U.S. sow gestation stalls under attack Sunday, April 1, 2012 The pressure to end the use of dry sow stalls is growing south of the border, and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is the vise. In early February, the Austin Daily Herald in Minnesota reported that Jeff Ettinge, chief executive of Hormel Foods, announced at its annual general meeting plans to end use of sow gestation crates on its Arizona farms by next year and in Colorado and Wyoming by 2017. Ettinge was responding to a question from a member of the HSUS, which is a shareholder.At about the same time, the HSUS announced it was going after Wal-Mart suppliers Seaboard Foods and Prestige Farms. HSUS subsequently complained to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Trade Commission that Seaboard and Prestige spread "grossly false and misleading statements" about its animal welfare practices."McDonald's Corporation announced it will require its U.S. pork suppliers to outline their plans to phase out use of sow gestation stalls by May. "McDonald's wants to see the end of sow confinement in gestation stalls in our supply chain," said a joint press release with HSUS.In addition, Bon Appetit Management, a nationwide food service operator, announced it would phase out pork products from stall-housed sows by 2015. BP Behind the Lines - April 2012 Pakistan capital inundated with wild boars
Manitoba Crops Advance Quickly as Heat Speeds Development Across Fields Wednesday, July 22, 2026 Manitoba farmers saw significant crop progress during the week of July 14 to July 21 as above-normal temperatures accelerated development across most major commodities. While the warmer weather helped push crops through critical growth stages, moisture conditions remained inconsistent... Read this article online
Canola Growers May Gain New Tool for Water Stress Wednesday, July 22, 2026 Mosaic Biosciences and Elicit Plant have entered into a joint development agreement to create a new agricultural solution aimed at helping canola growers across North America manage water-stress challenges. The collaboration will use Elicit Plant’s proprietary EliTerra technology... Read this article online
Pilot project supports Ontario and Quebec ag Wednesday, July 22, 2026 A new two-year pilot project is designed to help livestock farmers in Quebec by giving them access to an Ontario abattoir. The project, a collaboration between the Quebec and Ontario governments, with additional support from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), would see a limited... Read this article online
Ontario Farmers Harvest One of Canada’s Top Carrot Crops Wednesday, July 22, 2026 Carrots are among Ontario's most important vegetable crops, contributing significantly to local food production and year-round fresh produce availability. Ontario grows the most carrots of any Canadian province – 45% of the country’s carrots. According to Statistics Canada, Ontario... Read this article online
Weather Outlook Raises Flash Drought Concerns Across Central U.S. Tuesday, July 21, 2026 A growing flash drought across the central United States, lingering wildfire smoke impacts, and the rapid development of El Niño are creating a challenging weather outlook for North American agriculture. According to the latest weather analysis from Nutrien meteorologist Eric... Read this article online