U.S. negotiator calls for separatge trade deals for CUSMA

Jamieson Greer, who plays a key role in all trade negotiations, including the upcoming review of the trade deal among Canada, Mexico and the United States (CUSMA,) is laying out a strong case for separate bilateral deals with Canada and Mexico.

Former prime minister Justin Trudeau promised Mexico that Canada would not strike a separate deal.

The three countries have had joint deals for 30 years and the neighbours have felt they stand a better chance negotiating together than alone with the U.S.

But Greer told a recent meeting of the Atlantic Council that our economic relationship with Canada is very, very different than our economic relationship with Mexico.

"The labour situation's different. The import-export profile is different. The rule of law is different. So it makes sense to talk about things separately with Canada and Mexico," he said.

The United States has until Jan. 2 to indicate to Congress whether it wants to extend the agreement, renegotiate its terms or let it expire.

Jamieson Greer, who plays a key role in all trade negotiations, including the upcoming review of the trade deal among Canada, Mexico and the United States (CUSMA,) is laying out a strong case for separate bilateral deals with Canada and Mexico.

Former prime minister Justin Trudeau promised Mexico that Canada would not strike a separate deal.

The three countries have had joint deals for 30 years and the neighbours have felt they stand a better chance negotiating together than alone with the U.S.

But Greer told a recent meeting of the Atlantic Council that our economic relationship with Canada is very, very different than our economic relationship with Mexico.

"The labour situation's different. The import-export profile is different. The rule of law is different. So it makes sense to talk about things separately with Canada and Mexico," he said.

The United States has until Jan. 2 to indicate to Congress whether it wants to extend the agreement, renegotiate its terms or let it expire.

Pork Council launches 10 learning modules

 

The Canadian Pork Council has added 10 modules to its online PigLEARN training platform. 

They will come online in January and the council said more are on the way.

The service began in March and how has 86 modules for training workers.

Mark Fynn, the council’s training resources coordinator, said the new modules take a full, detailed look at handling pigs at every stage of life.

The modules are:

·       Understanding basic pig behavior and how pigs perceive their environment

·       Core principles for moving pigs calmly and safely

·       Age-specific handling techniques for piglets, growing pigs, sows and boars.

·       Loading and unloading pigs for transport

“These resources build confidence and help workers understand both the animal and the process,” said Fynn. “

Twenty modules under development will deal with worker health and safety training and are scheduled for publication about a year from now.

Roundup research paper trashed

 

The scientific Journal of  Regularity Toxicology and Pharmacology has trashed a research paper it published 25 years ago. The paper concluded glyphosate is safe if used as directed.

Now the journal said an investigation found undisclosed industry involvement, reliance on unpublished Monsanto data and omissions of conflicting evidence.

“The scientific concerns … regarding (ghost-) authorship(s) and potential conflicts of interest, none of which have been responded to, are sufficient to warrant this action,” the retraction authors said.

Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide became the standard for weed control in corn and soybeans after Monsanto also genetically engineered those crops to survive spraying with Roundup.

Roundup was also widely used to kill off all plants after harvest and before planting.

Its safety was challenged in lawsuits, beginning with a California school employee who was stricken with cancer and blamed Roundup. Bayer, which bought Monsanto, paid millions of dollars after losing that and a few other court challenges.

Derek Haley chosen director

 Derek Haley is the new director of the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare at the University of Guelph.

Haley is a faculty member in the Department of Population Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College.

He has researched animal welfare issues such as long-distance transportation, weaning stress and the welfare of culled dairy cows. 

Prior to joining the veterinary college was livestock welfare specialist with Alberta Agriculture, where he advanced animal welfare initiatives across multiple provinces. 

He is fluent in French and has a track record of working with producers, veterinarians and policymakers across Canada, the college said.

                           

Student captures feed value in whey

 

Master’s degree student Tatum Schooley has found a way to capture a valuable feed for cattle from whey.

Her challenge was to find value in whey that costs about $1,000 a truckload for small cheese plants to haul away.

She found that adding bentonite to the whey prompted it to separate with proteins settling to the bottom and a lactose liquid rises to the top, can be pumped off and be used in TMR rations.

She also found no change in cows’ body weight, body condition, milk yield and milk fat. There was some evidence milk protein levels increased and milk lactose decreased.

 

Schooley worked under associate professor Katie Wood at the Department of Animal Science at the University of Guelph. Wood reported on the research at a dairy day put on by the university.

One rabid bat in November

 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency reports there was rabies found in one bat in Ontario in November.

There were 105 before November plus six rabies-infected red foxes.

Nationally the total of rabies cases so far this year is 266.

Trump threatens fertilizer tariffs

 

While he was announcing $12 billion in tariff-relief subsidies for farmers, United States President threatened to impose new tariffs on fertilizer from Canada.

He also threatened to impose tariffs on rice from India.

He said the imports are making it difficult for U.S. companies to compete.

Nutrien is the world’s largest fertilizer producer and is based in Saskatoon.

Trump said a lot of it (fertilizer) does come in from Canada, and so we’ll end up putting very severe tariffs on that, if we have to, because that’s the way you want to bolster here,.

“And we can do it here. We can all do that here.”