McDonald’s Weighs Hen Housing Options

McDonald’s USA is participating in a commercial-scale study of housing alternatives for egg-laying hens. The study, which expects to involve tens of thousands of hens, will look at the sustain-ability impacts of different laying hen housing environments on animal health and well-being, safe and affordable food, the environment, and worker welfare, according to a release.

U. S. Processors Defiant On COOL

“It depends on how the political winds blow in terms of how strong he’ll try to push it.” – JURGEN PREUGSCHAS, CPC U. S. food companies are refusing to follow a federal government request to increase country-of-origin labelling (COOL) measures on meat, in a possible showdown with the Obama administration. A recent Canadian delegation to


Canada Forges Ahead With WTO Challenge Of COOL

Trade Minister Stockwell Day and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz made it official May 7. Canada is reviving its WTO challenge of the United States country-of-origin labelling program. In a visit to Washington in late April, Day told reporters he had informed U. S. officials of Canada’s intention. But the government still wanted to make an

Grain Markets Turning Increasingly Bullish

For three-times-daily market reports from Don Bousquet and RNI, visit “ICE Futures Canada updates” at www.manitobacooperator.ca Grain and oilseed prices at ICE Futures Canada in Winnipeg closed the week ended May 14 mixed. Canola was higher, supported by strength in the U. S. soy complex. Canola was also lifted by a strong export lineup, favourable


U. S. Soybean Stockpile Reduced

U. S. soybean exports will hit a record 1.21 billion bushels this marketing year, helping whittle the U. S. stockpile to 165 million bushels, the smallest in five years, the government forecast on April 9. “That is a tight number,” Don Roose, analyst for U. S. Commodities, said of the stockpile, roughly a three-week supply.

Pork BBQ Draws Parliament Hill Crowd

Upwards of 2,000 MPs, senators and Parliament Hill staff showed up for a noon hour barbecque in the historic East Block courtyard May 6 in support of the country’s beleaguered pork producers. The Canadian Pork Council was hoping 300 to 400 people would accept the offer of a pork sandwich, veggies and cookies to show


Ranchers Can Access To CRP Lands

The U. S. Agriculture Department says it will extend emergency use of Conservation Reserve land for North Dakota livestock producers facing losses from recent flooding. USDA said the emergency use of reserve land would be extended from April 30 to May 15. Conservation Reserve land is usually off-limits to livestock, but the department said extending

Soy Hits Six-Month High, Canola Doesn’t Follow

For three-times-daily market reports from Don Bousquet and RNI, visit “ICE Futures Canada updates” at www.manitobacooperator.ca Grain and oilseed futures at the ICE Canada futures market closed the week ended April 17 mixed with canola moderately higher in the face of sharp gains in the U. S. soy complex. Commercial demand lifted the market with


COOL Challenge Could Come Soon: CPC

U. S. plants are “very cagey.” – FLORIAN POSSBERG, CPC A Wo r l d Trade Organization challenge to U. S. country-of-origin labelling is virtually certain and recent remarks by U. S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack may have speeded it up, industry insiders say. A letter from Vilsack to U. S. meat processors in January

Keep Heat On COOL, Livestock Groups Say

Livestock groups and the processing sector must record any example of Canadian shipments to the United States being hampered by the latest iteration of America’s COOL program, say farm leaders and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “The industry has to document any case that violates our trade agreements with the Uni ted States ,” John Masswohl,