Potato growers urged to emphasize the fresh, local aspects, promote new varieties and provide recipes for this versatile, ‘dynamic’ vegetable
Respect the russet! That ringing endorsement of popular potato varieties was accompanied by a table full of 15 new types now ready for evaluation and licence agreements. Agriculture Canada had the new varieties on display at the Lethbridge Research Centre Feb. 15 and held a joint video conference involving researchers in Lethbridge, Guelph, Ont. and […] Read moreNews
Women in agriculture
This is the final instalment of a three-part series looking at the role women play in agriculture. This week we feature the career of the new chief commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission, Patti Miller.
This is the third of a four-part series looking at the role women play in agriculture, how it has changed and what the future holds. Patti Miller has never been one to stand still. In the constantly evolving agriculture industry, Miller herself evolves, periodically reinventing her career from market analyst to private sector corporate affairs […] Read more
Beekeepers want clear labels so consumers can choose local
Canada may be on the verge of changing its honey labelling rules. Beekeepers have been calling on the government to clearly label honey as a product of Canada, and the feds may soon make the requested change, says an industry rep. “What I’ve seen gazetted (in Ottawa) in the next change in labels, it looks […] Read more
U.S. biofuel groups court old foes
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Reuters) — A United States biofuel lobby group said it wants to work with longtime rivals in the oil industry to fight subsidies for electric vehicles. The oil and biofuel industries have been at loggerheads for years as they fought to sway Washington over how much biofuel should be included in gasoline […] Read more
Crop groups ponder collaboration
More ain’t better, at least not when it comes to farmer-funded organizations. That’s the attitude driving talks to bring some of Manitoba’s crop organizations together through a merger or intense collaboration. “I started to change my thinking to ‘every acre’ a farmer grows, rather than ‘every crop’ a farmer grows,” Theresa Bergsma, general manager of […] Read more
Silver lining found in northern soybeans
Soybean promoters are trying a novel sales pitch for low-protein beans grown on the U.S. Great Plains and Canadian Prairies. “They’re cheaper and they’re not as bad as you think they are. Try them,” Seth Naeve, a University of Minnesota soybean researcher, said after a presentation at CropConnect. “(Asian buyers) have been really happy.… They’re […] Read more
India’s potash subsidy cut makes waves in Canada
Higher prices could reduce how much Indian farmers use, which could slash exports from several Saskatchewan potash producers
MUMBAI, India — An Indian ministry has proposed slashing potash subsidies by 17 percent in the next fiscal year to reduce the country’s deficit, officials said. It is a move that would hit demand in one of the world’s largest potash importers. Although global prices have been falling, a reduction in government support in India, […] Read moreInitiative looks to boost organic quality, yields
GUELPH, Ont. — Canada’s organic grain sector needs to ex-pand production but it’s not just about bringing new growers on board. There’s also a need to im-prove the skills of those who are already part of the industry. Iris Vaisman with the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative and Katherine Stanley with the University of Manitoba made […] Read more
Potato research, processing investment strong in Alberta
Potato research is firmly en-trenched at the Agriculture Canada Lethbridge Research Centre as production expands in the West. Yves Plante, associate director, said the centre plans to maintain its scientists and researchers and is seeking to fill another research position dedicated to potato health. “We are fully committed to maintaining the research activities at the […] Read more
Breeder seeks healthy french fry
Overcooking french fries and potato chips produces a chemical called acrylamide that can be toxic and harmful to humans if eaten in large amounts. John Lu, an Agriculture Canada researcher who works at the Leth-bridge Research Centre, is investigating acrylamide and how it can be reduced in tubers and potato products. The chemical isn’t found […] Read more
