The first time American egg farmer John Brunnquell walked into a cage-free barn everything he thought he knew about hen welfare was called into question. It was the early 1990s, and Brunnquell could recite the benefits of caged production by heart: Birds don’t walk around in their own manure, cages protect them from predators and they can be quickly fed if they get sick, he said.

Coccidiosis refers to a parasitic infection of the gut that causes clinical signs of disease. The parasites referred to are coccidial species (Eimeria). Some key clinical signs  include reduced feed consumption, increased water consumption, ruffled feathers, watery feces, dehydration, reduced weight gain, increased feed conversion, bloody dropping and mortality.

Global poultry production has entered an era of increased oversight of antibiotic use during live production. Being able to treat sick animals with antibiotics is important. As an industry, we must continue to do our part to maintain antibiotic effectiveness so they can be used as tools for sick animals. As with any change, there will be a learning curve moving forward.

A valid veterinarian-client-patient-relationship (VCPR) is simply the term given to describe the relationship the poultry farmer and the attending veterinarian share.

When it comes to animal welfare, Alexandra Harlander prefers to get her information straight from the horse’s mouth. Or, in this case, directly from the poultry she’s studying.

DATE: January 16

DATE: January 8, 2019

Ontario's Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ernie Hardeman, recently launched a public awareness campaign to highlight mental health challenges suffered by farmers and encourage people to ask for help when daily struggles become too much to bear.

DATE: December 21LOCATION: CanadaDETAILS: As of December 21st, 22 confirmed cases of Salmonella have appeared in Canada. This prompted the Public Health Agency of Canada to collaborate with provincial public health partners, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada to investigate the outbreak. The investigation found exposure to raw chicken and turkey products to be the likely source of the outbreak. That's because many individuals who got sick noted eating different types of chicken and turkey before their illness occurred. Almost half of the illnesses, which are genetically related to illnesses that date back to 2017, happened between October and November of 2018.SOURCE: Canada.ca

After a year of uncertainty, Canada, the U.S. and Mexico finally agreed on ‘NAFTA 2.0’. Renamed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), all three countries are expected to ratify the deal fairly soon.

In late 2017, the Poultry Industry Council reported that, “increased numbers of reovirus-associated lameness cases were reported in Ontario broiler flocks by poultry veterinarians between August and October.” It was necessary for some infected birds to be euthanized.

Northern Ireland produces an estimated 260,000 tonnes of poultry litter each year. This leads to the problem of how to dispose of it in an environmentally friendly way. Until now poultry farmers have relied on arable farmers to take the lion’s share of the litter. But a new solution is now in operation.

The world’s first ‘no-kill eggs’ are on the supermarket shelves in Germany. Respeggt eggs first hit the shelves in Berlin in November and have since been rolled out in other parts of Germany. They’re the result of the success of Seleggt Acus, patented technology that determines a chick’s sex before it hatches. The innovation is being hailed a breakthrough in animal welfare technology.

ROVA Self-Moving Barn

The Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) requires producers to monitor litter quality daily. According to its 2018 Animal Care Program manual, currently under review from a gut health and food safety perspective, farmers must also clean out litter after each flock and replace it with clean bedding material.

Magnum Trailer & Equipment Inc, a manufacturer and service provider for heavy duty trucks and trailers, has completed delivery of 35 new poultry trailers to Ontario-based Maple Lodge Farms.“These trailers are designed to improve the internal environment for the birds, by moderating the temperature, improving on-off loading and using smooth steel surfaces that are quick to clean for improved biosecurity,” said Mel Wubs, VP trailers and engineering for Magnum Trailer. The entire fleet was designed, manufactured and delivered within one year.Multi zone, full height, electric sliding vent panels optimize air flow and control interior temperature changes due to fluctuations in exterior climate, as well as the build-up of heat and humidity from the birds.The vent panels are computer controlled with a secondary manual control panel for direct operator control. The 53-foot trailers have Strenx 100XF steel deck surfaces for high durability and light weight that reduce spray down times and have rounded corners that are resistant to residue build-up. The Magnum clear-span hydraulic raising roof, combined with electric roll up curtains improves loading times and simplifies module securement.“Magnum’s engineering team worked with us to design features that would improve poultry welfare, which is really important to us," said Fred Marques, COO of Maple Lodge Farms."We were impressed with their material choices and manufacturing process to deliver a quality trailer that is expected to significantly increase the life expectancy over our previous fleet.”

Just two years ago, blockchain was a relatively unknown concept. Today, however, it is being called the biggest technological innovation of the decade and most influential corporate game-changer across industries.

The latest advances with an innovative new system for maximizing livestock feeding results have been unveiled by Canadian Bio-Systems Inc. (CBS Inc.) at the International Production & Processing Expo IPPE), Feb. 12-14, 2019 in Atlanta.“What’s your FSP fingerprint?” is a new approach to advanced precision livestock feeding that helps individual operations identify how they can best integrate and capture synergies among different types of feed science technology platforms.An early beta version of this robust science- and data-driven system was introduced last year coinciding with the launch of new CBS Inc. Feed Science Platforms (FSP). The full official launch of What’s your FSP fingerprint? at IPPE 2019 features the inclusion of further enhanced diagnostic technology and the introduction of a simple-to-use web-based application. (IPPE attendees can view the app and learn more by visiting CBS Inc. at Hall A, Booth A956.)“IPPE provides a window on many of the big picture trends and demands that are rapidly shaping the future of livestock production,” says Rob Patterson, CBS Inc. Technical Director. “These factors have major implications for the profitability and sustainability of all types of operations and for the sector as a whole. At the same time, advances in feed technology are opening new doors to help operations not only transition but thrive in this new environment.New opportunities in precision feeding“What’s your FSP fingerprint? allows everyone from nutritionists and producers to others involved in the feed industry and animal agriculture to quickly and simply identify the best package for success,” he says. “It takes the potential for precision feeding to a whole new level.”Every operation is unique and has its own requirements in order to truly maximize results in alignment with the latest expectations and opportunities, says Mark Peters, CBS Inc. Sales and Marketing Director. “Today the ability of an operation to keep up with the full spectrum of science-based feed technology innovation is a critical factor, not only in efficiency and overall production competitiveness but also in meeting specific, increasingly specialized market opportunities.“What’s your FSP fingerprint? provides a highly effective one-stop solution that fits today’s needs. It gives every operator peace of mind that they are utilizing the best package possible, customized to their specific requirements and objectives.”Capturing synergies across platformsThe FSPs include five areas of feed technology innovation: Multi-Carbohydrase technology, enhanced yeast technology, grain management technology, functional fatty acids, and phytogenics and probiotics. Together they represent a comprehensive portfolio of advanced bio-based feed technology solutions to benefit poultry, swine, aquaculture and ruminant production.What’s your FSP fingerprint? identifies the best customized package for each operation, leveraging a wealth of ongoing data collection along with more than 30 years of CBS Inc. research and development knowledge in partnership with leading university and institutional research programs.Dynamic science-driven potentialEach FSP area offers unique approaches to feed enhancement. Multi-Carbohydrase technology is a leading-edge area of enzyme technology pioneered by CBS Inc. that involves utilizing multiple enzymes with multiple activities to achieve a high level of targeted feed breakdown and nutrition capture.Enhanced yeast technology features natural growth promoter activity supporting healthy animals and optimized productivity. Functional fatty acids are gaining rising attention today, in particular for their potential to replace conventional options and support systems moving toward reduced use of antimicrobials.Grain management technology focuses on safeguarding feed quality to provide a valuable quality assurance tool and insurance policy for both feed and animals. Phytogenics and probiotics represent innovative plant-based extract technology that helps support a positive and nurturing environment critical to get the most efficiency and benefits from feed and nutrition approaches.

In the past decade, robotic solutions have found a home in the agricultural sector. Their uptake shouldn’t surprise anyone; robots are perfect for those repetitive and time-consuming tasks producers would prefer to leave behind.

The study of poultry production has progressed significantly over the past several years, including the introduction of more complex research approaches to understand changes in the bird.

The poultry industry has seen quick changes in regards to the usage of antibiotics. These have resulted in rapid responses by production teams to manage their processes differently. For instance, it would have been taboo five years ago to “wet” an egg in any way for fear of bacterial growth.

The goal of any broiler breeder program is to produce the greatest number of hatching eggs per hen housed and life of flock hatch to give us the most chicks per hen housed.

JRS VirtualStudio Inc., a leading developer of web-based applications and data solutions with a focus on the global agriculture sector, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Beaven as vice-president, sales and marketing.Beaven brings nearly three decades of senior management experience leading a variety of initiatives in Ontario’s agri-food sector, including over 10 years as executive director of the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC). In his new position, he will oversee business development and engagement activities for all of JRS VirtualStudio’s agri-tech enterprises, including Transport Genie and Trespass Tracker.“I’ve known Mark for a long time and over the years we’ve developed a great working relationship. We’re very pleased to welcome him to the team,” said Joel Sotomayor, founder and Principal of JRS VirtualStudio. “We have a very talented group of programmers and developers working on a lot of exciting projects, and Mark brings the real-world business savvy and connections that we need to commercialize those ideas and grow the business.”Beaven, who grew up in the rural community of Mitchell, Ont., said the JRS VirtualStudio team is poised to have a major impact on the agricultural sector through an innovative suite of products being developed by its affiliated companies, including: Transport Genie: a sensor-based, real-time tracking system that monitors microclimate conditions inside livestock transportation trailers to ensure that animals arrive at their destination healthy and safe. Mpowered: a novel blockchain-based ecosystem designed to help people take control of and monetize their data on a cryptographically secure, transparent and tamper-proof platform. Farm Health Monitor: a smartphone app for regional syndromic reporting that gives producers and veterinarians real-time surveillance, reporting and mapping of livestock and poultry disease outbreaks. Trespass Tracker: the world’s first smart security system that puts real-time communications and smart technology at farmers’ fingertips. Trespass Tracker uses geofencing technology and machine vision intelligence to distinguish between legitimate visitors and intruders. “The JRS VirtualStudio team is extremely bright and forward thinking with a continual stream of innovations that are going to impact the industry,” said Beaven. “My role will be advance these initiatives and look for new opportunities, and to act as the interface between these very smart people and forward-thinking producers and agricultural organizations across Canada and around the world.”

McDonald’s Corp.’s mission to use only cage-free eggs is rippling across the market.The world’s largest restaurant company is about a third of the way to meeting its goal of being entirely cage-free in the U.S. by 2025 – a target it shares with a broad array of retailers and food producers.The expected surge in demand has sparked barn upgrades across the country over the last several years, with producers building facilities that give hens a bit more space.This increase in supply is reducing cage-free eggs’ market premium over regular eggs.For the full story, click here.

After over 10 years of serving the agri-food sector in Ontario, the Agri-Food Management Institute (AMI) will be transferring its resources to industry allies and winding down its operations as a result of changes to its funding structure.Farm Management Canada will take over the hosting of AMI’s online business management tools, resources and workshops so they can continue to provide value to farmers. Food Processing Skills Canada will be the new host of the online management tools for processors.“We are extremely proud of AMI’s efforts to promote business management and develop tools and resources to help farmers and processors with business planning, management and strategic thinking,” says AMI Vice Chair Laurie Nicol. “I’m proud of the work our past and current board members have put into this organization; this was not an easy decision to make.”Farm Management Canada has partnered with AMI on various projects in the past, making them an ideal host for the farm-related reports, online training tools and other resources that AMI has developed. Food Processing Skills Canada has effectively grown their training platform over the past several years and AMI’s online materials will complement their existing resources.A 2016 study by AMI in partnership with Farm Management Canada established the first-ever link between farm business management and profitability, and identified the top seven habits of Canada’s most successful farmers. Other successful initiatives included the popular Advanced Farm Management Program, a series of regional food business-focused conferences, and a widely used program that supported the inclusion of business management topics and speakers on the agendas of industry events.AMI had its start as a funding program dedicated to farm business management and administered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council. After becoming a stand-alone organization with support from the provincial and federal governments, AMI focused its activities on farm business management training and awareness, and eventually saw its mandate expand to include food and beverage processing businesses as well.The Agri-food Management Institute will cease operations effective April 30, 2019 and encourages interested parties to contact Farm Management Canada or Food Processing Skills Canada for program or training information.

You’ll notice this issue has an international feel to it. While Canada is a global poultry leader, we thought it’d be interesting to look abroad for ideas and innovations.

As of Feb. 11, Jessica Hockaday has been named the new director of quality assurance for Aviagen North America. Based in Aviagen's corporate office in Huntsville, she now reports directly to vice president of veterinary services Eric Jensen.As director of quality assurance, Hockaday oversees all areas of quality control, from GP farms to customer deliveries, in addition to working with sales and service teams to ensure that North American customers are satisfied with healthy, high-quality parent stock.She holds a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from California’s Western University of Health Sciences, a Master of Science in Veterinary Medicine from Mississippi State University and a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from California Polytechnic State University. Additionally, she has acquired extensive research and work experience in poultry diagnostics, disease prevention and biosecurity.She joined Aviagen as a member of the Veterinary Services department in Elkmont, Ala., where she was employed as an associate veterinarian until her recent appointment.She has achieved a host of honors and awards from respected industry organizations, such as a preceptorship from the American Association of Avian Pathologists and a lifelong learning award from the California Veterinary Medical Association. Her depth of research and knowledge base has led to multiple speaking invitations from industry organizations.“Quality Assurance works to continuously improve the methods and parameters involved with our production process," said Jensen in a press release. "Jessica’s deep commitment to quality and to our customers, coupled with her leadership abilities and expertise, will be of great value in helping us meet this goal."I’m pleased to welcome Jessica as our director of quality assurance, and I am confident that she will find success in this new role.” Hockaday added, “I am looking forward to having an active role in providing our customers with healthy high-quality chicks that are synonymous with the Aviagen name. "Being new to this role will be challenging, but I feel that will give me the opportunity to improve upon an already strong system to support our company by ensuring each step in the value chain leads the delivery of the highest product quality. "As our company grows the demand put on our team will grow as well, but we are up for the challenge and all looking forward to the opportunity.”

Maple Leaf Foods today announced the promotion of Kathleen Long to vice president of animal care. In her new role, she will lead the company’s animal care policies and programs in all livestock and poultry production and processing operations.Long joined Maple Leaf Foods in 2013 and supported the company’s animal care strategy in her previous role. “Ensuring animal care is essential to achieving our goal of becoming the most sustainable protein company on earth,” said Randall Huffman, chief food safety and sustainability officer at Maple Leaf Foods, in a press release. “Dr. Long has played a key role in our poultry welfare programs and will continue to advance our world-class animal care program throughout all livestock and poultry operations. Her specialized knowledge, expertise and leadership are highly recognized within Maple Leaf Foods and across the animal health industry.”Long holds a bachelor of science in agriculture with a major in animal science from the University of Alberta and a doctor of veterinary medicine from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, where she completed advanced coursework in both poultry and swine management, nutrition, reproduction, and health. She also completed a master of avian health and medicine through the University of Georgia and is a Diplomate of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians.

Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) recently announced the election of its 2019 executive committee. The elections followed the annual general meeting. The 15-member board of directors, made up of farmers and other stakeholders from the chicken industry, has chosen the following representatives:Benoît Fontaine, chair (Stanbridge Station, Que.)Hailing from Stanbridge Station, Que., CFC chair Benoît Fontaine first joined the board of directors in 2013 as an alternate and became the Quebec director in 2014. He farms in the Lac Champlain area and raises 5.5 million kg of chicken and 500,000 kg of turkey. A former high school Canadian history teacher, and second generation chicken farmer, Fontaine has also been heavily involved in the Union des producteurs agricoles since 1999. He became chair of CFC in 2016.Derek Janzen, first vice-chair (Aldergrove, B.C.)Derek Janzen, first vice-chair, and his wife Rhonda have farmed in the Fraser Valley since 1998. They currently produce 1.4 million kg of chicken annually and manage 22,000 commercial laying hens. Prior to farming, Janzen worked for B.C.’s largest poultry processor for nearly nine years. He worked his way up from driving delivery trucks to sales and marketing, where he took the position of major accounts manager. Janzen’s experience in the processing industry has served him well with his board involvement. He's held various positions on a variety of boards including chair of the B.C. Egg Producers Association and also was appointed by the minister of agriculture as a member of the Farm Industry Review Board, B.C.’s supervisory board. Janzen enjoys being involved in the industry and is excited to represent B.C. at CFC.Nick de Graaf, second vice-chair (Port Williams, N.S.)Nick de Graaf is a third-generation poultry farmer in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia operating the farm founded by his Dutch grandfather in the early 1960s. Today, the farm produces more than 660,000 chickens, and 67,000 turkeys per year. De Graaf is also part of Innovative Poultry Group (IPG). IPG farms 55,000 broiler breeders and owns Maritime Chicks, a new, state-of-the-art hatchery employing the HatchCare system. In addition to poultry, De Graaf grows more than 1,600 acres of wheat, corn and soybeans. He is self-sufficient in the production of corn and soybeans for his on-farm feed mill where he processes poultry feeds for his own flocks. De Graaf is in his eigth year as a director with Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia. He has participated in CFC as an alternate director and as a member of the policy committee. De Graaf and his wife Trudy have three children and two grandchildren.Tim Klompmaker, executive member (Norwood, Ont.)Tim Klompmaker lives in Norwood, Ont., and was elected to CFC's board in 2017. He started farming in 1984 along with his wife Annette and his three sons. He is a third-generation chicken farmer with the fourth generation already in place and running chicken farms of their own. Klompmaker served as a district committee representative for Chicken Farmers of Ontario before being elected to the Ontario board in 2000. He served as CFC alternate representative for Ontario from 2012-2013, and has represented Ontario on the CFC production committee, the AMU Working Committee, and at NFACC. He has also served as 1st Vice-Chair of Chicken Farmers of Ontario.

Continuing their mission to increase the availability of animal protein to children around the world at risk of malnutrition, Cobb-Vantress and OneEgg recently launched new chapters in Nepal, Honduras and Ethiopia.Participating children receive one egg a day several days a week, greatly increasing animal protein consumption, which is essential for proper growth and development. Protein malnutrition affects nearly 150 million children around the world, and eggs contain 18 different types of protein and nine different vitamins.OneEgg and Cobb work together with communities to establish small, sustainable poultry operations. Families raise the chickens that lay the eggs, add to the local economy and provide jobs in the community. The objective is to empower the local community and increase the amount of animal protein in the diets of children. Cobb supplies technical assistance and trains participants in animal husbandry, poultry housing design, flock management, egg production, marketing, sales, business management and more.The improved nutrition gained by adding eggs to the diet of children in these countries can lead to lifelong benefits for those at risk of impaired growth and development due to lack of animal protein. Adequate amounts of animal protein support stronger mental development, better physical health and higher IQs. Additionally, protein provision tends to support higher attendance rates at school and increased community participation.According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, proteins are one of the most important macronutrients in the diet because they provide both essential amino acids and are a source of energy. Micronutrients — the vitamins and minerals we receive from the food we eat — are also critical to physical and cognitive development. Nutrition is particularly important during early childhood, which is why OneEgg programs target preschool children ages three to five.“I continue to be extremely proud of the contributions Cobb is making with OneEgg. As a company, Cobb values and understands the impact we’re making for children,” said Dave Juenger, senior advisor of support services at Cobb. “As an industry leader, Cobb has the skill set and ability to provide small, local farming operations with the technical assistance needed to help them become self-sufficient. Not only does this have an economic impact but it also provides an essential animal protein source to rural communities, especially the children. I believe our efforts and commitment can create positive change that lasts for generations.”In Nepal, chronic malnutrition affects approximately 1 million children under the age of 5 (or 36 percent of the population), with limited access to quality animal protein listed as one of the top contributing factors. A similar reality impacts the daily lives of children in Honduras and Ethiopia, though each country faces its own unique challenges. As such, each OneEgg program varies slightly based on the country’s individual needs:Nepal. Efforts in Nepal focus on building the capacity of local farmers to supply eggs to 12 schools and 700 children, with a goal of reaching 7,000 children over the next two years. The collaborative project is expected to provide one egg each day, three times per week to children from Rupandehi, Palpa and Kathmandu districts. A video highlighting the project can be viewed here.Honduras. The OneEgg chapter in Honduras focuses on providing eggs to expectant mothers and their families. The project includes research, education and outreach efforts in the Sierra de Agalta in Olancho Valley to continue investigating the value of eggs on a child’s physical development and to share the farm business model with individuals to implement in developing countries.Ethiopia. In collaboration with Project Mercy, OneEgg Ethiopia introduces the production and consumption of eggs into the Yetebon community. Beneficiaries include children at Project Mercy’s pre-K through kindergarten school, as well as local rural families.“We’re on a mission to change the world one egg at a time, and I know that our partnership with Cobb-Vantress, as well as our new local partners in Ethiopia, Honduras and Nepal, is getting us one step closer to reaching that goal,” said Chris Ordway, OneEgg executive director. “Animal protein is essential for cognitive and physical development, especially in young kids. By getting more eggs to more kids, we’re setting up future generations and communities for a healthier, more prosperous future.”To help fulfill its commitment to bring more eggs to these countries, Cobb works together with parent company Tyson Foods, along with the American Egg Board, Egg Nutrition Center, Shyira Diocese of the Anglican Church, and Church of the Ascension in Arlington, Virginia.Since Cobb began working with OneEgg in 2008, 10 million eggs have nourished approximately 10,000 at-risk children around the world.

The Agri-business Division of La Coop fédérée, a leader in the farm inputs business in Canada, announces that today it will start operating under the brand Sollio Agriculture.

Masterfeeds, an Alltech company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Bodenham to the position of general manager for Ontario. They also thank and congratulate Peter Peacock on his retirement from the role, effective March 22, 2019.Bodenham joined Masterfeeds in 2013 after 26 successful years in monogastric sales and sales management. He has been instrumental in building and strengthening the Masterfeeds swine sales team in Ontario, as well as driving the development and introduction of the Vigor swine feeding programs. He is a graduate of the University of Guelph, where he received an associate diploma in agriculture and a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business.Peacock joined Masterfeeds in 2012 and assumed the general manager role for Ontario in 2013. He is retiring after a long and successful career in the Canadian feed industry.“With many years of feed industry experience in Ontario, Mark is well-equipped to assume this senior leadership role in our company,” said Rob Flack, president and CEO of Masterfeeds. “I thank Peter for his time and his dedication to growing our business and developing talent within our sales and management team, and I wish him the best in retirement.”

Chicken Farmers of Ontario (CFO) is pleased to announce the first recipient of the Ontario Chicken Innovation Award, co-applicants Grand River Foods and Maple Lodge Farms, who are collaborating to produce frozen, smoked chicken products using a proprietary process that is the first-of-its-kind in North America.“Congratulations to Grand River Foods and Maple Lodge Farms on being the inaugural recipients,” said R. Douglas Cunningham, chair of the Independent Advisory Committee that oversees CFO’s Ontario Chicken Innovation and Growth Program and was responsible for assessing applicants. “Their commitment to innovation is sure to put new chicken products on the plates of Canadian consumers for years to come.”Created in 2018 by CFO, the program is the first-of-its-kind in the chicken industry. It is open to primary processors, further processors, retailers, foodservice and restaurant companies involved in the processing, marketing and sale of chicken products. Companies that are not primary processors must include a primary processor as part of their application. Innovations must use chicken grown and fully processed in Ontario.In assessing applicants, the Independent Advisory Committee considered four factors: historic sales, projected future sales, the quality of the idea and economic value. An additional supply of live birds is directed to the successful applicant’s primary processor to enable the innovation.“This new, inline cooking approach allows chicken to be infused with a blend of smoke from untreated hardwoods through the cooking process and quickly frozen to lock in the flavours,” said Don Kilimnik, director of co-packing sales and special projects, Grand River Foods. “We’re thrilled to be able to further grow this product line with the additional supply of chicken.”“Our companies collaborate on many products and we are excited to be recognized,” added Fred Marques, chief operating officer, Maple Lodge Farms. “Chicken is already Canada’s favourite protein and we are confident that introducing new products like this will strengthen that position.”With the first year of the Ontario Chicken Innovation and Growth Program complete, the Independent Advisory Committee is reviewing the program and will open the next round of applications in the coming months.“We look forward to continuing to accelerate innovation in our industry and encourage all those involved in the processing, marketing and sale of chicken to consider applying,” said Ed Benjamins, chair of CFO.“By rewarding innovation, we can do more to put innovative chicken products on the plates of Canadian consumers and enhance economic activity in Ontario,” added Rob Dougans, CFO's president and CEO. “We look forward to seeing more successful applicants in the future.”For more information about the Program, visit www.chickeninnovation.ca.

While some cereals may be the breakfast of champions, a UBC professor suggests people with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) should be reaching for something else.Associate Professor Jonathan Little, who teaches in UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences, published a study this week demonstrating that a high-fat, low-carb breakfast can help those with T2D control blood sugar levels throughout the day.“The large blood sugar spike that follows breakfast is due to the combination of pronounced insulin resistance in the morning in people with T2D and because typical Western breakfast foods—cereal, oatmeal, toast and fruit—are high in carbohydrates,” says Little.Breakfast, he says, is consistently the 'problem' meal that leads to the largest blood sugar spikes for people with T2D. His research shows that eating a low-carb and high-fat meal first thing in the morning is a simple way to prevent this large spike, improve glycemic control throughout the day, and perhaps also reduce other diabetes complications.Study participants with well-controlled T2D completed two experimental feeding days. On one day they ate an omelette for breakfast, and on another day, they ate oatmeal and some fruit. An identical lunch and dinner were provided on both days. A continuous glucose monitor—a small device that attaches to your abdomen and measures glucose every five minutes—was used to measure blood sugar spikes across the entire day. Participants also reported ratings of hunger, fullness and a desire to eat something sweet or savoury.Little’s study determined that consuming a very low-carbohydrate high-fat breakfast completely prevented the blood sugar spike after breakfast and this had enough of an effect to lower overall glucose exposure and improve the stability of glucose readings for the next 24 hours.“We expected that limiting carbohydrates to less than 10 per cent at breakfast would help prevent the spike after this meal,” he says. “But we were a bit surprised that this had enough of an effect and that the overall glucose control and stability were improved. We know that large swings in blood sugar are damaging to our blood vessels, eyes and kidneys. The inclusion of a very low-carb high-fat breakfast meal in T2D patients may be a practical and easy way to target the large morning glucose spike and reduce associated complications.”He does note that there was no difference in blood sugar levels in both groups later in the day, suggesting that the effect for reducing overall post-meal glucose spikes can be attributed to the breakfast responses -- with no evidence that a low-carb breakfast worsened glucose responses to lunch or dinner.“The results of our study suggest potential benefits of altering macronutrient distribution throughout the day so that carbohydrates are restricted at breakfast with a balanced lunch and dinner rather than consuming an even distribution and moderate amount of carbohydrates throughout the day.”As another interesting aspect of the research, participants noted that pre-meal hunger and their cravings for sweet foods later in the day tended to be lower if they ate the low-carb breakfast. Little suggests this change in diet might be a healthy step for anybody, even those who are not living with diabetes.Little’s study was published this week in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The research is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar Award.

Currently, European Commission (EC) directives on the protection of chickens kept for meat and egg production allow beak trimming. However, some countries, like Austria, The Netherlands, Germany and most of Scandinavia, have banned the controversial practice outright. Others, like the United Kingdom, are working towards a ban, but not without debate. Across the continent, opinions and perspectives vary.

A new study provides further understanding into the tides of public opinion around Canadian food, how it's grown, and the relationship consumers want with farmers and those that process their food.Public Opinion: a study of Canadian conversations online about food and farming led by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI), uncovered how food, farming and a handful of hot button issues capture national interest in millions of natural conversations online. The issues Canadians are most engaged with include climate change and the links to food production, organic foods, and discussions on genetically modified organisms (GMOs)."This groundbreaking work captured and quantified actual discussion and real sentiment of over 254,900 Canadians talking about food and how it's grown," stated Crystal Mackay, CCFI President. "This kind of research is integral to truly addressing consumer demands and questions in an open and authentic manner."Key conversations Canadians were discussing online over the two-year period included: 8 million people were discussing cannabis 2.5 million climate change as it relates to food production 2.1 million genetically modified foods (GMOs) 2 million organic food and farming Surprisingly, for the most part, millennials and baby boomers were found to be similarly aligned in their views on food issues based on their online conversations. This is not the case in CCFI's more traditional quantitative research. The study also identified opportunities for players in the Canadian food system to join the millions of conversations online around key topics such as cost of food and climate change.The topics covered farm practices and food production in general, and specifically GMOs, hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides. As found in previous CCFI research, Canadians most commonly associated farmers with all the key topics studied; more so than any other food system stakeholders.The Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) study measured the discussions related to food and farming of 254,900 Canadians for 24 months on social media, from January 2017 to January 2019. The study assessed many social platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit using a proprietary artificial intelligence tool to analyze public social media, with no personalized data attached to the findings.View the more detailed report findings on this study and other CCFI studies related to Canadians' opinions on food and farming in French or English at www.foodintegrity.ca.

Water quality has never been more important.  The elixir of life, as water is known, gives farmers an early warning system for disease, and a delivery mechanism for medication and vaccines. Water is of such importance in any life that John F. Kennedy once said, “Anyone who can solve the water problems is worthy of two Nobel prizes- one for peace and one for science.”

The PeckStone has been sold in many countries around the world since 2013.

A group of Toronto scientists will soon attempt to develop a less-expensive way to grow lab-made meat after securing a grant from an American non-profit aiming to boost advances in cultured protein.Cellular agriculture has been touted as the future of food thanks to its smaller environmental footprint and consideration for animal welfare, but until recently much of the research has been done south of the border.Cultured food uses cell cultures to grow animal products like beef, eggs or milk in a laboratory without the need for livestock. Some companies have already made these kinds of products, but it's an expensive undertaking and no such items are readily available on store shelves yet.''This is our, my first foray into this kind of research,'' said Peter Stogios, a senior research associate at the University of Toronto and lead researcher on the winning project.He's trying to overcome what he sees as one of the biggest hurdles for the whole industry of cultured meat – an expensive component to what he likens to a broth needed to grow meat in a lab.The broth is composed of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and growth factors that are essential to sustain tissue culture. Those growth factors are very expensive, he said.''Can we create those protein molecules, those growth factors better, cheaper and actually make them more potent?'' he said.The four-person team will cast a wide net to look at growth factors from other species, like birds and fish, and attempt to mix those with cow cells. They hope to start the initial phase immediately and wrap it up within six months.If they discover an exotic growth factor or multiple that works really well, he said, the team will enter into an engineering phase where it will try to make them more potent. The second phase could take a year and a half.The Good Food Institute in Washington, D.C., awarded the team US$250,000 over two years to pursue the project in an announcement made earlier this month. It's one of 14 projects to receive the inaugural grant for plant-based and cell-based meat research and development, and the only cell-based project winner from Canada.The GFI was particularly excited with Stogios's proposal because it addresses the industry's cost issue and isn't just looking at lab-grown beef, but also possibilities for other proteins, like chicken, said Erin Rees Clayton, the scientific foundations liaison.Whatever advances Stogios and his team make will be published and widely available, hopefully eliminating repetitive research and development at cell-based meat companies, she said.''If Peter is able to create these, they'll be relevant to many different companies and they won't have to spend the time and resources to create those growth factors,'' she said.Neither she nor Stogios are aware of any other academic research in a similar vein, though it's possible a company in the industry is privately conducting similar research.Stogios said the current research is in the early stages, but depending on what he discovers, the third stage would be to enter into industrial agreements with companies to scale up.''I think it would be amazing,'' he said.Stogios, who admits he's new to the lab-grown meat field, isn't aware of much other research in the area being conducted in Canada.''We face this in everything in innovation in Canada,'' he said. ''Nobody has the answer to it.''He speculates there's a lack of venture capital funding to launch and then grow startups in Canada.New Harvest, a non-profit U.S. research organization that funds cellular agriculture research, was established in 2004 and was once headquartered in Toronto.''The relative lack of interest from consumers and researchers (and ultimately, donors) in Canada is one of the reasons why New Harvest moved its office from Toronto to New York City in 2015,'' said the organization's then communications director Erin Kim in an email in 2017.At the time, she said Canada was ''lagging well behind the U.S.,'' but considered it understandable due to the massive difference in the countries' population sizes. New Harvest declined to comment prior to publication on whether the situation has changed since.Some Canadian startups in this space have emerged. Vancouver-based Appleton Meats is working ''to engineer the perfect beef patty,'' according to its website, while Edmonton-based Future Fields is also working on cellular agriculture products.Rees Clayton said the innovation is no longer confined to the U.S. She's starting to see much more global interest in cellular agriculture.''Certainly we're seeing interest from Canadian researchers and entrepreneurs on both the plant-based side and cell-based meat side.''

If you relied on Canadian media and politicians alone, you might think topics like the economy and health care were what Canadians cared about most. You would be wrong. Canadians’ top priority is much more fundamental than that – before they can worry about hospital wait times or the cost to heat their homes this winter, they first and foremost need healthy, affordable food to eat and feed their families.

As the Canadian poultry industry continually improves bird welfare, it’s incorporating new research and technologies into transport and handling.

More than half the food produced in Canada is wasted and the average kitchen tosses out hundreds of dollars worth of edibles every year, says a study researchers are calling the first of its kind.

It’s long been standard industry practice to remove the tip of a bird’s beak in an effort to minimize the severity of cannibalism in poultry flocks. For at least the last decade, many Canadian hatcheries have primarily been using an infrared beak treatment. While research has been conducted on the impacts on adult hens, there has been little focus on how it affects young pullets.

How do you measure a chicken’s happiness? Is it in the way it runs for food? How much time it spends preening?To size up what might make chickens happy in their brief lives, researchers at the University of Guelph putting 16 breeds through physical fitness and behavioural tests. They’re watching how well birds scramble over a barrier for food, how skittish they seem and whether they play with a fake worm.Chickens can’t say how they feel, but playing with a fake worm may be a sign of happiness.For the full story, CLICK HERE.

Global animal health and nutrition company Alltech has launched a new poultry feed additive it says aids in optimizing gut form and function.Called Viligen, the company says it contains a range of new, scientifically-backed ingredients to support gastrointestinal tissue growth and activity.It blends fatty acids, prebiotics and essential trace elements, which Alltech’s researchers say combine to promote beneficial bacteria in the gut and support natural defenses.“This product supports growth, intestinal integrity and the bird’s own natural immune defenses,” said Dr. Kayla Price, Canadian poultry technical manager at Alltech.“We believe that this product may help poultry producers in Canada knowing that better intestinal health leads to improved performance.”Viligen is a part of the Alltech Gut Health Management program as well as the Alltech Antibiotic-Free and Alltech Antibiotic Reduction programs.

The Trudeau government is promising billions of dollars to compensate dairy, egg and poultry farmers hurt by Canada's recent free-trade agreements – industries concentrated in vote-rich Quebec and Ontario.The $3.65 billion the government is setting aside includes $2.15 billion to help farmers who lose income because of trade deals with Europe and countries on the Pacific Rim, both of which make it easier for foreign egg, dairy and poultry producers to enter the Canadian market.That is in addition to a $250-million, five-year fund established in 2016 to compensate dairy farmers for the European Union deal.The budget earmarks $1.5 billion for farmers who lose money when they sell their production rights in the supply-management system, which limits egg, poultry and dairy production in Canada. To gain the right to sell supply-managed products, farmers have to buy ''quota,'' often from existing producers who want to leave the industry.The system also limits foreign products by slapping steep tariffs on imports beyond a certain level, which raises their price at the grocery store and makes them less attractive to consumers. Allowing more foreign-produced food into the Canadian market will increase competition for products from Canadian farmers.''To ensure that Canada's dairy, poultry and egg farmers can continue to provide Canadians with high-quality products in a world of freer trade, we will make available an income protection program for supply-managed farmers, along with a measure to protect the value of quota investments these farmers have already made,'' Finance Minister Bill Morneau said in his prepared budget speech.The budget does not provide details on how or when the money will be distributed to farmers and producers, who have long railed against any move that would expand foreign involvement in those sectors.But the government appears to be hoping the promise of compensation will provide a salve to supply-managed farmers, many of whom are clumped in key ridings in Quebec and Ontario and angry that the deals have weakened their grip on the market.That could prove important for the Liberals, who will likely need a strong showing in the two provinces in this year's federal election to have a hope of retaining power.The budget also indicates more money could be forthcoming as the government works with industry ''to address the impacts on processing, as well as potential future impacts of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.''''The federal government recognizes the impact of trade agreements on our sector and is following through on its commitment to support our domestic dairy industry,'' said Pierre Lampron, president of the board of directors for the Dairy Farmers of Canada.''We also welcome the government's commitment to continue the dialogue on the future impact of CUSMA on our sector.''The North American deal, which will succeed NAFTA, has yet to be ratified and come into effect. That deal is the third free-trade agreement in which Canada agreed to open its supply-managed sectors, which emerged last year as a favourite target of U.S. President Donald Trump, particularly the dairy sector.Supply management has long been hotly debated in Canada.Proponents say the system keeps the market from getting saturated, which keeps prices stable and ensures steady incomes for farmers while protecting food safety, ensuring higher-quality products and eliminating the need for direct subsidies.Critics say it drives up the cost of dairy, eggs and chicken for consumers, which has a disproportionate impact on low-income families. The system has been a frequent target in – and barrier to – past free-trade negotiations.Successive federal governments for decades nonetheless resisted opening Canada to more tariff-free imports from other countries, in part because of the political implications.But when Stephen Harper was prime minister, the Conservatives opened the door to change when they agreed to ease restrictions on European cheese imports through the Canada-European Union trade deal, which was signed and came into force under the Trudeau Liberals.Ottawa then agreed, in the 11-country Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, to give participants more access to Canada's dairy, egg and poultry markets.

Meat consumption in North America is changing. Product developers and policy-makers need to understand the reasons for that change. 

It’s hard for some to believe that the meal kit sector is booming. It’s strange to think that people would buy a kit with all the ingredients for a meal (or have it delivered) and cook it when they could just buy the ingredients themselves for a substantially lower price.

Small poultry flocks are growing in popularity in Ontario. Many small flock owners have launched into raising their own meat and eggs without any previous farming skills or husbandry knowledge in how to best look after the birds in their care.

NSF International, a global public health and safety organization known for food safety and quality, launched new Global Animal Wellness Standards to address the full lifecycle of all key species and establish best practices for how animals are kept, raised and responsibly managed. The standards are the first of their kind in establishing a universal approach to animal health and wellness.

Happy New Year! As you’ll read in the pages ahead, we’re ringing in 2019 with an eye towards the future. This issue is focused on the research and innovations that will help shape the industry in the coming years.

Most Canadians celebrate innovation when it comes to their phones, cars and medical breakthroughs. Break out the party horns!

The federal government says it plans to spend $1.75 billion by March without having said what the money is for, though at least some of the cash is likely to go to farmers hurt by new trade deals.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau isn't ruling out the possibility that Canada will ratify its new North American trade deal with the United States and Mexico even if U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum exports are still in place.

Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, announced this week a new working group comprised of poultry and egg farmers and processors.

Canadian Bio-Systems Inc. (CBS Inc.) has launched the main phase rollout of its new Feed Science Platforms, offering a comprehensive portfolio of advanced bio-based feed technology solutions to benefit swine, poultry, aquaculture and ruminant production.

At a time when the North American feed industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation driven by new rules, heightened market expectations and groundbreaking technology advances, a growing number of major farming operations are opting to take charge of their futures by embracing a stronger direct role in feed production and feed additive innovation.