Reading Time: 3 minutes A federal private member’s bill meant to tighten animal cruelty laws in Canada — alarming farm organizations and energizing animal welfare groups en route — has gone the way of most private members’ bills. Bill C-246, introduced in February by Toronto Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith and given first reading, died Wednesday in the House of […] Read more
Bill to tighten cruelty laws downed in Commons
Nestle to switch to cage-free eggs in U.S. by 2020
Reading Time: 2 minutes New York | Reuters –– Nestle said Tuesday it will stop using eggs laid by caged hens in its U.S. products by 2020, making it the largest packaged food company to go cage-free amid pressure from consumers and animal-rights groups. The world’s largest food maker said it uses about 20 million pounds of eggs annually […] Read more
After the animal abuse video went viral
What’s it like for a Canadian farmer at the centre of an international animal rights media frenzy?
Reading Time: 5 minutes A year and a half later, Jeff Kooyman is still disturbed by a video produced on his farm, Chilliwack Cattle Sales, by the advocacy group Mercy for Animals. Broadcast during prime time on CTV national news on June 2014, the video let the whole world see young workers shouting “f***ing bitch” at cows, kicking one […] Read more
Starbucks to switch to all cage-free eggs by 2020
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — Starbucks will switch to using only eggs laid by cage-free chickens at its North American locations within five years, the company told Reuters on Thursday. The company said it has been steadily working on making the switch since it began buying cage-free eggs in 2008. The pledge follows similar moves by […] Read more
Wal-Mart urges meat suppliers to curb antibiotic use
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Wal-Mart Stores is pressing meat, seafood, dairy and egg suppliers to reduce the use of antibiotics, becoming the first large retailer to take a stand against the excessive use of drugs in raising farm animals. The guidelines announced on Friday would limit suppliers to using antibiotics to treat and prevent disease, […] Read more
New agency to handle Sask. animal welfare enforcement
Reading Time: < 1 minute Saskatchewan’s animal protection officers will start Wednesday with a new not-for-profit agency handling animal welfare enforcement work in the province. The provincial agriculture department on Thursday announced a two-year, $610,000-per-year agreement to fund investigative services provided by Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan, effective April 1. A new toll-free phone number, 1-844-382-0002, will be in place […] Read more
Are Canadian farmers ready for a food fight?
Your business could soon be caught up in a public relations battle. Based on what we’re seeing south of the border, are you ready?
Reading Time: 9 minutes A tsunami seems set to wash over Canadian agriculture. No, the seas haven’t suddenly shifted inland. This dangerous wave is made up of public sentiment about the way you conduct your business. Just like a tsunami, you might not like it, you probably won’t welcome it, but trying to resist it is going to be […] Read more
Focus on where you can lead
At RFW Farms, the goal is to inject certainty into what can seem a very uncertain business. How they do that is a story in itself
Reading Time: 7 minutes In 1995 James Reesor and a business partner bought a 300-sow farrowing herd. Today, two decades later, RFW Farms is a 4,000-sow farrow-to-finish multi-site operation, producing about 2,000 hogs a week. By all measures, those 20 years have been challenging times in the hog business, yet this company has emerged as one of the largest […] Read more
When the SPCA comes knocking
Understanding your rights and duties
Reading Time: 3 minutes Recent media coverage of alleged abuse at Chilliwack Cattle Sales in B.C. has sparked questions about an owner’s obligations when dealing with animal abuse investigators. What are your rights and responsibilities when an investigator arrives at your doorstep? Inspector powers Animal cruelty is prohibited under the Criminal Code, which applies across Canada. In practice, most […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
