Canadian oats will be used in skin care and health products under a new licensing agreement between the federal government and an Alberta biotech company. The licensing agreement will help Ceapro use Canadian oats to create beauty and skin products. Agriculture Canada scientist William Collins discovered 25 years ago that avenanthramides are naturally occurring polyphenols […] Read more
Tag Archives Ag Finance
New Ag Canada technology expands markets for oats
Environmental protection has cost: ranchers, farmers
Conservation plan | Fair compensation sought for conservation measures
Producers attending a recent meeting of the federal government’s environment committee said healthy soil, air and water are important to them, but they want the public to know that taking care of those resources does not come for free. They urged members on the committee to push for fair compensation and recognition for ecosystem protection. […] Read moreTapping into water needs
About one-third of global food production depends on non-renewable ground water. That is not sustainable, said Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute in Oakland, California, during the Water in a World of Seven Billion conference in Calgary May 9-12. “We are going to have to figure out how to move to sustainable food production with […] Read more
Grain firm grapples with volatility
Leadership transition | Pulse business struggles but Legumex Walker expands into new areas
One of the pioneers of the pulse and special crops industry is exiting the business. Dave Walker has retired as chair of Legumex Walker Inc., one of Canada’s largest pulse processing firms. His replacement is Bruce Scherr, chair and chief executive officer of Informa Economics Inc. Walker spent nearly three decades in the special crops […] Read moreAnimal welfare concerns growing
Opposition to sow stalls appears to have reached a tipping point in North America. McDonald’s, Burger King, Tim Hortons, Wendy’s and Safeway have all announced plans in the last four months to eventually buy pork only from farms with open housing systems. The corporate decisions represent a victory for animal welfare organizations in Canada and […] Read more
Government shifts roles of agricultural inspectors
Government a compliance watchdog | Industry associations will be responsible for certifying products for effectiveness
Federal government agricultural inspectors will soon spend more of their time auditing and less time performing physical inspections. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency delivers 14 inspection programs related to food safety, plant and crop production and animal health. Each has its own enforcement, verification and inspection methods and looks at risk management differently. According to […] Read moreBetter enzymes, more benefits
Improves livestock digestion | New formulas break down fibre faster
Adding enzymes to pig and poultry diets is not new, but advanced forms are improving digestion and reducing the need for antibiotics. Canadian Bio-Systems of Calgary recently released two new products: Superzyme-CS and Superzyme-W. Superzyme-CS is an enzyme supplement for diets that include proteins from soybean, canola, peas and grain such as barley, wheat and […] Read moreToronto pro-vegan ad campaign provokes frank discussion
About one million commuters ride Toronto’s subway each day, so it’s a safe bet a few of them are now vegetarians thanks to provocative ads posted inside the subway cars last fall and this winter. The ads, sponsored by the Toronto Vegetarian Association, included an image of a puppy and a piglet with the tagline […] Read more
Updated code of practice coming for industry
As consumers become more interested in how their food is produced, it becomes more important for producers to explain their practices. So says University of Calgary animal welfare professor Ed Pajor. He serves on a committee developing a new code of practice for beef cattle, which was last updated in 1991. It’s a process that […] Read more
Activists push for change
Handle with care | Consumers want to know the meat they buy in the store has come from a farm where the animal was treated well
WINNIPEG — As she leaned forward in her chair, coffee cup clasped in two hands, Vicki Burns listened to a question about her career with the Winnipeg Humane Society. Burns, who was the bane of Manitoba hog farmers during the 1990s and the 2000s for her tireless efforts to ban sow stalls, leaned back and […] Read more
