A+W, which sources eggs from this production facility, said it plans to source its eggs from hens in open-barn housing and raised without use of antibiotics. (CNW Group/A+W Restaurants)

A+W ups ante on layer hen housing

Having already pledged to source eggs from hens in enriched housing and raised without use of antibiotics, burger chain A+W now plans to get all its eggs from hens in open housing. The Vancouver-based income fund said Wednesday that despite having “no open-barn housing options available” today that meet its antibiotic-free requirement, it plans to […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. COOL rules formally off beef, pork

The U.S. Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has formally patched a long-sore spot in cross-border trade relations by pulling its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) regulations off beef and pork. The AMS, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), published its amendments Wednesday in the U.S. Federal Register. The changes, which took effect upon publication, mean […] Read more


Walter Decker, egg barn manager at the Riverbend Hutterite Colony at Mossleigh, south of Calgary with one of the laying hens in their new barn outfitted with an enriched cage system.


Let’s open the barn doors

Hart Attacks: Positive changes are coming in the livestock production world

As I was recently reading about the Canadian egg industry’s commitment to turn its ocean liner around, I figured a motion was in order — if consumers and the food industry are so concerned about animals produced “free range” or in loose housing, farmers should just turn everything loose and then charge four times as […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Maple Leaf profit beats as margins improve

Reuters — Canadian pork processor Maple Leaf Foods posted a better-than-expected fourth-quarter profit as margins in its prepared meats business improved. Adjusted operating profit in the meat products group, which includes brands such as Schneiders and the company’s namesake Maple Leaf brand, was $54.6 million, compared with a year-ago loss of $19.1 million. The Mississauga-based […] Read more



Input costs to chip away at farmers’ shrinking income

CNS Canada — An anticipated downturn in farm income and higher input costs mean Canadian producers will be in a tough financial position this year, the head of the National Farmers Union (NFU) predicts. Farmers’ net cash income is expected to move lower in 2016, declining nine per cent to $13.6 billion in 2016, according […] Read more