BEEF INDUSTRY TAKES WHO REPORT “WITH A GRAIN OF SALT” . . . NEW RECORD SET AT PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF  . . . CANADIAN FOOD SYSTEM AILING, SAYS CONFERENCE BOARD  . . . COURT DENIES STAY OF ONTARIO’S NEONICOTINOID LAW . . . MAILBOX CONSTRUCTION HALTED . . .       
OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

BEEF INDUSTRY TAKES WHO REPORT “WITH A GRAIN OF SALT”
Source: CBC.ca
“Dramatic and alarmist.” That’s the reaction of the North American Meat Institute to the World Health Organization's position that processed meat is a cause of cancer, along with cigarettes, alcohol, and asbestos. The WHO said that red meat probably causes cancer as well. In a statement, the North American Meat Institute went on to say that it felt the WHO “tortured the data to ensure a specific outcome.” (read more)

NEW RECORD SET AT PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF
Source: Island Farmer
There is a new pumpkin king in P.E.I. and his name is Eddie Shaw. The Charlottetown grower set a new record for a pumpkin weighed on P.E.I. during the annual pumpkin weigh-off held over the Thanksgiving weekend. Shaw’s entry tipped the scales at 1,331.5 pounds, smashing the old record of 1,208 set by Clifford Picketts in 2008, by a wide margin. (read more)

CANADIAN FOOD SYSTEM AILING, SAYS CONFERENCE BOARD
Source: Ontario Farmer.com
The Canadian food industry is not as prosperous as it should be, nor does it have a good environmental record, according to the first report of its kind from the Conference Board of Canada. But Canada gets an A for food safety. Released at the Food & Drink Summit 2015 in Toronto, the report assesses Canada’s food and beverage sector performance in five areas against 16 leading Organization for Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. (read more)

COURT DENIES STAY OF ONTARIO’S NEONICOTINOID LAW
Source: BetterFarming.com
The Ontario Supreme Court has denied Grain Farmers of Ontario’s request for a stay of a law that requires farmers to greatly restrict the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments next spring. (read more)

MAILBOX CONSTRUCTION HALTED
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Canada Post has taken the first step in facilitating the Liberal promise to scrap the controversial community mailbox program introduced under the Harper government, but many Nova Scotians are stuck with the changes – at least for now. On Monday, the national mail carrier announced it was halting plans for construction of the mailboxes in anticipation of working with the new government. A Canada Post news release said all conversions planned for November and December, and those announced for 2016, would be placed on hold, but anyone converted beforehand, including those switched in October, will have to continue to retrieve their mail at the community boxes. (read more)