The Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers marketing board believes it has found a compromise to an imposed regulation that it fears would have gutted grower contract protection. Farmers had previously had two years of contract security, but new regulations would have reduced it to none and processors could have dropped growers whenever they wished. The matter […] Read more
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Processing vegetable compromise reached
Timeline shows how baby milk-salmonella scandal developed
PARIS, France (Reuters) — French dairy giant Lactalis is scrambling to get on top of a growing crisis, with dozens of babies infected with salmonella after drinking tainted baby formula produced by the company. Following are details on the family-owned group and the health scare that has led to the threat of multiple lawsuits. Lactalis […] Read more
Ont. vegetable growers face new regulatory reality
The only way is forward. That’s what Ontario’s processing vegetable growers heard at their annual meeting from the chair of the group that regulates farm marketing in the province. That doesn’t mean some farmers didn’t still question the province’s move to fire the board of the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers and its staff last year. […] Read more
Yukon eyes local food strategy
The Yukon government continues to work on a local food strategy. “It’s a five-year strategy. What we’re doing with that is we’re taking small steps to promote government purchase of local food. We’re trying to get a government policy in place that if they have a special event, they have to consider local food and […] Read more
Gloves-off approach demanded on trade issues
Trade supporters call for Ottawa to take action on cases such as an Italian campaign to denigrate Canadian wheat
Edmonton — Canada must respond quickly and sternly to preserve its export markets for agricultural goods in an increasingly protectionist environment. Marlene Boersch of Mercantile Consulting Venture said protectionism has increased over the past five years and the changing United States approach to trade will not help. “I have a feeling with the changing climate […] Read moreSugar beet tonnage sets record in southern Alta.
Ideal weather, improved varieties and production management get the credit for stellar yields last year
A “wow” year is how Alberta Sugar Beet Growers president Arnie Bergen Henengouwen summarized 2017. “The combination of glorious southern Alberta sun, water, soil, improved seed varieties and producer management has resulted in sugar beet yields this past year that no one ever thought possible in the great white north,” he told those at the […] Read moreSugar beet sector decides on ground rules for next contract
There’s no need for anyone to get beat up — or beet up — in contract negotiations between Alberta sugar beet growers and Lantic, the company that contracts beet acres and processes the crop. With that acknowledgement, beet growers and Lantic have signed a memorandum of understanding designed to avoid the vitriol spewed during the […] Read more
Manitoba’s hog sector poised for growth
Manitoba’s hog industry is in the early stages of expansion, but don’t expect to see anything dramatic in coming years, says Manitoba Pork Council general manager Andrew Dickson. That’s because expansion will be mostly incremental and add-on, rather than from massive greenfield projects. “It’s not dramatic growth but it’s significant when you add it up […] Read more
Expansion promises potato boom
Manitoba potato growers received an ideal Valentine’s Day gift this year: strong spud demand for the next 15 years. On Feb. 14, J.R. Simplot announced an investment of $460 million to expand its potato processing plant in Portage la Prairie. The expansion will more than double the capacity of the french fry plant, thus driving […] Read more
Feds unveil clean fuel standards
Jim Grey let out a huge sigh of relief when he saw the federal government’s plan for its looming clean fuel standard. “It could have been a lot worse,” said the chair of Renewable Industries Canada, which represents ethanol and biodiesel manufacturers. Environment Canada published the regulatory framework for the standard on its website Dec. […] Read more
