Pulse crop handlers were fuming mad at new fumigation requirements imposed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency last week, but the potentially volatile situation had blown over by Sept. 20. Exporters went into a tizzy when the federal regulator waylaid 17 containers of peas headed for India that it determined had been improperly fumigated. India […] Read more
Sean Pratt
Stories by Sean Pratt
Organic producer fears EU loss
As a new entrant into the organic industry, Gerald Dagenais was appalled to learn he might soon lose access to the world’s largest organic market. After listening to a presentation by Roxan Hooshangi, agricultural affairs officer for the Canadian Mission to the European Union, Dagenais questioned his decision to move into organic production. Hooshangi warned […] Read more
Man. bean growers get break on frost
Dry bean markets reacted violently to the Aug. 20 frost, but while the weather appears to have devastated large portions of the crop in key American states, it had minimal effect on Manitoba’s beans. Shortly after subzero temperatures descended on Saskatchewan, Manitoba and some northern states, the average edible bean price shot to $32 US […] Read more
Special crop outlook OK despite low quality
Most analysts predict a vastly improved special crops harvest in 2004 despite a devastating frost. Quality is expected to be dubious but that won’t deter buyers, they say. Agriculture Canada forecasts production will increase 29 percent from 2003 to 4.73 million tonnes. Total supply, however, will rise only 21 percent due to low carry-in stocks. […] Read more
Analyst vindicated by lentil numbers
While most observers read and then discounted Statistics Canada’s ending stocks report because it contained few surprises, one market analyst savoured the document for a bit. “I guess in some way Stats Can has vindicated my position,” said special crops analyst Brian Clancey. Crop traders took Clancey to task earlier this year at the Canadian […] Read more
Pasta group determined to untangle problems
The failure of a durum co-operative in the United States isn’t going to deter a group of farmers from pursuing a similar venture north of the 49th parallel. Shareholders of the Bushel 42 pasta plant in Crosby, North Dakota, have voted to dissolve their co-op one year after their processing plant ceased operations. The facility, […] Read more
Farmers wonder if saving seed OK
Two events that happened in May have some Alberta farmers worried about their ability to save and replant seed. The Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in the Percy Schmeiser trial and a report released by the Seed Sector Advisory Committee have prompted the Alberta Canola Producers Commission to take action. Ward Toma, general manager of […] Read more
Ht wheat draws little market backlash
Monsanto has put the brakes on its herbicide tolerant wheat project but other crop developers are hitting the gas. Earlier this month, BASF Canada received approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for its ALS2 gene, which will be used to develop new lines of Clearfield wheat. This comes on the heels of Monsanto Canada […] Read more
Landmark GM suit delayed
A landmark court hearing that pits organic growers against the makers of genetically modified canola has been postponed. Members of the Saskatchewan Organic Directorate were set to duke it out with Monsanto Canada Inc. and Bayer CropScience Inc. in a Sept. 14-15 trial that would determine whether the growers had the grounds to launch a […] Read more
Organic sector takes next step
Canada’s organic community has taken its first significant step toward negotiating continued market access with the European Union. After more than two years of debate, numerous drafts and a couple of ballots, the committee on organic agriculture has come to a consensus on the general principles of a new national standard. “Progress is being made […] Read more
