Dr. Lisa McCrea, dairy veterinarian and partner at AgWest Veterinary Group, spoke at the Western Canadian Dairy Seminar (WCDS) in March and reflected upon the flooding that occurred in British Columbia because of an atmospheric river in November 2021 and how it affected the dairy industry there.

Across Canadian dairy farms, the adoption of solar energy is growing as a financially viable and strategically positive move. Farmers have been harnessing sunlight to grow food and raise livestock for thousands of years, so it’s no surprise solar panels are the next step in agriculture's evolution.

Instead of focusing on strengthening consumer trust, emphasis should be placed on consumer education in agricultural production practices.

Excitingly, the past several months have brought announcements of significant dairy processing investment across the country, offering some level of relief to dairy processing concerns.

At the annual Animal Nutrition Conference of Canada, conference speakers shared diverse perspectives on some of the most pressing issues facing the livestock feed industry, ranging from the emergence of lab-grown proteins to the quest for net zero and the role of trace mineral additives in sustainability.

Canadian dairy is well equipped to manage an emerging disease in ways that mitigate risks to animals and farmers.
 

Yes, the revised Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle could mean more work and/or investment for some dairy farmers, but the results are well worth it, not only at the farm level, but at an industry level as well.

Positive momentum will be key for the prosperity of the Canadian dairy industry, as it is approaching processing, innovation and policy challenges – compounded by the constant need to modernize facilities, systems and software – that will require integrated action from players across the industry.

It has now been more than a year since Canada’s new Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle was published. With only a few exceptions, the requirements of the new code came into effect on April 1, 2024. How can our industry live up to the new standards it has set for itself in this code?