What's in a (sausage's) name? Tuesday, June 5, 2012 Sausage consumption in Europe isn't an issue. Sausage naming is.NewEurope Online reports that the European Commission has received an application from Slovenia for official recognition and protected status for the "Krainer Wurst." Other countries who might want to lay claim to the famous sausage or to dispute the Slovenian claim have six months to register their objections.The European Commission awards Protected Geographical Indication status to foods when it can be proven they are regional specialties. (Think champagne from a certain region in France.) The status allows the area that originated them to use that name exclusively and to license it to others. A successful Slovenian claim means Austria would have to rename its extremely popular cheese-filled Kaesekrainer sausage. According to NewEurope, the head of the Vienna chamber of commerce, Josef Bitzinger, says sausage stand operators all over Vienna will not rename their products.Slovenia claims the minced pork and season sausage was invented in northern Slovenia in the 1800s. A complication is that Slovenia was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire at the time. Austrians and Slovenians should eat sausages all summer and negotiate a peaceful solution to a potential impasse. BP The transition to open marketing - producers' fears have not been realized Pink slime beef crisis hits pork
Grain Markets Climb on Weather and Supply Concerns Monday, August 17, 2026 Grain markets finished higher during the week ending August 14, 2026, as traders reacted to a supportive USDA August crop report, changing weather conditions across the U.S. Midwest, and continued geopolitical concerns affecting global grain supplies. The latest Farms.com Risk... Read this article online
National Citizens Inquiry hosting public ag hearings in Alberta Monday, August 17, 2026 An organization is hosting three days of conversations about agriculture in Alberta. The National Citizens Inquiry (NCI), an independent and citizen-led initiative launched in November 2022 to investigate Canadian government responses to COVID-19, is hosting “Are Farmers Safe in Canada?”... Read this article online
Canadian Ag Minister Works to Strengthen US Farm Trade Ties at Iowa State Fair Monday, August 17, 2026 Canada’s agriculture sector took center stage at one of America’s most recognized agricultural events as Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald travelled to the Iowa State Fair to promote closer ties between Canadian and U.S. farm industries. Joined by Canada’s Ambassador... Read this article online
Flash Drought Threat Grows Across Southern Plains as Historic El Niño Builds Monday, August 17, 2026 After flooding, a derecho, storms, and wildfire smoke, asignificant shift in North America's weather pattern is creating a new set of challenges for farmers, with forecasters warning that flash drought conditions are becoming a growing concern across key agricultural regions of the United... Read this article online
Woolwich Farmland Fight - Petition Urges Council to Protect Prime Ontario Agricultural Land Monday, August 17, 2026 A proposal to redesignate 107acres of agricultural land in Woolwich Township for employment and industrial development is drawing increasing opposition from residents and farmland advocates who say the project would come at the expense of valuable farmland and the region's agricultural... Read this article online