Baloney detection kit | Psychology professor urges skepticism, but says human minds can be easily tricked
MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — A farmer at the Dec. 2-3 Farming Smarter conference wondered aloud about when the public, inundated with conflicting information about food, might simply begin to ignore it all. Keynote speaker Michael Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and executive director of the Skeptics Society, had no answer. There may not be […] Read moreNews
People vulnerable to bad information about food
Auction breaks records
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers recently sold more than $41 million of agricultural, construction equipment and trucks in a single day. More than 1,750 pieces of equipment were sold Dec. 2, including more than 90 headers, 90 combines and 85 tractors. New site records were broken with almost 2,900 online bidders registered and more than $20 million […] Read more
Warm fall may hurt EU wheat seedlings
HAMBURG, Germany (Reuters) — An exceptionally warm autumn and early winter have helped European Union wheat develop, but there is concern that growth may be too fast, making plants vulnerable to frost damage. “Wheat sowings went well in most regions, so we have successfully jumped the first hurdle on the way to the 2015 harvest,” […] Read more
Trade restricted after bird flu breakout
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has placed most of British Columbia’s poultry industry under restricted movement to limit the spread of the deadly avian influenza. Five chicken and turkey farms near Abbottsford and Chilliwack in B.C.’s Fraser Valley have tested positive for the deadly strain of avian influenza H5N2. About 166,000 birds have either died […] Read more
Louis Dreyfus says ex-Viterra head ‘best person for the job’
New chief executive officer Analyst says Mayo Schmidt’s involvement in negotiations with Glencore may signal a desire for acquisition skills
PARIS, France (Reuters) — Louis Dreyfus Commodities has named Mayo Schmidt, former head of Viterra, as its new chief executive officer in the latest stage of a corporate shake-up at the 163-year-old global trading firm. Louis Dreyfus is trying to sustain growth as the major grain companies vie with newcomers such as Glencore to acquire […] Read moreSanitizer destroys pathogens on raw food
Ideal for seeds, spices, nuts
Consumers suffer from a food safety and knowledge gap when it comes to eating raw food. They don’t know it could hurt them. It’s a gap that the start-up company Agri-Neo wants to fill. Agri-Neo believes that processors and consumers will soon want guarantees that raw grains are as safe as cooked food. “Anything that’s […] Read moreMan. premier in hot seat on flood mitigation
Lack of government support | Provincial contribution to water retention projects down 12 percent
A supporter of faltering local efforts to control drainage and flooding in rural Manitoba has issued a plea to the provincial government. “Does the province of Manitoba not realize that every small dam and water retention project that we do is in fact flood mitigation?” Heather Dalgleish challenged premier Greg Selinger and his cabinet during […] Read moreFarm group revamps to encompass all sectors
Educate consumers | The organization plans to take all aspects of food production under its wing
The Farm Animal Council of Sask-atchewan has launched Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan in an effort to widen it focus and strengthen the gate to plate link. FACS has represented the province’s livestock and poultry producers on responsible animal care since 1992. The broader mandate is to build trust in food production while addressing the […] Read moreEating more meat not progress, says researcher
Higher obesity rates | Professor says increased affluence has lead to more obesity and sparked more animal welfare concerns
The implications of ever-increasing global meat consumption are mostly bad, says University of Lethbridge geography professor Ian MacLachlan. The negative outcomes include more human obesity, grain stocks diverted to livestock, higher risk of epizootic disease, environmental degradation and animal welfare concerns. His presentation, part of the U of L’s public professor series, raised eyebrows in […] Read moreNorth West Terminal rail expansion done
A $4.46 million rail expansion is complete at the North West Terminal in Unity, Sask. The company’s rail infrastructure now has access to the Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway networks. Rail capacity has increased from 100 to 150 cars of grain and from 40 to 120 cars of crude oil. The company also […] Read more
