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
Markets Slip as Corn Hits New Lows While Wheat Shows Strength Wednesday, June 17, 2026 On the latest episode of the Ag Commodity Corner+ Podcast titled, Farms.com Risk Management Chief Commodity Strategist Moe Agostino and Commodity Strategist Abhinesh Gopal discussed key developments in global commodity markets in detail. They started the podcast by explaining how corn... Read this article online
Ottawa unveils National Food Security Strategy Wednesday, June 17, 2026 The federal government is looking to support producers and lower grocery costs for Canadians through its National Food Security Strategy. The strategy announced on June 11 commits at least $3 billion over 10 years to address multiple areas of Canada’s food supply chain. Here’s how the... Read this article online
Canadian Food Security Plan Boosts Ag Sector Growth Tuesday, June 16, 2026 The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) has welcomed the federal government’s newly announced National Food Security Strategy, highlighting its renewed commitment to strengthening Canada’s agri-food sector through investments that support competitiveness, affordability, and long-term... Read this article online
Western Farm Weather Alert: Heat, Storms, and Unpredictable El Niño Tuesday, June 16, 2026 Farmers across the west, in both the United States and Canada could be facing an unpredictable and potentially challenging stretch of weather as summer approaches, according to the latest released June 15 by Nutrien’s Eric Snodgrass. The report points to a developing weather pattern... Read this article online
What Can Canadian Canola Growers Learn from the Decline of Rapeseed Oil in the United Kingdom Tuesday, June 16, 2026 The Farms.com team recently attended the Cereals Show in the United Kingdom. This year, the show was held in the Cotswolds at Diddly Squat Farm (owned by Jeremy Clarkson, from Clarkson’s Farms). We were intrigued to learn about the dramatic decline of the rapeseed sector. The United... Read this article online