May 17, 2017, Ann Arbor, MI — Global public health organization NSF International has developed an independent certification protocol — Raised Without Antibiotics — to certify animal products have been raised without exposure to antibiotics.

The new certification protocol will help identify products that do not contribute to the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

NSF International’s Raised Without Antibiotics certification can be granted to a wide variety of animal products, including meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, eggs, leather and certain supplement ingredients.

The certification provides independent verification of on-package claims and is the only “raised without antibiotics” certification that covers all animal products.

“A growing number of consumers are concerned about the widespread development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the use of antibiotics in food production,” said Sarah Krol, Global Managing Director of Food Safety Product Certification, NSF International. “NSF International’s Raised Without Antibiotics certification gives consumers an easy way to identify and purchase animal products that have been raised without exposure to antibiotics, which may help alleviate their concerns.”

A 2016 survey conducted for NSF International found that 59 percent of consumers prefer products from animals raised without antibiotics. But, without an independent, transparent protocol and certification process, consumers have not been able to verify claims made by marketers – until now.

Betagro Group in Thailand, a large supplier of chicken to consumers in Asia and Europe, is the first company to earn NSF International’s Raised Without Antibiotics certification.

NSF International developed the Raised Without Antibiotics protocol in partnership with the food animal industry and veterinary stakeholders.

Under the program, animals cannot be certified if they have received antibiotics. The use of ionophore chemical coccidiostats, which are not considered contributors to antimicrobial resistance, may be permitted to prevent infections, depending on labeling regulations in the region of product sale.

The program also encourages preventive measures such as vaccination, alternative treatments, litter management techniques and appropriate stocking density to maintain the health and welfare of the animals.

If sick animals require antibiotics for treatment, they can receive veterinary care but must be removed from the Raised Without Antibiotics program.

Learn more about NSF International’s Raised Without Antibiotics certification.

Register for an informational webinar on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 from 9:30 to 10 a.m. U.S. Pacific Time.

April 25, 2017, Toronto, Ontario – A growing Muslim community in Canada has led to swelling sales of halal food, which has some grocers, manufacturers and eateries seeking ways to profit from the boom.

''It's a huge business. It's an $80-billion business around the world. In Canada, it's about $1 billion and it's growing ... by 10 to 15 per cent a year, which is quite significant. It's much more than other categories,'' says Sylvain Charlebois, a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Halal means permissible in Arabic and refers to foods that have been prepared according to Islamic law. Animals must not suffer when they're slaughtered and must not see another animal be killed. Pork and its byproducts and alcohol are among forbidden items not allowed in the making of halal foods.

While Canadians are increasingly seeing more halal products stocked by the big supermarket chains, the complexity of the supply chain has led to concerns about mislabelled food or fraud.

Contamination and traceability were motivating factors for the formation of the Halal Monitoring Authority of Canada, says chief operating officer Imam Omar Subedar.

A presentation on malpractices in the halal industry he attended in 2004 was eye-opening.

''What we were exposed to was really, really bad. There was just no ethics, no controls, no nothing. It was very sad.''

The HMA launched in 2006 with one certified chicken product. Now there are hundreds, with 30 inspectors in Ontario, three in Alberta, two in Quebec and a representative in B.C. There are plans to start operations in Saskatchewan.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency approved guidelines for halal products just last year.

''Halal unfortunately has been heavily abused and this is why CFIA has gotten involved, which is unprecedented. The government doesn't get involved in religion, but for halal they did because of the malpractices that had been going on,'' says Subedar.

Salima Jivraj, an on-the-go mom who founded Halal Food Festival Toronto in 2012 and runs the website Halalfoodie.ca, says the mainstream availability of halal products now means she can avoid multiple stops at independent shops during her weekly shopping trip.

''I want to go to a grocery store because I'm busy,'' she says. ''Retailers are noticing now – 'how can we hone in on this?'''

Sobeys Inc. launched the store Chalo FreshCo in 2015 in Brampton, Ont., with separate halal and non-halal meat counters and an assortment of rice, spices, lentils and snacks for South Asian customers.

Loblaw Companies Ltd. has launched its own halal brand, Sufra, and also sells other brands of halal chicken, beef, lamb, yogurt, turkey and gummy candies.

Jivraj suggests a lot of Muslims unknowingly eat non-halal products.

''Immigrants come to the country and they might not necessarily know that they have to look out for halal. Coming from countries that are 100 per cent halal, it might be a new concept for them,'' says Jivraj.

Reading labels doesn't always tell the entire story. Candies, yogurt, jellies, baked goods and pharmaceutical products may contain gelatin, which can be derived from pork. Animal shortening such as lard and brewer's yeast are not halal. Vanilla extract flavouring contains alcohol.

''There's going to be more and more demand being driven for things like bakeries, confectionery, dairy including cheeses because a lot of animal byproducts are found in all sorts of categories in grocery and the consumers are realizing this as well and they're being more vigilant in the products that they buy,'' says Jivraj.

Meanwhile, big fast-food chains like Pizza Pizza, KFC, Popeyes and Nandos have added halal options to their menus, while The Halal Guys, a fast-casual franchise that started as a food cart in Manhattan with huge lineups, is opening a Toronto location on May 5.

''If there is more food offered to consumers they will buy more essentially,'' says Charlebois of the rise in halal offerings.

March 24, 2017, Lexington, KY – ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, being held May 21 to 24 in Lexington, Ky., is certain to inspire and motivate producers and agribusiness leaders, but more importantly, it will prepare them for the future.

The three-day conference will bring together industry experts from across the globe to share insights and solutions to today’s most pressing issues within agriculture.

To provide an opportunity for every corner of production agriculture to engage in disruption, ONE17 will include various tracks, including a focus session specifically dedicated to poultry production. From topics covering in ovo techniques and the use of CRISPR/Cas9 genome modification to the effects of backyard farming and consumer meat preferences, ONE17 will give poultry producers real-life solutions.

“We believe it’s important for everyone involved in agriculture to be inspired to harness disruption,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech. “For poultry producers, however, we understand that innovation must be practical and profitable. Our poultry focus session will facilitate open discussions about what’s ahead for the poultry industry and will drive the disruptive thinking that could determine long-term success.”

ONE17 poultry focus sessions include:

• In Ovo: Counting your chickens before they hatch? Could in ovo techniques be the next disruption in the poultry industry, and what benefits could they deliver to the consumer?
• Chickens by Design: What implications does CRISPR/Cas9 have for the world’s preferred protein?
• Slow-Grown Disruption: Is the slow-growth movement a disruption? Is it sustainable?
• Chickens and Eggs: Two growing markets have emerged: backyard farming and large-scale consolidation. What are the opportunities?
• Disruption in Washington: What can we expect from the new leadership landscape? How could the food chain and global trade be disrupted?
• The Biologist’s Toolbox: Precise gene editing technologies are the newest tool in the biologist’s toolbox, but are we pushing ethical limits? 

For more information on the ONE17 poultry focus session, visit one.alltech.com/poultry.

February 9, 2017 – The global poultry probiotics market size was estimated at over $750 million (US) in 2015 and is likely to be valued at $1.2 billion (US) by 2023, according to Global Market Insights.

The global probiotic ingredients market size is likely to cross $46 billion (US) by 2020.

North America, especially the U.S. probiotics market for poultry, is likely to grow at steady rates owing to increase in meat consumption, particularly chicken. Europe is also likely to grow at steady rates owing to ban on antibiotic feed supplements. Asia Pacific probiotics market is likely to grow owing to increase in awareness of benefits in meat production.

Globally, antibiotics are used to prevent poultry diseases and pathogens required for improving egg and meat production. Dietary antibiotics used in poultry applications have encountered some problems such as drug residues in bird bodies, drug resistant bacteria development, and microflora imbalance. Increasing application in poultry market is likely to counter the aforementioned factors and promote demand over the forecast period.

Probiotic species belonging to Bacillus, Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Bifidobacterium, Candida, Saccharomyces and Aspergillus are used in poultry applications and are expected to have beneficial effects on broiler performance.

Poultry feed accounts for almost 70 per cent of the total production cost and, therefore, it is necessary to improve feed efficiency with minimum cost. In the poultry industry, chicks are subjected to microflora environment and may get infected. Broiler chickens can also succumb to stress owing to production pressure. Under such a scenario, synthetic antimicrobial agents and antibiotics are used to alleviate stress and improve feed efficiency. However, antibiotics in poultry applications are becoming undesirable owing to residues in meat products and development of antibiotic resistant properties.

Europe has banned use of antibiotics as a growth-promoting agent in poultry application owing to several negative effects. These aforementioned factors are expected to drive probiotics demand in the poultry market. Antibiotics failure to treat human diseases effectively has led the European Union (EU) to ban low doses of antibiotics in animal feed. This factor has also led the U.S. government officials to restrict antibiotics use in animal feed.

Poultry probiotics products are available in the form of power and liquid feed supplements. Commercial products in the market may be comprised of a single strain of bacteria or single strain of yeast or a mixture of both. Chicks/broilers/layers require a dose of around 0.5 kg per ton of feed whereas breeders require close to 1 kg per ton of feed.

The global probiotics market share is fragmented with the top five companies catering to more than 35 per cent of the total demand. Major companies include Danone, Yakult, Nestle and Chr Hansen. Other prominent manufacturers include Danisco, BioGaia, Arla Foods, General Mills, Bilogics AB, DuPont, DSM and ConAgra.

Jan. 25, 2017 - 4-H Canada and Syngenta Canada are pleased to announce the national winners of the Proud to Bee a 4-H’er video contest. 4-H’ers from across Canada were asked to create a short video, either as a club or as individuals, demonstrating their pride in being a part of the 4-H program and reflecting the wide variety of Canadian 4-H clubs, projects, communities and age groups.

The videos submitted during the contest entry period in November—coinciding with National 4-H Month—highlighted the common values and central experience of 4-H in building responsible, caring and contributing young leaders, and the sense of pride and accomplishment they all feel as 4-H’ers.
 
“Congratulations to all of the winning 4-H clubs and 4-H members who did such a wonderful job of showing their enthusiasm and excitement for 4-H in their videos, making this contest a great success,” said Shannon Benner, CEO of 4-H Canada.  “Thanks to Syngenta and the Proud to Bee a 4-H’er initiative, 4-H youth across Canada have had incredible opportunities to grow their knowledge of the important work of pollinators and show leadership in their communities by supporting the creation of pollinator-friendly habitats.”   
 
Approximately 3,800 votes were cast during the online public voting period. The winning entry received a GoPro HERO5 camera. The first and second runner-up entries each received an Apple iPad mini 2 and the remaining top ten entries received a selfie stick. Each of the top ten entries also received 4-H Canada branded items to continue displaying their 4-H pride in their communities.
 
Proud to Bee a 4-H’er – Winning Video Entries

• 1st place - The Pas Helping Hands  / 4-H Manitoba
• 2nd place - Aidan Tully / 4-H Manitoba
• 3rd place - Colton Skori / 4-H Alberta
• 4th place - Comox Valley 4-H Calf Club / 4-H British Columbia
• 5th place - Boots N Bridles 4-H Club / 4-H British Columbia
• 6th place - Irishtown 4-H Club / 4-H New Brunswick
• 7th place - Caroline Carpenter / 4-H New Brunswick
• 8th place - 4-W 4-H Club / 4-H Alberta
• 9th place - Hillmond 4-H Beef Club / 4-H Saskatchewan
• 10th place - Jocelyn Kerr / 4-H British Columbia

This fun and engaging video contest wrapped up the third year of Proud to Bee a 4-H’er, a national initiative encouraging 4-H club members to learn about the amazing world of bees and other pollinators, which includes planting and tending pollinator-friendly gardens in their communities.
 
Since 2014, close to 100,000 seed packets have been distributed across Canada, through the generous support of Syngenta, giving 4-H’ers and others the opportunity to create pollinator-friendly habitats and to enjoy the outdoors.
“The addition of the Proud to Bee a 4-H’er video contest in 2016 was a fun and fitting way to cap off a successful year of activities that saw more than 120 4-H Canada clubs from coast-to-coast-to-coast support the important work of pollinators. The enthusiasm that 4-H’ers brought to their Proud to Bee a 4-H’er activities was on full display in their video submissions,” says Dr. Paul Hoekstra, Stewardship and Policy Manager with Syngenta Canada.
 
Syngenta support for Proud to Bee a 4-H’er is through its Operation Pollinator program, which is focused on research and other initiatives that contribute to enhanced biodiversity and habitat in support of healthy pollinator populations.
 
To watch the winning videos, please visit www.youtube.com/4HCanada.

Donald Shaver has been retired from poultry breeding since 1986, but this hasn’t diminished his passion for feeding a hungry world and promoting his vision for accomplishing it.

Shaver recently gave a keynote presentation to the 11th International Symposium on Avian Endocrinology, held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Entitled “Mandating a sustainable economy before it’s too late”, the presentation dealt with a number of current issues critical to, in Shaver’s view, the future of humanity, as we know it.

For sustainable development, he used the United Nations 1987 definition that it “is attained when current generations could meet their needs without undermining or destroying future generations’ chances of having their needs met”.

Of course, much has changed since 1987, especially recognition of the twin challenges of climate change and the associated problem of finite water resources.

“There isn’t an alternative presently known to man that will safeguard the well-being of our grandchildren, short of immediate, co-ordinated reductions in CO2 emissions to levels that will assure human survival,” Shaver said, with regard to global warming and CO2 emissions.  “The economics of the so-called market place alone, will not be able to accomplish this, for it is a truly Churchillian undertaking.”   The consequences of existing climate change in terms of loss of ice cover and rising sea levels, increasingly volatile weather phenomena, etc. are well known.

Many of these factors are already influencing the world’s food supply.  But it is not just climate change that is affecting food security.  Shaver quoted Mahatma Gandhi (who died in 1948) as saying that “the earth provides enough for everyone’s needs, but not for everyone’s greed”.   The West’s model for food production, Shaver stated, will fail to feed the world if adapted globally, because it destroys resources and many of the traditional farmers whose knowledge is so essential to future food security.

One of the main thrusts of the presentation was the need for governments to restore the priority of food production and agriculture in the scientific world. Apart from those involved in space or defense programs, scientists’ funding is unreliable and short term. The need for worldwide food security is paramount.  And the industrial systems now operating in the West are not only largely unsustainable in their present form, they are unsuited for exporting to Africa and other less-developed food systems. This is particularly so for animal systems which, except for ruminants, compete with the human population for food resources.

Effects of climate change
Climate change is already reducing crop yields.  Research has shown that, while corn yields in France rose by 60 per cent between 1960 and 2000 (the green revolution), they were flat for the next decade. They are predicted to fall by 12 per cent over the next twenty years.  Wheat and soya yields showed a similar pattern and are expected to fall by up to 20 per cent. In the U.S. Midwest, higher temperatures are expected to lower crop yields by up to 63 per cent by the end of this century.  Similar reductions may be expected in the Canadian prairies, and, as the world’s sixth largest agricultural economy, this can be predicted to significantly affect the world’s food supply.

The inequity in food distribution is well known.  Obesity is rampant in the West, and yet many economies are characterized by widespread malnutrition. Shaver stated, “Nor do the industrialized countries recognize that, for their own future security, they must commit to helping find an enduring solution to the chronic food shortages present in too many disadvantaged areas. Some of us are beginning to think that terrorism is not entirely based on religious differences.”

Shaver also made reference to the inequalities in income and spending power between the “one per cent” and the rest of society. In the past half-century, taxation has favoured the rich in many countries, particularly the U.S.

Finding workable solutions
“If we are to build a more sustainable economic system, we must legislate a less reckless financial sector,” he said.  “Neo-liberal capitalism may create wealth, but no attempt is made to distribute this wealth with any degree of fairness, much less honesty. We have apparently accepted a “CEO mythology” replete with excessive salary, bonuses. Even in Great Britain, CEO’s from the top 100 companies enjoyed a 10 per cent salary increase in 2015 and are now paid 129 times more than their employees. Research has shown that since 2008, 91 per cent of all financial gains in the U.S. went to the “one per cent”, and they are basically not spending the money, while many of the other 99 per cent spend all their money just to get by.  This weakens demand and suppresses growth.”

While admitting that Canada, on its own, can do little to alter the world’s CO2 levels, we have nothing to lose by establishing a sustainable food system. Shaver proposed the establishment of a “senior cabinet post, second only to the prime minister, responsible for sustainable economic development and the sciences. Shaver envisions that this person would firmly direct our national scientific activity with respect to sustainability, eliminating duplication and managing the function of bureaucracy in areas where it lacks expertise. Furthermore, he would require the creation of a sustainability commission, chaired by the chief scientist; a non-partisan group, with long-term goals. It would not only create plans for Canadian sustainability, but also liaise with similar bodies in
other countries.

Shaver sees this commission initially providing the prime minister with three 10-year plans, reviewed and if necessary updated as circumstances change. The rewards envisaged would accrue to the scientists involved with the various projects and would be a serious incentive for long-term scientific endeavour.  In many cases, the challenges we face can be solved with existing knowledge. What is needed is the will to recognize and prioritize the need for action in the field of sustainability.

In conclusion, Shaver said that “the future human reality will be centred less on technology and industrial might than on food and water security for all mankind.  An Eastern philosopher observed that knowing the facts is easy; knowing how to act based on the facts is difficult!”

Dec. 12, 2016 - There appears to be a growing interest in agriculture education in Canada, along with an increasing number of job opportunities in the industry, according to Statistics Canada (StatsCan) data and a couple of independent surveys.

StatsCan data reveals there were a total of 12,168 students studying in agriculture or an ag-related program in 2014, which is a 2.7 per cent increase from the previous year and a 16.6 per cent overall increase from 2009-10.

The number of enrollments in agricultural programs grew at a rate double of all post-secondary enrollments (2.7 per cent and 1.2 per cent, respectively), while slowing down at about the same level as all other post-secondary programs over the past five years.

Agriculture programs are also more likely to see full-time enrollment than other programs (87 per cent compared to 75 per cent, respectively) and this rate has been steady over the past five years.

A recent informal Farm Credit Canada (FCC) survey of 33 post-secondary institutions offering agriculture and ag-related programs confirms agriculture has become a popular career option, especially over the past five years as the industry has grown.

“This is a testament to the strength and appeal of Canada’s agriculture industry, which is generating more interest among students than ever before,” Todd Klink, FCC’s chief marketing officer, who has undertaken projects to get high schools students interested in careers in agriculture says. “As the industry grows, so does the need for additional talented, energetic and well-educated young people.”

The need to attract skilled and educated young people to Canada’s agriculture industry is highlighted in a recent study by Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC).

Agriculture 2025: How the Sector’s Labour Challenges Will Shape its Future shows the gap between labour demand and the domestic workforce in agriculture has doubled from 30,000 to 59,000 in the past 10 years and projections indicate that by 2025, the Canadian agri-workforce could be short workers for 114,000 jobs. The study also reveals that primary agriculture has the highest industry job vacancy rate at seven per cent.

“The sustainability and future growth of Canada’s agriculture and agri-food industry is at risk,” Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst, CAHRC executive director, explains in releasing the study. “It is critically important that this risk is acknowledged and mitigated in an intentional and strategic way.”

FCC says it is committed to helping young people enter the industry by offering various loan products for young farmers and through its long-standing support for 4-H Canada clubs and programs and Agriculture in the Classroom.

“Given that one in eight jobs in Canada are tied to the agri-food industry, there are a lot of opportunities for young people,” Klink says. “The growing interest in agriculture education shows we can be optimistic for the future of agriculture.”

Dec. 6, 2016 - The National Plant and Animal Health Planning Forum in Ottawa is hosting representatives from across federal and provincial governments, industry and academia, to identify and discuss the actions needed to strengthen the protection of plant and animal health in Canada.

The objective of the Forum is to build a national strategy for plant and animal health which will be built on a vision shared by all participating partners. It will focus on strengthening Canada's agriculture sector through innovation, collaboration, and risk prevention.

"This forum presents a unique opportunity to identify and discuss the actions that we need to take together to develop a national plant and animal health strategy," Lawrence MacAulay, minister of agriculture and agri-food says. "We need to work together, build on our successes, learn from our challenges and take a greater proactive, integrated and preventive approach to protecting Canadian agriculture."

"A national integrated plant and animal health strategy developed with industry leadership, and in full collaboration with provincial and federal governments, is a significant step forward not only for stakeholders, but for Canadians and their communities, increasing their trust in Canadian agriculture," adds Phil Boyd, executive director of Turkey Farmers of Canada.

A draft strategy will be available in the new year for public consultation. Learn more about the Plant and Animal Health Strategy, and share your ideas on strengthening plant and animal health today.

Representatives from all 10 provinces and over 50 industry associations are participating in the National Plant and Animal Health Planning Forum. Federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers endorsed the development of a national strategy for plant and animal health in summer 2016 and will receive the draft strategy at their annual meeting in July 2017.

November 21, 2016 - The gap between labour demand and the domestic workforce in agriculture has doubled from 30,000 to 59,000 in the past 10 years and projections indicate that by 2025, the Canadian agri-workforce could be short workers for 114,000 jobs. This is a key finding of newly released "Agriculture 2025: How the sector’s labour challenges will shape its future research" by the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC). The LMI research also revealed that primary agriculture has the highest industry job vacancy rate at seven per cent.
 
“The sustainability and future growth of Canada’s agriculture and agri-food industry is at risk,” explains Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst, CAHRC executive director. “It is critically important that this risk is acknowledged and mitigated in an intentional and strategic way. “
 
The agriculture industry has been encouraging young people and workers from other sectors to get into agriculture as a career. Despite extensive efforts gaps still exist and there still will be a large void in the future.
 
Labour shortages create risks to farmers who can only hope they will have the same or greater access to both domestic and foreign workers in the future as they do now. The LMI study examined only primary production; agri-food industries such as food and beverage processors or input suppliers, which have additional labour demands, were not considered in the research.
 
The research indicates that the worker shortage is critical today and will be even more so 10 years from now, with potentially serious consequences for business viability, industry sustainability and future growth.  Access to less labour for Canadian farmers now and into the future will affect food security for Canadian consumers and will also affect export potential of Canada’s entire agri-food industry.
 
To address the labour issues identified in the research, CAHRC, with the help of the Canadian government, has developed agriculture-specific human resource (HR) tools designed to support modern farm operations to manage their workforce. CAHRC offers Agri Skills, online and in-person training programs, and the Agri HR Toolkit – an online resource guide and templates to address the HR needs of any business. For agricultural organizations there are customized labour issues briefings that apply the new research to specific commodities and provinces, to explore the labour implications within their specific area. For more information on these and other CAHRC offerings visit cahrc-ccrha.ca.
 
The Agriculture 2025: How the Sector’s Labour Challenges Will Shape its Future research can be downloaded at http://www.cahrc-ccrha.ca/agriLMI.ca and was validated through industry consultations conducted Canada-wide including: 1034 surveys of employers, workers and industry stakeholders; 80 phone interviews; six focus groups for a total of more than 100 participants; and seven webinars focused on specific commodity groups with 100 participants in total.
 
The LMI research was funded in part by the federal Sectoral Initiatives Program.

August 11, 2016 - A new course being taught this fall at the University of Ottawa is an indication that attitudes toward animal rights are changing, say activists, a trend that one Liberal MP hopes will pave the way for his private member`s bill in Parliament. 

The course, called Animals and the Law, will be offered to students at the university's francophone faculty of civil law and will examine the most current legislation on animal rights, such as a recent Quebec bill that granted animals the status of sentient beings. 

While many older Canadians are skeptical about furthering the rights of animals under the law, younger people have embraced a trend towards greater protections of both animals and the environment, says graduate student and course co-teacher Justine Perron. 

“It's part of the new generation's way of thinking,'' said Perron. 

“We need to know the next generation can live here and it's not only about us,'' she said. 

Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith is hoping that attitudinal change translates into support of his bill, the Modernizing Animal Protections Act. 

The proposed law aims to ban the import of dog and cat fur as well as the practice of shark-finning and the use of live animals in target shooting. 

It also contains increased fines for illegal dog-fighting. 

“It's the evolution of ideas,'' said Erskine-Smith. 

“I think there will continue to be a greater push for protection for animals and recognition that animals should be treated in a humane way.'' 

Bill C-246 is expected to come up for a second reading vote in the House of Commons late next month, but like most private member`s bills, it faces an uphill battle. 

Private member`s bills rarely become law and Erskine-Smith's is just the latest in a string of legislation designed to toughen protections against animal abuse. 

It has already faced sharp criticism from hunting and fishing organizations concerned about how the provisions would affect their industries. 

The Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association has warned the legislation, as written, could leave anglers at risk of jail time or hefty fines for simply baiting a hook. 

Manitoba Conservative MP Robert Sopuck, who has seen over half a dozen iterations of animal rights legislation introduced and rejected, has referred to Bill C-246 as a “Trojan horse'' masking an agenda aimed at eliminating all animal-use. 

But the bill is not intended to change how hunters hunt or farmers farm, nor to change how people use animals, said Erskine-Smith. 

Its aim, he said, is to protect animals from negligence, abuse and cruelty under one part of the Criminal Code. 

“Hunting and fishing are accepted activities in our society,'' he said. 

“And it's not up to us as lawmakers to impose legislation upon Canadians that would change those things.'' 

It is education - not laws that prohibit certain conduct - that will ultimately change society, said the 32-year-old Toronto-area MP. 

Animal welfare studies have ballooned in recent years as part of a trend toward enacting better protections for the environment at large. 

Animal law is now being taught at post-secondary institutions across Canada and in more than 100 law schools in the United States, including Harvard, Columbia and New York University. 

And while the University of Ottawa's common law faculty has taught a course on laws affecting animals since 2012, the new civil law course will see students choose their own research topics and present a paper to their classmates at the end of the semester, Perron explained. 

Through their research and findings, “the students will teach the other ones a part of animal law'' that hasn't necessarily been analyzed before, said Perron. 

“It's essential that future lawyers know the legal protections that animals have and realize how much work still needs to be done in animal law.'' 

News from © Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. 2016

July 8, 2016 - The federal government is proposing new rules for veterinary drugs used in livestock as it works to reduce human health risks associated with resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobials. 

Health Canada says the decreasing effectiveness of antimicrobials is having a significant impact on the government's ability to protect Canadians from infectious diseases.

The overall objective of the proposal is to limit risks to human health by reducing the likelihood of resistance to antimicrobials in humans as a result of the use of antimicrobials for veterinary purposes.

More specifically, the proposed regulatory amendments are intended to

• require veterinary APIs imported or sold in Canada to be manufactured in accordance with GMPs;
• require persons who fabricate, package/label, import or test an API for veterinary use to do so in accordance with an EL;
• restrict the own use importation of certain unauthorized drugs (including APIs);
• require manufacturers and importers to provide sales volume information by species for veterinary antimicrobials; and
• introduce an alternative, more appropriate pathway for manufacturers to legally import and sell low-risk VHPs.

The full proposal can be found here. 

June 19, 2016 - Health Canada is starting a 75-day consultation over a proposal to allow the irradiation of fresh and frozen ground beef as  a food safety measure.

Industry groups have sought irradiation for more than a decade as a way to prevent the spread of E. coli, salmonella and other dangerous bacteria, but the measure has run into negative public reaction. 



Health Canada says it has done a thorough safety review and says irradiated beef is safe to eat and maintains its food value, taste, texture and appearance. 

Irradiation is already approved in Canada to treat potatoes, onions, wheat, flour, whole or ground spices and dehydrated seasoning preparations; irradiated products are also required to be labelled as such. 



The 75-day consultation period will seek comment from the public  and stakeholders. 

Health Canada says irradiation is an optional tool meant to complement, not replace, existing food safety processing standards and practices, such as appropriate handling, sanitation and storage.

News from © Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. 2016

For some, the internet is a mysterious place where it seems impossible to know who to reach or how to reach them. It boils down to a guessing game, a bit like throwing darts blindfolded.

But if you’re not reaching the right audiences — particularly as more consumers rely on online sources for information about food — your efforts may be falling flat.

The internet has obliterated the traditional model of mass communication, where only a few push information to us. Now, masses of communicators generate masses of information and ordinary people can have extraordinary influence online.

With no clear direction, communicators in food and agriculture often attempt to reach as many consumers as they can. The more, the better, right?

Not so, especially when resources like time, staffing and budgets are limited, and in a digital environment where getting your information into the hands of the right people can have a big impact.

Make your hard work pay off by reaching the right people — the influencers who not only are content finders, but content generators and sharers. That’s how you amplify your message and move the needle.

Food tribes
The Center for Food Integrity (CFI), through extensive research on consumer food system attitudes, has identified eight food tribes — providing a framework for engaging influential groups of consumers in a manner that’s most meaningful to them.

The research was conducted as part of our 2015 study on building trust through transparency — research that utilized focus groups, online qualitative surveys and a robust quantitative study of more than 2,000 U.S. consumers.

We not only identified the tribes that are important to the food system but also the tribe leaders — the Early Adopters who drive the conversations, lead trends and influence the direction consumers want to see the food system head. No need to reach the entire tribe when you can find just a handful of influencers.

Understanding each tribe, from Delightful Indulgers™ and Cynical Skeptic™ to Cost Consumed™ and Socially Sensitive™, helps us provide the information they’re looking for when it comes to the food system and food in general.

The research shows that three of the tribes deserve special attention when it comes to building trust:

Mindful masters

• Most common sources of information: websites, Google, friends not online (rank order)
• Level of concern with all issues is significantly higher than other segments
• More than two-thirds are Early Adopters who are likely to actively seek information, generate unique content, share it and drive conversations

System satisfied

• Most common sources of information: websites, Google, family not online (rank order)
• Level of concern with all issues is significantly higher than most other segments
• More than half identify as Early Adopters who are less likely to generate content but will read and share it

Cost consumed

• Most common sources of information: friends not online, websites, family not online (rank order)
• Level of concern with all issues is significantly higher than most other segments
• More than half classify as Early Adopters who are likely to read content, but not as likely to share far and wide unless it’s with immediate family and friends online

These three tribes represent a significant portion of the population and, most importantly, CFI research confirms that increasing transparency builds their trust.

Following a recent food topic blogger tour coordinated by CFI, 13 bloggers who were carefully selected based on their “tribal” influence wrote about their tour experience. They were given no parameters as to what to write — if anything.

But the bloggers did write. Their reviews were positive and their stories were shared with a combined 940,000 followers, which resulted in 1.3 million immediate impressions. There’s no doubt that many of those reached were content sharers as well, amplifying the reach exponentially. So, in a relative blink of an eye, reaching 13 translated to reaching a million or more. That’s the power of finding the right tribe leaders.

The food tribes are featured in our 2015 research, “A Clear View of Transparency and How it Builds Trust,” which is available for download: http://www.foodintegrity.org/research/consumer-trust-research/current-research/download-current-research-2/.

March 22, 2016 - As stewards of the land and caretakers of animals, Ontario pork producers have long understood the importance of adopting sound environmental and social practices to grow their business. Striving to meet the evolving needs of the marketplace, they continue to challenge themselves to further enhance their commitment to sustainable farming.

With the release of its inaugural Social Responsibility Report, Ontario Pork has taken an important step in addressing the growing expectations of consumers, retailers and policymakers in areas that measure economic, environmental, social and governance performance.

"We are proud to be the first livestock group in the province to commit to setting benchmarks that will allow us to monitor the improvements of the sector over time," said Amy Cronin, Chair of Ontario Pork. "There is great appetite from a wide range of audiences to learn more about what we do and we needed to tell the stories that shape our industry in a way that was meaningful and transparent. Our members have embraced this process and they are invested in leaving a positive legacy for future generations."

Based on internationally recognized methodologies and standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture systems (SAFA) guidelines, the social responsibility approach of Ontario Pork is based on six dimensions:

• Farm Management
• Economic Performance
• Environmental Stewardship
• Animal Care and Food Safety
• Relationships with the Community
• Workers' Well-Being

"I am very encouraged by Ontario Pork's leadership in strengthening the industry through sound environmental and social responsibility practices, and look forward to following the program's progress," said Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. "Ontario's pork industry is a key partner as we continue to work toward our goal of creating 120,000 new jobs and doubling the agri-food sector's annual growth rate by 2020."

As a major contributor to the province's economic growth, Ontario Pork is engaging the entire sector in its social responsibility journey through a set of commitments to be achieved over the next three years.

The organization is focused on bringing greater awareness about social responsibility through teaching tools and training resources, while consistently assessing new trends and best practices.

"We commend Ontario Pork for leading the way in making the industry – one which abides by strict on-farm regulations and produces some of the highest quality pork in the world – even more accountable," said Jeff Leal, Ontario Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister.

One of the highlights of the report was the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) that was carried out to measure the carbon and water footprint of pork production in Ontario. The results, which show that Ontario is on par with the continental average and compares favourably to the world average, provide a baseline to benchmark current practices and impacts, and identify opportunities for progress on climate and water challenges.

"Few people are more dependent on soil and water than farmers," added Cronin. "Preserving ecosystems and minimizing negative environmental impacts of on-farm activities are part of a pork producer's DNA. By measuring progress towards specific targets and goals, our industry is showing its ongoing commitment to being best in class and building strong relationships throughout the entire value chain."

For retailers such as Loblaw, who has been at the forefront within the agri-food industry in adopting sustainability strategies and responsible procurement practices, the path taken by Ontario Pork sets an important example that should inspire others to follow.

"Loblaw's commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility is ingrained in the way we do business, including ensuring the products in our stores are sourced responsibly and with integrity," said Brad Porter, Vice President, Meat/Seafood, Produce & Floral, Loblaw Companies Ltd. "What Ontario Pork is trying to achieve aligns with these priorities. We applaud their efforts and look forward to them working together with the other provinces to expand this program nationally."

To view the full Social Responsibility Report and get more details about the data and methodology, visit Ontario Pork website at www.ontariopork.on.ca