A report from Ipsos Reid shows most Canadians will support extreme measures to contain the threat of a human pandemic resulting from avian influenza. With many experts predicting H5N1 Avian Flu could reach North America by this fall, a survey of 16 hundred Canadians conducted earlier this month, as part of a tracking study of attitudes toward the issue, found six in ten Canadians have concerns about the virus.

Since the beginning of the BSE crisis in Canada, there has been lots of talk about new beef slaughter and processing facilities. Although there have been scores of proposals, only a few have proceeded. Nesco Meats of Melfort, SK has maintained a low profile, but has developed what looks like a viable plan. Farm Commentator and writer Kevin Hursh of …

While pioneers in the cropping business used the tools at their disposal, often relying on hard, sweat of the brow work, gut feelings and a blank want-list paper at the kitchen table, today’s farmer-entrepreneur has a multitude of resources, often at his fingertips.

Here’s a great example of how you can use a blog to accomplish a communications goal. You need to meet Leon the Milkman. He’s a blogger in South Africa who was fed up with all the negative information about dairy on the internet. He’s also got a website at Dairy-Info.org. He’s offering a free dairy dictionary if you visit either of the sites and register.

The Avian Flu crisis is a big wild card in the pricing of all meats says Jim Long, Pork Commentator. Much of the major mediums are giving it lots of attention. Time Magazine, USA Today, etc, are intensely discussing the challenges of Avian Flu.

Manitoba Pork Council is circulating premise registration forms to the more than two thousand swine production units across the province. The Canadian swine industry, as part of its preparation for participation in a national multi-species livestock identification and traceability system, is collecting registration information from all farms that produce swine. In conjunction with the premise registration, swine farms will also receive new tattoo numbers.

A Professor from Saskatchewan, Canada shook the farming world a little when he said ship up or shape up, or the family will go the way of the dodo bird.

A day doesn’t pass by where someone isn’t reporting on trade agreements and trade negotiations. A farmer commentator sent me this piece on what he thinks trade should be. Rolf Penner raises hogs, grain and special crops at Morris, MB.

It’s a trade war. One that really doesn’t matter to the Americans and puts one ag sector against the other in Canada. I can’t believe how we are so prone to shoot ourselves in the foot. Be that as it may. The Canadian Pork Council will press for the elimination of countervail and antidumping duties on imported unprocessed U.S. grain corn when the Canadian International Trade Tribunal begins pubic hearings next week.

Many are wondering where the outcry is about the discovery of the latest BSE cow in the United States. In my opinion, it never was about health, but about markets or the lack there of. When Canada discovered its first BSE-infected cow in May of 2003, the outcry reverberated around the world.
In Canada, many said it would be the death knell for the beef industry. How wrong they were. Do any of you remember when the latest BSE discovery occurred in Canada? I didn’t either. I had to look it up on the World Wide Web. It was back in January 2006, not 2005, or 2004. We have short memories. That goes to prove my point it’s all about the markets, and has very little to do with health.