Nitrates Appearing in Crops

Sep 22, 2021

The Ministry of Agriculture is reminding producers to have their crops checked for nitrate.

Due to the warm summer and lack of precipitation, nitrate is popping up in crops all over the prairies.

"Both of those have caused nitrates to show up in grain feed and we have seen that already through testing that has been done," Catherine Lang, a livestock and feed extension specialist with the ministry of agriculture, said. "It is really important to get any kind of grain feed tested for nitrates. As well if you're trying to use something like a canola, it is important to remember that canola can also accumulate nitrates as well as sulphur. That's another thing that it needs to be tested for, just so we're pushing safe levels for the cattle."

The nitrate issue isn't just being reported in just one area specifically either, especially with such harsh growing conditions hitting the majority of the prairies this year.

Click here to see more...

Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.