June 23, 2017, Indiana - The cage-free revolution has been driven by consumers, many of whom think the change is better for chickens (though many also may believe eggs from uncaged hens are better quality).

Animal protection groups argue it definitely is: Birds that are not confined to small wire cages can at least spread their wings and engage in natural behaviors like dust-bathing and perching, even if they never see the light of day.

But egg producers and researchers caution that the switch is not as simple as just opening those cage doors — and that mobility brings with it a new set of concerns for chickens’ welfare that most farmers have never confronted.

A major 2015 study of three different hen-housing systems found that mortality was highest among birds in cage-free aviaries and that they also had more keel bone problems. READ MORE 

June 22, U.S. – Tyson Foods Inc. will test a new way to render chickens unconscious before slaughter, the company said, in the latest sign that heightened concerns about animal welfare are affecting U.S. meat processors.

Within the next year, Tyson, the biggest U.S. chicken company, will launch a pilot program at two processing plants to use gas instead of electricity to stun birds before they are killed.

Poultry companies render birds unconscious prior to slaughter so they do not feel pain and have increasingly explored gas as a potentially more humane option. Consumers and some restaurants have also called for more humane practices.

Tyson's program "is a very significant step forward for us in understanding if this is scalable," Justin Whitmore, chief sustainability officer, said in an interview.

The project is part of a broader shift in production practices in the U.S. poultry industry, in which companies have also backed away from antibiotics due to health concerns. Such changes generally increase production costs.

Tyson also announced a new video monitoring system to ensure live chickens are handled properly, after saying last year that it had not done enough to stop the mistreatment of animals.

Whitmore declined to discuss costs of Tyson's gas stunning project.

In January, U.S. chicken processor Pilgrim's Pride Corp touted GNP Company's use of gas stunning when it paid $350 million to buy the smaller rival.

In GNP's system, birds were lowered into a sealed tunnel in specially designed modules where the amount of carbon dioxide gradually rose to 70 percent from 5 percent, according to the company. In minutes, the birds passed out as carbon dioxide displaced oxygen in the air.

With gas stunning, chickens are unconscious when they are shackled for slaughter. Some companies view this as more humane than stunning them afterward with electricity.

Perdue Farms, another rival, is retrofitting a Delaware plant to stun chickens with gas, instead of electricity, and expects it to be operational by year's end, spokeswoman Andrea Staub said. The company has a goal to eventually use the method at all processing facilities.

Panera Bread Co, food service company Sodexo and Hormel Foods Corp's Applegate brand have each said they want to buy chicken from U.S. birds rendered unconscious by a multi-step gas stunning process by 2024.

McDonald's Corp is evaluating the method, spokeswoman Becca Hary said, after failing in 2009 to find conclusive evidence that it was better for birds.

June 16, 2017, Montreal, QC - Compensating farmers who paid for production quotas with the revenue from a temporary tax would allow the government to abolish supply management in the dairy, poultry, and egg sectors, shows a Viewpoint published by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI).

Such a measure would be positive both for farmers and for Canadian consumers. "If the government decided to compensate farmers for the value of their quotas over a period of ten years, it would have to offer them annual payments of $1.6 billion. Yet the net benefit for consumers would be from $3.9 billion to $5.1 billion each year, and up to $6.7 billion once the reimbursement period is over," explains Alexandre Moreau, Public Policy Analyst at the MEI and co-author of the publication.

For example, Canadians could pay $2.31 for a two-litre carton of milk following liberalization, instead of the current price of $4.93, he adds.

The accounting value of the quotas, estimated at $13 billion by the MEI, is on average equal to 38% of their current market value, which comes to a little over $34 billion.

Compensation would vary from one farmer to another in order to avoid providing excessive compensation to farmers who bought their quotas at a fraction of the current price, or received them free of charge, while being fair to those who acquired quotas recently at a higher cost.

If Ottawa decided to liberalize supply-managed sectors, a temporary tax should serve to finance the compensation paid to farmers. This tax would disappear once the compensation was paid in full.

"Such a policy was used successfully in Australia when that country eliminated its own supply management system," explains Vincent Geloso, Associate Researcher at the MEI and co-author of the publication. "The compensation offered to producers was financed by a transitory tax equal to half of the expected consumer price decline. Consumers were therefore immediately able to enjoy price reductions while farmers received payments to compensate them for their losses of revenue. The same principle could be applied here," he adds.

Rules regarding the environment, health, and food quality would continue to apply to products imported from abroad once the market is liberalized.

"This exit plan would be positive and fair both for farmers and for consumers. Now, it's up to public decision-makers to take action and dismantle this regime that is unfair and costly for consumers, all while adequately compensating farmers," concludes Alexandre Moreau.

The Viewpoint entitled "Ending Supply Management with a Quota Buyback" was prepared by Alexandre Moreau, Public Policy Analyst at the MEI, and Vincent Geloso, Associate Researcher at the MEI. 

June 16, Elmhurst, Ont. - Ongoing research at the University of Saskatchewan is examining how light cycles can affect a bird’s natural rhythm, health and growth rate.

“Turning the lights off can have a dramatic effect on how birds move around in their environment,” Dr. Karen Schwean-Lardner, assistant professor in the department of animal and poultry science at the University of Saskatchewan, said.

Schwean-Lardner recently discussed her research study at New-Life Mills’ Turkey Producers Academy held in Elmhurst, Ont., on June 1. The research project initially examined how light cycles affect broilers and is now performing the same research study on turkeys.

“It is really important that we look at turkey data for turkey producers, not just take assumptions from broiler data,” Schwean-Lardner said.

Research results are suggesting the ideal amount of light per 24 hours for turkeys to be 14 to 17 hours. It is also noted it is ideal to establish distinct day and night times and to implement increases and decreases gradually.

“If flocks have mortality issues, periods of darkness can certainly help that. If you are considering making a change to your lighting program be sure to do make your adjustments in the evening, before the period of darkness, to avoid interrupting the bird’s feeding cycle,” Schwean-Lardner said.

The New-Life Mills event also featured William Alexander, technical representative from Hybrid Turkeys. Alexander discussed factors that contribute to consistent quality poult starts and Lisa Hodgins, monogastric nutritionist from New-Life Mills, spoke on the evolution of feeding programs.

June 14, 2017, B.C. - Canadian Hatching Egg Producers’ (CHEP) first priority is to match the egg supply with chicken production.

“We are responsible to meet the demand,” CHEP chair Jack Greydanus told the combined B.C. Broiler Hatching Egg Commission (BCBHEC)/B.C. Broiler Hatching Egg Producers (BCBHEPA) annual meeting.

Now that Chicken Farmers of Canada has adopted their differential growth allocation system, he said, CHEP is reviewing and refining its allocation systems so it correctly responds to differential growth in chicken production across the country.

It has been a year of transition for the BCBHEC, as the commission had to work with three chairs. Former chair Casey Langbroek completed five years as chair midway through 2016 and his successor, Greg Gauthier, resigned after just a few months in the job. At the end of December, former B.C. Farm Industry Review Board (FIRB) general manager Jim Collins was appointed to fill the vacancy.

Collins was still with FIRB when the supervisory board released a ruling on an appeal by specialty hatching egg producers last summer. Most observers consider that to be the most scathing ruling FIRB has ever issued, noting it even included awarding costs to the appellants.

Collins told producers he will “ensure the hatching egg commission is as accountable as it can be,” adding it is incumbent on all other stakeholders to be just as accountable. “The relationships in a small industry are critical. We have to work together.”

BCBHEPA president Bryan Brandsma agreed, saying, “We have an industry based on complicated relationships. A successful industry depends on everyone understanding their role and doing it well. I am hoping to change to an era of trust instead of mistrust.”

Greydanus had a similar message, telling producers, “We recognize the importance of relationships and our relationship with the hatcheries is the most important. Having no Category 1 and soon no Category 2 and 3 antibiotics will make that relationship even more important.”

Greydanus said CHEP is also finalizing its new animal care program. After select farms give the program a trial run this year, producers can expect full implementation, including third-party audits, in 2018.

June 13, 2017 - A new international cooperation has been created to develop and establish guidance concerning new animal feed ingredients and new uses for existing feed ingredients.

The International Cooperation for Convergence of Technical Requirements for the Assessment of Feed Ingredients (ICCF) was launched by animal feed and feed ingredient associations from Canada, the European Union and the United States including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the European Commission (DG SANTE), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), the Animal Nutrition Association of Canada (ANAC), the EU Association of Specialty Feed Ingredients and their Mixtures (FEFANA) and the International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF).

“The ICCF is the result of a concerted effort to bring together feed regulators and industry feed associations to work together to develop common guidance documents for technical requirements needed in the assessment of feed ingredients,” said ICCF Chair Melissa Dumont.
The ICCF Steering Committee will define the priorities and activities of the project. ICCF expert working groups will develop specific technical guidance documents. READ MORE

June 13, 2017, Ottawa, Ont. - Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) found the video aired June 12 on CTV shocking and reprehensible. There is no defense for the mistreatment of birds.

As part of our commitment, CFC has an established Animal Care Program that is mandatory, 3rd party audited, and enforced on every farm; it covers the time from when the birds are placed to when they are prepared for transit to the processors, and is completely aligned with the Code of Practice and international standards.

If a farm is found not to be complying with the Animal Care Program standards, or is causing undue suffering to birds, the farmer is subject to penalties and the proper authorities will be contacted.

It is important to convey that this kind of animal abuse is not and will not be tolerated.

It is not representative of how the industry works as a whole.

CFC will collaborate fully with all elements of the industry, as well as government authorities to ensure that this situation is addressed and to enforce standards that will ensure that it is never repeated.

CFC strongly believes that the abuse of animals is unacceptable. While CFC's role is to promote and defend good management practices, we count on every stakeholder in the chicken value chain to be vigilant and responsible.

The CFC Animal Care Program has credible, science-based foundations in that it is based on the Code of Practice developed by the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC).

NFACC is a world leader in bringing together stakeholders with different perspectives – farmers, veterinarians, processors, transporters, animal welfare associations, and provincial/federal governments – to develop robust and sound Codes of Practice.

NFACC's Code Development process begins with a full scientific review which is used to draft the Code that then undergoes a public consultation process. In this way, all Canadians have an opportunity to contribute to the final Code. The NFACC process is a standard that is internationally recognized and applauded.

The program recently completed an inaugural comprehensive third-party audit. NSF International's report concluded that "The national Animal Care Program has been implemented effectively and maintained on an on-going basis. Animal care measures have been consistently applied." 

Chicken Farmers of Canada is responsible for ensuring that our 2,800 farmers produce the right amount of fresh, safe, high-quality chicken and that our farmer's views are taken into account when important agriculture and policy decisions are made.

June 9, 2017, Canada - For too long, supply management in our dairy, poultry and egg sectors has been seen as a “third rail” in Canadian politics, an untouchable sacred cow. No longer.

The evidence for reform is staggering. Research and analysis conducted by a variety of experts across Canada have overwhelmingly demonstrated the inequity and inefficiency of the current system.

Increasingly persuasive commentary is coming from all sides. And despite the propaganda made possible by the wealth and power of the dairy lobby, more and more politicians are seeing the public opinion tide turning.

It is, after all, a non-partisan issue. Progressives who espouse social justice simply cannot defend the unnecessary costs imposed on consumers – especially low-income families with children in need of affordable essential nutrition – in favour of what is now a small group of millionaire producers. But neither can conservatives defend a regulated cartel which flies in the face of a market-based economy.

And all politicians in Canada, of all stripes, know that Canada’s economy is dependent on trade. We can no longer afford to have supply management harm our leverage in our trade negotiations – particularly given what is now happening with our largest trading partner next door.

It is time for our politicians to do what is right. We are past knowing “why” – now is time for “how.”

How do we transition forward from supply management in a way that is fair to our dairy, poultry and egg producers, as well as to consumers and taxpayers? We know that we can. We have, after all, done this before, most notably with Canada’s wine industry – to great success. And we have other international examples from which to learn – both for what to do and what not to do.

This report proposes just such a plan.

More work is needed to iron out details which will require engagement by all involved. After close to 50 years, the system has become complex.

The same numbers won’t apply to long-time producers as to new entrants, or to producers in different parts of the country. Some producers are ready to retire, or their farms are too small to compete – they would benefit from an appropriate buyout.

For those who want to compete, grow and profit from the incredible international opportunities, additional transition assistance will be needed.

The plan must address both.

The only missing piece now is for our politicians to stand up, defy the power of a wealthy lobby and show the leadership Canadians expect.

A big opportunity has emerged to do something that not only helps in our looming trade negotiations, but that is actually right for Canada.

The future of the dairy industry is bright in Canada. Reforming supply management should not be seen as an obstacle, but rather as an opportunity to redress domestic inequities in a way that is fair to producers, grow our industry, open new markets and, most importantly – compete and win. Because we can.

View PDF report: http://cwf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/CWF_SupplyManagement_Report_JUNE2017.pdf

June 8, 2017, Abbotsford, B.C. - Tens of thousands of chickens have died in an Abbotsford, B.C., barnfire.

Firefighters were called to the property in the Ross Road area around 1 p.m Tuesday. They arrived to find the two-storey barn fully engulfed by "flames from one end to the other."

Assistant fire chief said there were around 25,000 chickens inside. READ MORE

June 8, 2017, Quebec, QB - Extensive planning was required when poultry companies like Pilgrim’s Pride and Tyson Foods announced they were going antibiotic free in their operations.

“Removing antibiotics completely is still a challenge,” said Shivaram Rao of Pilgrims Pride.

It is essential to have treatment options available when early signs of increased deaths are observed, he said at the animal nutrition conference of Canada held in Quebec City May 10 to 11.

In 2013, less than five percent of chicken produced in the United States was antibiotic free but by 2018 about 55 percent is expected to be raised that way, said Rao.

Many companies remove antibiotics from chickens at 35 days of age and have adopted new health practices that start at the hatchery. READ MORE

June 5, 2017, Ottawa, Ont. - Canadians each consumed 32.5 kg (per capita) of chicken in 2016 resulting in the highest level of chicken consumption in Canada ever.

This confirms that chicken is the favourite of Canadian grocery shoppers and continues to be an important part of the nutritious meals they feed to their families.

Chicken has been the first choice of Canadians for over a decade, when chicken per capita (per person) consumption passed beef for first place, and it has remained in first place ever since.

"Chicken is number one for Canadians who want a healthy and nutritious choice for themselves and their families," said Benoît Fontaine, Chair of Chicken Farmers of Canada. "Our farmers are proud to raise high-quality, nutritious chicken for Canadians. We have been doing this for generations and it's good to know that our hard work is recognized."

2016 was one of the most successful years ever for the chicken industry, with production increasing by 4 per cent to a total of 1.148 billion kg of fresh, nutritious Canadian chicken for consumers.

Trust is a big reason behind the ongoing success of the Canadian chicken industry.

In a recent survey, 93 per cent of Canadians said they prefer to feed their families food raised by Canadian farmers—that support is behind the new "Raised by a Canadian Farmer" brand logo. Now Canadians can have confidence in knowing where their food comes from by looking for the brand—and trust that it was raised safely by a Canadian farmer.

"We have a responsibility to our consumers, to keep their food safe, to protect them, and to humanely and carefully raise the animals we grow," added Fontaine. "Canadian chicken farms are run by hardworking men and women and the birds are being raised to the highest standards for food safety and animal care."

Canadian chicken farmers work hard each day to provide the best possible care for their birds, and to ensure their health and welfare.

Canadian consumers have high expectations of their farmers, from the assurance of a steady supply to ensuring excellence and best practices in animal care and food safety. Canada's chicken farmers are proud to deliver on these expectations, with every flock.

Chicken Farmers of Canada is responsible for ensuring that our 2,800 farmers produce the right amount of fresh, safe, high-quality chicken and that our farmer's views are taken into account when important agriculture and policy decisions are made.

June 5, 2017, Ottawa, Ont. - The Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council (CPEPC) joins with Retail Council of Canada in supporting the Chicken Farmers of Canada Animal Care Program which is based on the National Farm Animal Care Council Code of Practice for Poultry.

Canadian chicken processors uphold very high levels of animal welfare and will continue to do so because it is a critical priority for the industry and because we care. CPEPC chicken processors only purchase chickens from Canadian farmers certified by the Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC), which represent a single, national high standard of care under the CFC Animal Care Program.

CFC's Animal Care Program is based on the Codes of Practice produced through the very robust National Farm Animal Care Council process.

This process is science based and includes input from farmers, veterinarians, animal welfare groups, government, researchers, customers and processors. The CFC program is mandatory, audited by a third party and regularly revised to reflect best practices.

CPEPC commends the Retail Council and its recent statement of support for this Canadian approach to animal care in the chicken industry, and congratulates CFC on completion of their inaugural comprehensive third party audit by NSF International, an internationally recognized and respected independent certification organization.

The Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council (CPEPC) is the national trade organization representing the interests of more than 170 Canadian poultry processing, egg grading and processing and hatchery establishments.

Representing some of the largest agri‐food corporations in Canada, our member companies process over 90% of Canada's chicken, turkey; eggs and hatching eggs. This economic activity generates over $6 billion in retail sales. To accomplish this, our members have invested over $2 billion in plant and equipment, and directly employ more than 21,000 Canadian workers.

June 5, 2017, Guelph, Ont. - Research and innovation are key to finding alternatives to antibiotic and antimicrobial use.

Researchers at the Ontario Veterinary College are studying probiotics as an alternative to traditional antimicrobials to combat pathogens including Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni, and Clostridium perfringens in poultry.

Over the last decade, Dr. Shayan Sharif’s lab at the University of Guelph has been involved in developing probiotic formulations against Salmonella.

“We’ve clearly shown by using combinations of different lactobacilli or lactic acid producing bacteria we can reduce colonization or burden of salmonella in poultry quite significantly,” says Sharif, an immunologist at OVC and leader of the Poultry Health Research Network.

He is now turning his attention to Campylobacter jejuni, the main notifiable bacterial cause of human enteritis or foodborne illness reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada.Chickens can carry Campylobacter in their intestine. While they don’t show any clinical signs of the disease they can carry it throughout their lifetime.

It’s not necessarily a huge concern to the poultry industry because chickens are asymptomatic but a huge concern to human health, as the bacteria can be transferred to humans through undercooked poultry, adds Sharif.

Few control measures, including vaccination, biosecurity or antibiotics, deter the bacteria. Of added concern, both Campylobacter jejeuni and Salmonella can harbor and transfer antimicrobial resistance genes.

Next up for Sharif’s lab will be work on Clostridium perfringens which can cause Necrotic Enteritis, essentially inflammation of the intestine in poultry.

Necrotic Enteritis can be caused by Clostridium perfringens, but usually works with another microorganism called Eimera or coccidia. The two usually go hand-in-hand and coccidia usually predisposes the animal to the pathogenic effects of Clostridium perfringens, notes Sharif. Coccidia is usually controlled by antimicrobials but without treatment there could be a surge in coccidiosis and Necrotic Enteritis, both of which would lead to major drop in production and increased mortality.

While there are vaccines available to combat coccidiosis, this isn’t the case for Necrotic Enteritis.

Sharif’s research includes examining the effect of probiotics on the overall health, welfare and production of poultry. “We want to know if animals as a whole are healthier, if they produce more, if there is better weight gain and if their feed conversion ratio would be better compared to chickens receiving conventional diets.”

Studies will also determine if immune status is improved in birds who receive probiotics.

“At the end of the day if you’re not able to make a probiotic formulation that is safe, that is efficacious, and also able to provide equal production parameters it is not going to be an economically sound investment for producers,” says Sharif.

This research is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Canadian Poultry Research Council, Poultry Industry Council and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

June 5, 2017, Onondaga, Ont. - When they Josh and Melissa Groves learned about a new artisanal chicken program, Josh and Melissa Groves of Vangro Farms Country Market immediately signed up.

It suited to a tee the main theme of their buy local, buy fresh meat production and retail operation.

"We applied as soon as it started last year and we have done well by it," Josh Groves said in an interview at Vangro farm on Highway 54.

He showed freestanding stalls of chicks that are the latest addition to VanGro's lines of fresh lamb cutlets and prepared beef and pork products.

"We're moving into the second year having learned how to make it work for us."

The artisanal chicken program launched by the Chicken Farmers of Ontario in 2016 provides opportunities for small independent farmers to meet local demands for high-quality chicken.

"The Chicken Farmers of Ontario is continually looking to meet the changing needs of Ontario chicken consumers and markets," the organization says on its website.

"The program will help farms fill local food and seasonal markets and will give Ontario consumers more choice and options in how and where they buy locally grown chicken."

The CFO mainly deals with larger operations which must produce to a set quota of tens of thousands of chickens. Its artisanal program is meant to address the more modest needs of local farmers.

Under the program, non-quota holding farmers who wish to grow between 600 and 3,000 chickens each year can partner with independent producers to provide artisanal chicken for select markets. READ MORE

May 31, 2017, Guelph, Ont. - Access the new Food Safety and Traceability eLearning courses online on the Agriculture and Food Education in Ontario online learning system through the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus.

The new Traceability eLearning courses show how good practices can:
• Maximize productivity, improve business efficiency, reduce costs and improve business processes
• Be used to increase competitive advantage by accessing new markets
• Improve supply chain management

The new Food Safety eLearning courses will help you to:
• Identify food safety hazards that can occur in your operation
• Understand best practices and develop programs to control these hazards
• Decrease the likelihood of food safety hazards that can lead to a foodborne illness outbreak or product recall

Visit the University of Guelph website to register for a free account. Accessible versions of the courses are available. For more information, contact the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 519-674-1500 ext. 63295.

Online course development was funded through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative that encourages innovation, competitiveness and market development in Canada’s agri-food and agri-products sector.

May 30, 2017 - Steve Parsons has been a part of the chicken industry throughout his entire life, and his company, Greengage Lighting Ltd, is using LED systems to help poultry and swine farmers further improve the efficiency and productivity of their operations.

Parsons sat down with Jamie Johansen during ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, where he gave a presentation on his company through his participation in the Pearse Lyons Accelerator Program.

Greengage supplies an induction-powered system that makes LED lights and sensors for poultry and swine.

It uses patented inductive technology, a magnetic conductive system that converts energy into LED lights on a wave spectrum that has been aligned to the requirements of a chicken. READ MORE

May 29, 2017, Spain - A study performed in Spain found that birds yielded larger live and carcass weights and a higher percentage of breast meat when fed hydroxy trace minerals as compared to broilers fed inorganic trace minerals.

Over the past 20 years, numerous studies conducted globally to evaluate various forms of supplemental copper and zinc in broiler diets have confirmed the ability of these important trace minerals to improve carcass weights, yield and quality.

More specifically, hydroxy trace minerals have been shown to be able to improve the value of each bird over inorganic sources of trace minerals.

In 2016, a study conducted at an experimental facility in Spain measured the results of hydroxy trace mineral sources of copper and zinc versus inorganic trace minerals (sulphates) when fed at nutritional levels.

Researchers allocated a total of 28 pens of 44 birds each to two treatments.

During 35 days, both treatment groups were fed either 80 ppm copper and zinc as hydroxy trace minerals -Selko IntelliBond C and Selko IntelliBond Z - or in the form of sulphates. Carcass traits were assessed at a rate of 2 birds per pen.

At the end of the study, researchers found numerical improvements in the broilers fed hydroxy trace minerals over those fed inorganics.

Birds in the hydroxy trace mineral programme had heavier live weights (7.4%) and heavier carcass weights (7.7%) compared to sulphate-fed broilers.

Hydroxy trace minerals also contributed to an increased breast meat percentage (16.1%) compared to birds fed inorganic trace minerals (15.3%).

These data indicate that changing the source of trace minerals from inorganic sources to hydroxy trace minerals in the diet of broilers may have the ability to improve carcass traits such as weight and breast meat yield.

May 26, 2017, Guelph, Ont. - Today, Parliamentary Secretary for Science, Kate Young, on behalf of the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, announced $6 million in federal funding for five applied genomics projects, including one geared towards the turkey industry.

The Parliamentary Secretary made the announcement at the University of Guelph, where several of the projects' academic partners are based.

With a total $17 million being invested, including $11 million in funds from the private sector and provincial governments, these projects will have a direct impact on Canada's agriculture, agri-food and health-care sectors.

Four of the projects receiving funding will result in significant competitive advantages to the Canadian dairy, canola, pork and turkey industries, while the fifth project will address the problem of adverse drug reactions in the health-care system.

One of the projects being funded at the University of Guelph is Dr. Peter Pauls' work with Benson Hill Biosystems. His research is exploring ways to significantly enhance crop productivity of canola, an important Canadian crop.

This is a perfect example of the power of genomics research, which is the field of science that studies the full set of genes in an organism and their functions. Dr. Pauls' work will have a direct benefit on the growers, processors and others along the value chain.

These projects are supported through Genome Canada's Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP). GAPP projects translate Canadian knowledge and expertise in genomics into valuable applications that support a strong economy and a growing middle class.

May 26, 2017, San Diego, Cali. - PURE Bioscience, Inc., creator of the patented non-toxic silver dihydrogen citrate antimicrobial, announced that the company has received final acknowledgement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that its Food Contact Notification (FCN) for use of PURE Control® in raw poultry processing to reduce pathogens became effective last week.

FDA approved PURE Control antimicrobial is applied directly onto raw poultry carcasses, parts and organs as a spray or dip during processing to eliminate pathogens causing foodborne illness, including Salmonella.

PURE is not aware of any equally effective, lower toxicity solution to eliminate Salmonella in poultry processing – and believes PURE Control is the breakthrough solution the poultry industry has been seeking.

SDC is distinguished by the fact that it is both more effective and non-toxic. Currently used poultry processing intervention chemistries, most notably Peracetic acid (or PAA), are highly toxic, irritants to users, negatively impact the environment, are corrosive to equipment, and have a negative yield impact.

The FCN for PURE Control will be added to the list of effective notifications for FCNs, which is available on the FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/Notifications/default.htm.

As previously announced on April 27, 2017, the FDA had completed its review of the safety and efficacy of the proposed use of SDC in concentrations up to 160 PPM as a raw poultry processing aid, and set an effective date of May 18, 2017.

PURE will be initiating an in-plant raw poultry processing trial in which SDC-based PURE Control will be spray applied to whole chicken carcasses during Online Reprocessing (OLR).

The USDA has already approved PURE Control for use in pre-OLR and post chill poultry processing.

• This trial is now expected to be completed by early calendar Q3. PURE has just received the necessary scheduling clearances from the plant and the local FSIS inspector.
• The trial will be conducted following the protocol proposed by PURE and approved by the USDA-FSIS, and will be monitored by FSIS inspection personnel in the plant.
• Assuming a successful plant trial, and that no additional trials are required by the USDA, PURE anticipates that the USDA-FSIS will issue a “Letter of No Objection” in approximately 4-6 weeks after completion of the trial, stating that PURE Control is approved for use in OLR applications and list SDC as an approved poultry processing aid in Attachment 1 of the FSIS Directive 7120.1 Table 3.

Upon receipt of the “Letter of No Objection,” PURE can immediately commercialize PURE Control for OLR applications and begin to market PURE Control as a superior raw poultry processing aid into the +$350M U.S. market.

May 24, 2017, U.S. - Sanderson Farms CEO Joe F. Sanderson Jr. reiterated that the company has no intention of moving into the antibiotic-free chicken market.

Speaking on May 17 at the BMO Capital Markets 12th Annual Farm to Market Conference, Sanderson said it is a decision supported not only by the company’s management, but its veterinarians as well.

“For a lot of reasons, we didn’t think it was right for us to do antibiotic-free. Our veterinarians, half of them would leave us if we did. They’ve taken an oath,” Sanderson said.

Sanderson also noted that veterinarians in general do not advocate denying sick animals antibiotics. READ MORE