Taking advantage of capital gains deductions associated with the selling of qualified farm property might be an appealing way for farmers to reduce their tax bills on such sales. However, the calculations surrounding these deductions are so complicated and detailed that farmers might get a lot less than they bargained for, including reduced benefit from […] Read more
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Experts eager to find sources of pathogens
Food, animals and water National surveillance programs collect data on illnesses and test food in grocery stores
TORONTO — Nasty food poisoning bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli are under surveillance. “Food- and water-borne illness are complex and there are lots of ways you can get them, and they require multiple surveillance approaches,” said Lisa Landry, director of enteric surveillance at the Public Health Agency of Canada. “We are trying to […] Read moreOfficials happy with Alberta sugar beet yields
Harvest of southern Alberta’s 22,000 acres of sugar beets began Oct. 1 under good digging conditions and good yields. “The beets look incredibly good,” said Gerald Third, executive director of Alberta Sugar Beet Growers. He said better than average yields of 28 to 30 tonnes per acre were reported in the initial days of harvest. […] Read more
U.S. analyst takes ‘super weed’ term to task
Designed to scare people | Weeds adapt and change but are not a product of genetic modification
Weeds have always been super, but that doesn’t mean they’re super weeds, said a policy analyst with the Weed Science Society of America. Concerned about the growing use of the term “super weed” in urban media and online, Lee van Wychen said his organization is trying to debunk the super weed myths. Weeds have always […] Read moreOntario sugar beet growers harvest record crop
40 tons per acre | Wet, cool weather favoured sugar beets in Ontario, but other crops may see issues
CHATHAM, Ont. — Ontario farmers generally believe that it’s better to be hot and dry than cool and wet, but there is at least one notable exception this year. Sugar beet growers are looking forward to what could prove to be a record yield, thanks to the cool and wet summer. “Right now, guys are […] Read moreMaple Leaf criticizes TFWP reforms
Maple Leaf Foods says the federal government denied an application in June to hire 75 foreign workers for its Brandon hog processing plant. The decision, combined with restrictive changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, has created a human resources situation that is not “sustainable” for Maple Leaf, says Rory McAlpine, the company’s vice-president of […] Read more
Are farmer seed rights still safe?
A controversial bill aimed at modernizing Canada’s plant breeders’ rights legislation won’t affect a farmer’s rights to save and replant the seed that he harvests. That message, delivered repeatedly by the supporters of the Agricultural Growth Act, was repeated last week by federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz. Under Bill C-18, “the farmer’s right to save […] Read more
Canadian Wheat Alliance signs with private partners
Breeding technology The project will give breeders more genetic material to speed new variety development
A consortium of publicly funded research institutions has signed a new research agreement with two private sector plant breeding companies. KWS and Syngenta Inc. will work with the Canadian Wheat Alliance to improve a wheat breeding technique known as doubled haploid technology. The collaborative project is a four-year deal with an estimated price tag of […] Read moreLocal residents have concerns following toxic train derailment
CLAIR, Sask. — Eastern Saskatchewan residents who were caught up in a train derailment last week are asking questions about whether their animals, cropland and water have been contaminated. The Oct. 7 derailment near Clair, east of Saskatoon, forced people from their homes because of safety concerns related to a fire in some of the […] Read more
Expiring patents could create opportunity, trade challenges
Generic seed International regulatory approvals must be maintained on off-patent traits produced via biotechnology
A farmer and former chemical company executive doesn’t expect western Canadian farmers to benefit as patents gradually expire on biotech seeds. “A generic industry is possible in the seed industry … but it’s not going to be easy, in my opinion,” said Maurice Delage, the former president of Aventis Crop Sciences in North America who […] Read more
