PED outbreaks continue

 

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus has broken out in two barns in Huron County, one a nursery-to-finish operation, the other a finishing barn.

PED has also broke out in a finisher barn in Golden Horseshoe reported Swine Health Ontario.

Bayer offers $7.25 billion to settle lawsuits

Bayer is offering $7.25 billion to settle all outstanding lawsuits related to its Roundup herbicide.

It has already paid $10 billion to settle previous lawsuits.

This offer which will be presented to a court in Missouri is to be paid out over 21 years to about 65,000 people.

The deal would cover all future claims for Roundup-related compensation.

The company has steadfastly maintained Roundup is safe when used as directed. The lawsuits claim it may cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma which is a form of blood cancer.

Food prices soaring

 

While overall inflation held to 2.3 per cent in January, food prices shot up by 7.6 per cent.

Restaurant meals cost 12.3 per cent more than a year ago.

The news comes days after the federal government announced it will bring in the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit program in July It will increase the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Credit by 25 per cent and give it the new name.

NFU wants ban on trade with Israel

 

The National Farmers Union wants Canada to stop trade with Israel because of its ongoing attacks on Palestinians.

It has written to Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand asking for a suspension of the free trade deal and for a two-way embargo on arms meaning no more sales to Israel and no more arms purchases from Israel.

Its action flows from a resolution passed at its annual meeting calling for the NFU to join the global movement of Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions.

The NFU said “we have begun conducting an audit of our investments and relationships with Canadian and international businesses that benefit from the ongoing genocide and illegal occupation of Palestine. 

“We are developing resources to share with our membership to implement BDS on their farms and in their households and communities.”

                          

 

CoBank foresees more soybeans, less corn and wheat

 

CoBank is predicting farmers will plant more land to soybeans and less to corn, wheat grain sorghum, cotton and rice this year.

It said the shift is prompted by low prices and high costs.

 Tanner Ehmke, lead grains and oilseeds economist with CoBank, said soybeans offer better profit potential than the other crops.

He figures U.S. soybean acreage will increase by 5.9 per cent over last year to reach 86 million acres.

Corn acreage will decline by 4.8 per cent and the combination of all wheats by one per cent.

U.S. relaxes line speeds at hog-packing plants

 

The United States Department of Agriculture has implemented new regulations which lift restrictions on line speeds at pork processing plants.

There have been limits since a court ruling in 2021.

Since then only some plants have been allowed to operate faster line speeds under close supervision.

The Meat Institute said plant employees in swine slaughter establishments conduct manual sorting activities to remove defects in carcasses and parts prior to FSIS  (Food Safety and Inspection Service) inspection, making inspection more efficient. Critically, FSIS inspects 100 per cent of live animals prior to slaughter and all carcasses after slaughter in all regulated facilities., including allowing staff to cut away portions from carcasses before they are presented for inspectors’ scrutiny.”

“With this long overdue regulatory certainty, our member companies can invest in their operations to continue growth of the processing sector which benefits the consumer with more affordable and nutritious food,” said the Meat Institute.

Willow Creek Colony wins appeal

 

Willow Creek Colony in Manitoba has won an appeal against a $40,000 fine levied by Health Canada.

Emily Crocco, chair of the Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal, found that Health Canada inspectors lacked proof that the pest control products found on the colony’s 6,000-acre property was owned and placed by any of the 150 members of the colony.

Because the public had access to the road where the bait was found, it could have been anyone other than a colony member who put it there.

The colony said it would not be likely to put it there because it would poison the colony’s bees and contaminate the canola crop which their children eat.

Health Canada laid charges after it found carbofuran and chlorpyrifos bait and dead animals that later tested positive with the poison bait.

But a search of multiple colony buildings did not find any of the poison products.

The Health Canada investigation began after Manitoba’s Department of Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures found several dead wildlife animals on colony property. There had been wildlife damage to colony crops.