The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is looking to three or four more harvest bees to complete its grain growing projects for 2012. Regional co-ordinator Andre Visscher said Sept. 24 that total fundraising will depend on grain prices, but he expects farmers’ charitable donations to be substantial. “This year we hope to raise, in grain alone in […] Read more
News
Farmers, firms support foodgrains
University ag program caters to First Nations
University of Saskatchewan | Program requested by major farming companies looking to recruit from First Nations
A small group of students convocating from the University of Saskatchewan’s agriculture college this fall are the first to complete a program geared toward First Nation students and agribusiness. Five students comprise the first class from the university’s aboriginal agriculture and land management program, receiving a post-graduate diploma. Another four students are just starting the […] Read moreCo-operative group backs governance change
A special House of Commons committee on co-operatives has recommended that responsibility for the sector be moved from Agriculture Canada to Industry Canada. The committee, chaired by Alberta Conservative Blake Richards, also recommended Sept. 17 that the government recognize the importance of the sector in the Canadian economy, and that government agencies work with co-ops […] Read more
Cycles of death and resurrection, hogs and cattle and Winnipeg
Two days ago I was wearing shorts and a tee-shirt. Today I’m huddled in my house watching the snow fall. Yup, must be the prairies in October. This is the first day of a week-and-a-half staycation I’m taking to use up some holiday days and golly didn’t I pick a good time to be […] Read more
E. coli strain in XL case also found in Newfoundland
The Newfoundland and Labrador department of health and community services has confirmed that a case of E. coli in that province is the same strain that was found in the XL Food Inc. food safety investigation. The person has recovered and investigators from the provincial health service and Canadian Food Inspection Agency are trying to […] Read more
Group hopes to beef up buckwheat demand
Good cropping option | Manitoba acreage is rising as more growers look to a break from their canola-wheat-canola rotation
It wasn’t a great year for buckwheat on Marc Durand’s farm near Notre Dame de Lourdes, Man., yet his buckwheat outperformed a crop with a much higher profile. “In a year like this year, I was further ahead with my buckwheat than I was with my canola,” said Durand, who runs Durand Seeds and is […] Read more
Niche markets opening for wheat
Packed with antioxidants | InfraReady Products’ grain-based food products contain anthocyanins
A marketer of niche grain products anticipates more specialty wheat production in the post single-desk environment. Mark Pickard, president of InfraReady Products (1998) Ltd., said the CWB’s export monopoly was an impediment to those hoping to de-velop and export niche wheat varieties. The situation improved when the CWB developed its Field to Plate program in […] Read moreConservative MP blames XL for E. coli outbreak
While opposition MPs in a Parliament Hill debate yesterday pointed fingers at the Conservative government for allowing the Alberta-based E. coli contamination crisis to unfold, an influential Conservative blamed the company. As the Conservative government and agriculture minister Gerry Ritz came under sustained opposition fire this week for poor communications and slow reaction to the […] Read more
XL takes responsibility for E. coli outbreak
XL Foods has broken its silence and is accepting full responsibility for an outbreak of E. coli 0157:H7 at its Brooks, Alta., beef slaughter plant. “We take full responsibility for our plant operations and the food it produces, which is consumed by Canadians from coast to coast. We are doing everything we can to take […] Read more
Complete XL Foods’ press release
XL Foods Implements Enhanced Food Safety Programs Plant will re-open when CFIA satisfied with improvements EDMONTON, ALBERTA October 4, 2012 – XL Foods Inc. is fully committed, and working diligently with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (“CFIA”), to implement changes to our food safety system to exceed existing high standards and regain the trust of […] Read more
