AFAC spearheaded the deployment of emergency trailers across the province for use in emergencies such as barn fires or livestock transport rollovers.

Who will carry on AFAC’s work in Alberta?

The organization provided valuable services, including emergency livestock trailers

It is with sadness I heard about Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) closing its doors in Alberta after 30 years, which I would say is after 30 years of extreme good. The great thing was that it was animal welfare-based through and through and had all the production animal groups on its board. They all […] Read more


(File photo)

‘Shocking’ farm videos barred at egg-price antitrust trial in Chicago

Food firms sought to show animal care claims not genuine

Reuters — A U.S. judge has barred Kraft, Kellogg and other major food producers from showing what the court called “shocking” and “heart-wrenching” videos of conditions inside certain hen houses at an upcoming antitrust trial against egg producers and marketers. In a ruling on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger in Chicago said the risk […] Read more

(Sierrarat/iStock/Getty Images)

Animal care council won’t update livestock transport code of practice

NFACC says 'no further action' pending

After over four years’ publicly funded work to develop an updated national code of practice for livestock transport for Canada, the National Farm Animal Care Council has called a halt. In an information update dated May 1, NFACC said its board has now decided “no further action will be taken” by the council to update […] Read more


Cows on a Grunthal, Man. dairy farm. (Manitoba Co-operator photo by Geralyn Wichers)

Continuous tie-stall housing to be phased out in new dairy code of practice

Producer, animal welfare groups praise new code; some drawbacks were noted

New guidelines for dairy cattle care will improve animal welfare while also potentially increasing farm productivity, Dairy Farmers of Canada says. “I think that we’ve come to a very solid revised code,” David Wiens, DFC’s vice-president, said in an interview. The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) on Thursday released its revised Code of Practice […] Read more

Reg Schellenberg. (Schellenberg family photo via Canadian Cattlemen)

Canadian Cattle Association president Reg Schellenberg dies

Saskatchewan rancher had led CCA since March

Updated, Dec. 7 — Western Saskatchewan rancher Reg Schellenberg, who had led the national organization representing Canada’s beef cattle producers since March this year, died suddenly Friday at age 63. The Canadian Cattle Association reported Schellenberg’s death in a release Saturday, adding that the association’s current vice-president, rancher Nathan Phinney of Sackville, N.B., will now […] Read more


A small room off the milkhouse, encompassing the front of the tank, helps to limit contact with the milk truck driver at the Herrema farm at Uxbridge, northeast of Toronto. (Gerrit Herrema photo)

Dairy sector shuts down most visits from off-farm providers

In agriculture, dairy farms are among those most called-on by outside services

New additions to Gerrit Herrema’s dairy barn have made it easier for his family to abide by recent directions to avoid contact with milk truck drivers to reduce COVID-19’s spread. “We have boot washes and other biosecurity measures in the barn. We need to take these measures in order to minimize the damage,” said Herrema, […] Read more

Update your emergency plan and consider a wide range of ‘what-if’ scenarios, says Rebecca Husted, an expert in emergency planning for livestock. (Supplied photo)

Ahead of any emergency, plan for the worst

Disaster planning is not a pleasant task but it's vital that producers have a plan, expert says

Identify your resources and review your plan, says an expert in emergency planning for livestock. The COVID-19 pandemic is a very different type of emergency, said Rebecca Husted, a teacher of technical large animal emergency rescue. “Most disasters like fires and floods have people moving around, but in COVID-19, people are not supposed to move […] Read more



(Video screengrab for MercyForAnimals.org)

Workers fired following chicken abuse video

CNS Canada — A British Columbia company tied to nationally broadcast footage of livestock abuse has laid off five workers, according to a statement from the organization Tuesday. The animal rights and vegan advocacy group responsible for capturing the video says that’s not enough, and is pursuing legal action. Employees at a Vancouver-area chicken farm […] Read more