Ag. Minister Thompson lashes out at carbon tax

 

In some of the strongest language she has used, Ontario Agriculture Minister Lisa Thompson lashed out at the federal government’s tax on carbon which increased April 1.

"We said enough is enough. (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau, listen to farmers, and stop the tax once and for all," Thompson said.

She said her Conservative party members “are listening to farmers. We are hearing that farmers can't afford this carbon tax. It erodes their ability to continue producing good quality food that is affordable across Canada.”

Conservative Ben Lobb, federal MP for Huron-Bruce, introduced a bill to exempt grain drying and heating of barns and greenhouses from the carbon tax, but the Senate took out barns and greenhouses and sent it back to the House of Commons where it has languished since because the Liberals have kept it off the debate schedule.

Thompson’s provincial riding overlaps with Lobb’s federal riding.

Plant protein with a new twist

Vow, an Australian company that makes plant proteins, has announced that it has secured regulatory approval to commercialize its new cell-cultivated product, "Forged Parfait," in Singapore.

The meat alternative is "not an imitation of chicken or beef, but an entirely new flavor and texture combination," the company said. 

The cells are "inspired by" quail cells, but are technically from "an entirely new animal" that is "crafted from a subspecies of the Japanese quail," it said.

It’s website ( Vow's website) features a blue-feathered quail.

The Forged Parfait product is not a structured, whole-cut option, but a more custard-like product made of undifferentiated cells, which are quicker and more cost-effective to grow in suspension so it doesn’t require scaffolding or other structure common in most meat alternatives.

It is to be exclusively available to Mandala Club’s restaurant where it will be served as part of a seven-course meal.

Cargill adding more wind and solar facilities

 Cargill is planning more renewable energy facilities to add to its portfolio of 15, most of them solar and wind projects.

It has signed five new contracts for 716 megawatts; it’s current output is 300 megawatts.

The company has also reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 11 per cent.

Cargill operates in 12 countries.

Three finalists vie for $25,000

 

Three finalists are vying for a $25,000 prize from BASF’s Growing Home contest.

They are Highate District Agricultural Society, Three Oaks Respite Cabin and Norfolk Little People's Daycare.

More than 600 organizations entered the contest and now a judging panel has chosen three finalists per province.

Judge strikes down parts of new trespass law

 

Justice Markus Koehnen of the Ontario Superior Court has struck down some provisions of Ontario’s new trespass law, prompting animal activist groups to claim victory.

But Beef Farmers of Ontario said it is pleased he upheld the law and limited his deletions to a regulation.

Koehnen struck down Sections 5(4), 6(2) and 6(4) under Ontario’s Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act (Act), prohibiting the interference or interaction with a farm animal in an agricultural zone and during transportation without prior consent from the owner/operator or driver.

“The Charter (of Rights) was never intended to give one person the right to physically interact with another person’s property without the other’s consent under the guise of freedom of expression,” wrote Koehnen in his decision.

He struck down the portion of the regulation that said consent obtained under false pretenses or under duress is not allowed.

“In my view, (one section of) the Regulation is overly broad and disproportionate. It penalizes misstatements like denying affiliation with an animal rights group or having a university degree,” said Koehnen in the decision. 

“Those sorts of misstatements have no bearing on objectives like animal safety or food security.”

 

Beef Farmers of Ontario issued a news release saying animal neglect, abuse and cruelty is never acceptable, and animal welfare is of the utmost importance to BFO and its members.

 

BFO respects the right of individuals to peacefully protest. The Act does not interfere with the right of people to participate in legal protests on public property – but these individuals do not have the right to trespass on private property or to threaten farmers, their animals, or their livelihood. 

 

Trespassing, and even the threat of trespassing, on farms is detrimental to the mental health and well-being of our farmers. Everyone has the right to feel safe in their homes and their places of work.

Ontario passed the law after a protester died when a hog-hauling truck ran over her at the Fearman’s plant entrance. Protestors routinely rallied there delaying trucks and trying to feed hogs water.

Avian flu wipes out largest egg farm in U.S.

An outbreak of highly-pathogenic avian influenza has prompted the culling of laying hens on the largest egg farm in the United States.

The farm in the Texas panhandle near New Mexico is owned by Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. of Mississippi.

It has 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets; about 3.6 per cent of the flock was infected and has already been euthanized.

"The Company continues to work closely with federal, state and local government officials and focused industry groups to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks and effectively manage the response," according to the statement.

"Cal-Maine Foods is working to secure production from other facilities to minimize disruption to its customers." The farm has been shut down.

The company said there is no known bird flu risk associated with eggs that are currently on the market and no eggs have been recalled. 

Eggs that are properly handled and cooked are safe to eat, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Texas agriculture commissioner Sid Miller said on CNN that the farm accounts for about four per cent of U.S. production and said he expects there will be no impact on retail egg prices.

The same day the Michigan Department of Agricultural and Rural Development (MDARD) announced the confirmation of the first case of HPAI in Ionia County and the fourth case at a commercial poultry operation in Michigan since 2022. 

The agency did not identify the specific poultry farm or how many birds were affected, but it warned owners and poultry farmers to protect their flocks from wild birds that may spread HPAI during the spring migration.

Meat packers upset by lowered cap on foreign workers

The Canadian Meat Council is criticizing a surprise move by the federal government to reduce the cap on temporary foreign workers from 30 to 20 per cent of a company’s workforce, effective May 1 instead the Aug. 30 deadline.

The increase to 30 per cent was enacted in April, 2022, during the COVid-19 pandemic crisis.

Moving the expiry up by four months was done without any consultation with meat packers, the council said.

 “Make no mistake, the decision to remove these supportive measures is punitive for the agricultural sector, including our meat processors,” said meat council president and chief executive officer Chris White.

“By ending these measures, we are removing the crucial support that our industry needs to remain competitive, and we are undermining our sector’s ability to meet product supply requirements,” he said.

Before April, 2022, the cap was 10 per cent of the workforce.