No scrapie found in tested sheep Wednesday, June 20, 2012 by BETTER FARMING STAFFThe Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has found no new cases of scrapie after testing 26 sheep found at a farm near Chesley on June 6. They were among 31 adult sheep illegally removed from a quarantined farm in Eastern Ontario April 2. Efforts to trace the remaining five sheep continue.Guy Gravelle, senior CFIA media relations officer, said test results were not unexpected. “A typical infected flock or herd sees an infection rate anywhere between three per cent and 30 per cent,” he said in an email. “Two sheep from the farm in Eastern Ontario had previously tested positive for scrapie.”Scrapie can spread among sheep and goats without showing signs in the infected animals for several years. Genetically susceptible animals exposed to scrapie must be euthanized to allow for conclusive testing. “The scrapie control measures taken by the CFIA are based on internationally accepted science, and are supported by the Canadian sheep and goat industries,” Gravelle’s email said. While there is no known human health risk associated with scrapie, it has serious impacts on sheep and goat production and trade. BF Ontario apple and tender fruit growers await governments' aid decisions Farm groups welcome Canada's participation in trans-Pacific trade talks
A new front in the repair access debate Friday, March 6, 2026 Iowa lawmakers have pushed the right‑to‑repair conversation into new territory with House File 2529, a bill that focuses specifically on diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) systems—the single most common cause of emissions-related downtime on modern farm machinery. The bill would require... Read this article online
March 8 is International Women’s Day Friday, March 6, 2026 Across the United States and Canada, women are taking on increasingly visible roles in agriculture—managing farms, leading ag-tech startups, advancing research, and strengthening the rural economies that feed both nations. Their work reflects a shift in an industry once defined... Read this article online
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to Visit Toronto and Southwestern Ontario Tuesday, March 3, 2026 The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry will be in Toronto and Southwestern Ontario later this week as part of its ongoing study on the role of Canada’s agriculture and agri‑food sector in strengthening national food security. The fact‑finding mission is scheduled for... Read this article online
AgriStability Program Updated to Include Pasture-Related Feed Costs Beginning in 2026 Monday, March 2, 2026 In case you missed it last week, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that pasture-related feed costs will be added as an allowable expense under AgriStability starting with the 2026 program year. The update addresses rising operational... Read this article online
Bringing more Food and Ingredient Processing Back to Canadian Soil Monday, March 2, 2026 Protein Industries Canada has announced the second cohort of nine companies participating in its Program, an initiative designed to bring more food and ingredient processing back to Canadian soil and expand the nation’s value‑added agriculture sector. The selected companies span the... Read this article online