food safety Archives | Country Guide

U.S. rolls back inspection rules for egg products

New rule to affect 83 U.S. facilities

By Tom Polansek September 9, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — The Trump administration said Wednesday it will stop requiring U.S. plants that produce egg products to have full-time government inspectors, in the first update of inspection methods in 50 years. Under a new rule that takes effect immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will allow companies such as Cargill and Sonstegard […] Read more

A customer shops at a pork meat hall at the Yuegezhuang wholesale market in Beijing on June 17, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Tingshu Wang)

General, Markets, Reuters

Food exporters to China asked to declare produce coronavirus-free

Declaration puts onus on exporters for product safety

By Dominique Patton June 19, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes Beijing | Reuters — China’s customs authority has asked food exporters to the country to sign a declaration their produce is not contaminated by the novel coronavirus, three people who received a letter said on Friday. The declaration, seen by Reuters, may be an effort by China to reduce the additional testing it has carried […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Livestock

Ontario offers cash for abattoir upgrades

Applications now being accepted through April

By GFM Staff February 20, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ontario’s 123 provincially-licensed abattoirs can now start applying for a piece of $2 million in federal/provincial funding to step up food safety, biosecurity and animal welfare measures. The Ontario and federal governments on Wednesday announced applications for cost-share funding can be submitted between now and April 30, “as long as funding for the initiative is […] Read more

EU flags in front of the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels. (Jorisvo/iStock/Getty Images)

General, Reuters

EU-Canada trade deal clears hurdle in Dutch parliament

By Reuters February 18, 2020

Reading Time: < 1 minute Amsterdam | Reuters — The European Union’s free trade agreement with Canada cleared a political hurdle on Tuesday, when a slim majority of lawmakers in the Dutch lower house voted to ratify the contested deal. Votes by members of the country’s governing coalition were enough to approve the deal, which was rejected by opposition parties […] Read more

Hogs on a stock trailer bound for a Toronto packing plant accept drinks from Toronto Pig Save members in 2013. (Screengrab of Toronto Pig Save video via YouTube)

Livestock, Machinery

Ontario draws new legal lines against on-farm trespass

By GFM Staff December 2, 2019

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ontario has introduced a legislative package setting up new legal boundaries around livestock in that province, whether on farms or in transit. The Security From Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, introduced Monday by Agriculture Minister Ernie Hardeman, is expected to “address the unique risks and challenges associated with trespass onto a farm or into […] Read more

Hogs, Livestock, Reuters

Safety advocates sound alarm over new U.S. hog slaughter rules

By Tom Polansek September 19, 2019

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. food safety and the health of plant workers will be at risk from new federal rules that allow meat companies to slaughter hogs as fast as they want and shift the role of government inspectors, food and environmental advocates said on Tuesday. The warnings about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s […] Read more

Crops, Guide Business

Glyphosate: the real science

Will new studies that confirm the safety of glyphosate actually stop politicians from banning an essential herbicide?

By Gerald Pilger January 26, 2018

Reading Time: 6 minutes The study published in the November 9, 2017 Journal of the National Cancer Institute is crystal clear. Called “Glyphosate Use and Cancer Incidence in the Agricultural Health Study”, it says: “In conclusion, we found no evidence of an association between glyphosate use and risk of any solid tumours or lymphoid malignancies, including NHL (Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma) […] Read more

Farmer Walking Through Field Checking Wheat Crop

Guide Business, Opinion

Join the fight for consumer trust

Every farmer should be in the habit of telling non-farmers to check out www.bestfoodfacts.org

By Gerald Pilger November 23, 2017

Reading Time: 4 minutes Early on the evening of April 13, 1970, Jack Swigert, pilot of Apollo 13’s command module, radioed the now famous phrase, “I believe we’ve had a problem here.” His words immediately set in motion the incredible teamwork needed to diagnose what had happened and to find a solution to a very serious situation. Since then, […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Livestock

Public input sought on sustainable beef indicators

By Country Guide Staff October 9, 2017

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ranchers, consumers and others who have thoughts on how beef and its cattle should be sustainably produced in Canada are asked to speak up again, this time by early November at the latest. The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB), in the midst of developing a Verified Sustainable Beef Framework, has released its new draft […] Read more

Crops, Livestock

Federal government extends food policy discussions

By Country Guide Staff July 25, 2017

Reading Time: 2 minutes Citing a strong response from across the country, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay has extended the public consultations on a national food policy until Aug. 31. “Canadians’ responses to our online survey show they truly care about food issues. I encourage everyone to take advantage of the extended comment period, and I look forward […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn, soy futures sag on end-of-month selling

Dominican Republic restricts pig shipments after ASF confirmed

CNH Industrial bets on strong market to counter worst supply chain situation

GFM Network News