by Tina Widowski, a University


Tornadoes Blast Chicken Farms

Tornadoes and violent storms destroyed 200 chicken houses that held up to four million chickens in Alabama. Alabama is No. 3 U.S. chicken producer, and has about 14,000 chicken houses that hold approximately 200 million chickens. Power outages and loss of drinking water could worsen the situation, officials said. Tyson Foods Inc. and Pilgrim’s Pride

Chicken Farmers Keeping Up With Rising Grain Costs

Manitoba chicken producers are holding their own so far against the high price of feed grain but they admit it’s a struggle to keep up with rising costs. “The pressure is there,” said Jake Wiebe, Manitoba Chicken Producers vice-chair. Wiebe said he currently pays an average of $376 a tonne for feed on his broiler


No One In Charge Of Antibiotic Issue

A2002 Health Canada report mapped out a plan for veterinary medicines that would have solved many of the current controversies about antibiotic resistance in meat products, says John Prescott, a professor at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph. “This was an absolutely outstanding report which involved considerable work and effort from many people across the

Chicken Farmers Accuse CBC Of Slanted Report

Canada’s chicken industry is accusing CBC of selectively using data to conclude that chicken meat in stores often contains bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics. Chicken Farmers of Canada says the CBC-TV consumer affairs program “Marketplace” failed to make a link between so-called superbugs and antibiotic use on farms, despite claiming to do so in


Avian Flu Halves Manitoba Chicken Exports

Acase of avian influenza in a turkey flock north of Winnipeg has had a backlash effect on Manitoba’s chicken industry. Chicken exports have been cut in half as a result of import restrictions on Manitoba poultry because of the AI outbreak last November, Manitoba Chicken Producers reports. Manitoba grows roughly five per cent of its

U. S. Egg Contamination Unlikely In Canada: Industry – for Sep. 9, 2010

Arecent massive recall of contaminated eggs in the United States probably wouldn’t happen in Canada because conditions are different here, industry officials say. Strict biosecurity and food safety protocols for Canadian egg farmers guard against salmonella outbreaks which occurred last month in the U. S., said Laurent Souligny, Egg Farmers of Canada chairman. The U.


Letters – for Sep. 2, 2010

Improving animal welfare a worthy priority Ron Glaser of the Beef Information Centre, is correct when he says in the Aug. 26Manitoba Co-operatorthat the consumer hasn’t abandoned animal products in general. I am not sure who participated in his survey but I gotta tell you that for health reasons my household has definitely reduced its

Manitoba Goes It Alone On Alternative Hen Housing

“We would have liked to have more consultation.” – LAURENT SOULIGNY, EFC Egg Farmers of Canada will let Manitoba go its own way on requiring larger cages for layer hens while still working toward a national policy on alternative housing. EFC appears resigned to Manitoba’s recent policy requiring new layer operations to use alternative housing