Canadian Hog Producers Required to Implement On-Farm Traceability [July 1, 2014]</

Nov 07, 2013

Canadian Hog Producers Required to Implement On-Farm Traceability [July 1, 2014]

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

Come summer 2014, Canadian hog farmers will be expected to implement pig movement reporting on-farm. PigTrace, a federal traceability program has been in development since 2002, with full implementation coming into effect by July 1, 2014.

A regulatory amendment to the federal Health of Animals Regulation, which is also expected to be announced July 1st, has prompted the move. The traceability program aims to enhance the process of managing disease outbreaks and food safety emergencies. Information, which will be tracked through PigTrace, will provide government officials with the most accurate information regarding animal identification and movement of pigs.

In the New Year, the Canadian Pork Council will launch an outreach campaign aimed at helping producers transition over to the new requirements. Hog farmers will be able to choose from a variety of reporting tools that will work best for their farming operation, while still meeting federal requirements. More information about PigTrace can be found at: http://pigtrace.ca/.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.