Federal Government Announces Financial Assistance for Ag Industry

May 06, 2020

Recently, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture called for 2.6 billion dollars in emergency aid for the farm sector.

This morning, the Prime Minister finally announced federal assistance for farmers and others in the agri-food sector to the tune of 252 million dollars.

"For cattle and hog producers we will launch a 125 million dollar national agri-recovery intiative. Farms and processing plants are raising more animals than the system can process, into things like steak and bacon, because of COVID-19. For many farmers, this crisis means they have to keep animals for longer periods of time and that can be expensive. With this funding we're giving extra help to beef and pork producers so that they can adapt to this crisis," announced Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his media availability today.

Part of that funding, about 70 million dollars, will be used to help packing plants adapt their facilities to better protect workers from COVID 19. As well, the PM announced the government will use 50 million dollars of the program to buy excess groceries to prevent them from being tossed away. The PM insisting this 252 million dollars is only an initial investment and if more is needed, it will be coming.

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Video: Exploring Precision Data in Swine Production - Dr. Janice Siegford

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Janice Siegford from Michigan State University discusses how precision livestock farming data can support pig health, welfare, transparency, and decision making. She explains why data ownership, privacy, consumer perception, and cost sharing must be addressed as technology becomes more common on farms. Listen now on all major platforms.

“Precision livestock farming data can support producers, veterinarians, certifiers, and consumers by enabling improved monitoring, prediction, and decision-making across the entire production system.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Janice Siegford / janice-siegford-24318839 is a Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University. Her expertise in animal welfare, neuroscience, and zoology supports research on pig behavior, stress resilience, and precision livestock farming. Her work explores early weaning, genetics, and stakeholder perspectives on technology adoption to improve pig care, health, and productivity. Learn more from Dr. Janice Siegford on The Swine it Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.