Company says upgrades made to its Regina plant represent its single biggest investment in Canada in the last 10 years
A two-year $14 million project to upgrade the Regina BASF production plant is complete. The company recently announced that the crop protection production facility has been modernized throughout, including upgrading the mechanical and operation systems, the tank farm and formulation, lab and packaging areas. The Regina location produces eight brands and has added Basagran and […] Read moreNews
Federal support of food sector questioned
Industry representatives and opposition MPs tell ag committee that $77.5 million to help cope with COVID is not enough
The House of Commons agriculture committee began its study into Canada’s processing capacity on Nov. 19. During the meeting, Conservative agriculture critic Lianne Rood joined her opposition colleagues in questioning the federal government’s decision to offer the sector $77.5 million in support when some industry estimates suggest roughly $800 million is needed. First announced in […] Read more
Farmed mink called COVID-19 mutation risk
Farmed mink raised in Canada could become infected with the COVID-19 virus, says a University of Saskatchewan expert in veterinary microbiology. That’s not a huge problem, if the virus stays within the mink population. But if the virus moves from mink and back to humans, it could become a massive problem. “What we’re really concerned […] Read more
Crop variety development process called balancing act
Farmer input is encouraged as seed variety development regulations are updated to recognize the needs of both producers and the market
A steady stream of better crop varieties designed for Canadian farmers is essential for success in world markets, requiring a careful balancing act as the country updates its seed regulations. “One of the things that many people are stressing is that any decisions need to be science based and not politically or socially driven,” Erin […] Read more
Irresponsible ‘tough talk’ with China useless: Champagne
OTTAWA (Reuters) — Canada will keep pressing China to improve its human rights record but has no interest in irresponsible tough talk, says foreign minister Francois-Philippe Champagne. Bilateral ties between the two nations effectively froze in December 2018 when Canadian police picked up a senior Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. executive on a U.S. arrest warrant. […] Read more
FCC sees growth opportunity for processed food exports
Some of Canada’s biggest agricultural commodity exports have lots of room to grow — as processed food products, Farm Credit Canada says. Processed food products are an area where Canadian exports lag compared to bulk raw commodity exports, but there are areas in which there is good and growing demand for what Canada produces. “Canada […] Read more
Projects to make food safer receive funding
Making food safer is one goal of a $2 million investment by the federal government and the University of Saskatchewan. U of S researchers are partnering with industry to protect the food supply and improve crop processing with the latest technologies. Five research teams were awarded $1.08 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research […] Read more
Pandemic tough on fur industry
There are no cases of COVID-19 in Canadian mink farms, but the pandemic illness has nevertheless dealt harsh blows to the industry. Marianne Patten, executive secretary of the Canadian Mink Breeders Association, said the economic effects have been devastating. Active buying of pelts came to a halt early in the pandemic and has only recently […] Read more
GFI unrelated to Canpulse
At the end of October, the Canadian Grain Commission suspended the licence of Canpulse Foods, a pulse buyer and processor with an elevator in Kindersley, Sask. The CGC decision caused a headache for an unrelated company that didn’t lose its CGC licence. Some farmers in Saskatchewan have been contacting Global Food and Ingredients (GFI), a […] Read more
Ag Notes
Hemp board members announced Volunteers for the new board of directors of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance were recently announced. Ted Haney was appointed first president and chief financial officer. New directors are Carlos Agudelo of Eko-Terre, Wilson Johnston of Blue Sky Hemp and Jason Finnis of Bast Fibre Technologies. Existing board executive members are […] Read more
