Beef farmers join rail protest

 

Beef Farmers of Ontario is joining the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and l”Union des Producteurs Agricole in opposing the route for a proposed high-speed rail line between Ottawa and Montreal.

They said this route will disrupt farming by splitting some farms, impacting drainage systems and closing rural roads.

They are asking that::

-       The line stay out of prime farm land;

• Avoid breaking farms into smaller pieces and keep fields and farm operations whole;

• Protect farm drainage systems that are essential for crop production;

• Address farmers’ concerns about construction impacts and ongoing costs, including fencing, and the building, upgrading and long-term maintenance of safe farm crossings for equipment and livestock, and

• Ensure agricultural impact assessments are independent, thorough and publicly available.

PDCoV in Huron County

There has been an outbreak of porcine deltacoronavirus at a nursery in Huron County, reports Swine Health Ontario.

CFIA suspends a licence

 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has suspended the licence of Grand Marché Col-Fax Inc., located in Laval, Quebec.

It said the company failed to identify and analyze hazards and to develop a prevention program.

It is out of business until it can come into compliance.

Alexandra Harlander heads welfare research

 

Alexandra Harlander of the University of Guelph has been chosen to chair poultry welfare research.

The position is funded by Egg Farmers of Canada which has donated $1.3 million for research.

Harlander’s research focuses on understanding hen behaviour across different housing systems. Her work has contributed to the National Farm Animal Care Council’s codes of practice, the egg marketing agency wrote in  news release.

 She has also contributed to several industry programs, including a national feather-scoring system.

Farmers urged to eliminate phragmites

 

The St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA) is offering funding to local landowners to help combat invasive phragmites.

SCRCA Manager of Conservation Services Jeff Sharp said the highly aggressive, perennial wetland grass can negatively affect local wildlife and land.

He asking those who have phragmites to contact him to arrange help to get rid of them.

"The most effective way to control phragmites is with the use of herbicide. The conservation authority has licensed external exterminators and specialized equipment to complete this application work in these sensitive areas," he said. "

 The SCRCA will cover the cost of the required control measures and equipment.

"There are lots of other invasive plants. There's lots of invasives in general, but controlling these invasives, because they do negatively impact our natural areas, is very important and one way that landowners can help improve the overall health of habitat on their property," he said.

This project is being undertaken with support from the Invasive Species Centre and in partnership with the Invasive Phragmites Control Centre and the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority.

Landowners who have phragmites on their property and are interested in reducing or eradicating them can contact Jeff Sharp, at jsharp@scrca.on.ca or (519) 245-3710 extension 217.

Canada imports cattle

Cattle imports are helping Canadians rebuild a depleted national herd.

The Canadian cattle inventory was 11.1 million head, both cattle and calves, as of Jan. 1, an increase of 2.5 per cent from last year, according to newly released government data.

It was the first year-on-year increase since 2018, attributable to a significant degree to a 42.7 per cent increase in imports of calves in the second half 2025, totalling about 368,000 head.

The number of beef heifers for breeding increased by 4.8 per cent and of cows by 1.9 per cent.

Cattle and calf slaughter was down 6.5 per cent to 1.6 million head. Live exports fell 8.9 per cent to 361,300 head.

The turnaround in the Canadian herd comes as U.S. cattle supplies remain very tight amid unusually slow heifer retention for the bottom of the cattle cycle.