| The following article was first published in Ontario Beef Farmer magazine, July 2008: It sickens thousands of people every year, killing some and leaving others with permanent health damage. But it doesn’t affect the animals that harbour and shed the bacteria, making the disease invisible to farmers. Now, a new, made-in-Canada cattle vaccine to reduce human risk of exposure to E.coli O157:H7 is coming onto the market in North America. But who should pay for this innovative new treatment? Continue reading A cattle vaccine with human health benefit – who should pay? Irraditating food may be the only way of killing the bacteria in your food. Washing fresh fruits and vegetables – a tried and true method for generations – may not be enough to rid them of bacteria like e.coli that cause food poisoning, even if using chlorine disinfectants. E. coli, salmonella and listeria can all cause illnesses, but destroying the bacteria can be difficult, said microbiologist Brendan Niemira, the lead researcher of a study looking at ways to make fresh produce safer for consumers.
Continue reading Only radiation rids fruit, veg of e.coli? If producers don’t survive, the rest of the industry won’t either. That’s the blunt message Canadian Pork Council president Clare Schlegel is hoping the government will hear loud and clear. The Canadian livestock industry has been battling an economic crisis since last summer, when Canada’s high-flying currency helped sink cattle and hog prices and drive up feed costs.
Continue reading Our producers must survive | |
