The marketing board that oversees the hog industry in Quebec has given more time to the province's pork producers and processors to come to an agreement on how to handle pigs coming from outside the province following the COVID-19-related closure of an Olymel pork processing plant. Ontario pork producers dealing with a backlog of market-ready... Read More
Category: News
This is an updated story Maple Leaf Foods has closed its Brampton poultry processing plant after a total of three staff members have now tested positive for COVID-19. Initially, the company had announced no closures after individual staff members had tested positive at two plants: the Brampton plant and the Heritage plant at Hamilton, Ont.... Read More
Canadian farmland values are still growing, but at a slower rate year-over-year, according to Farm Credit Canada's most recent Farmland Values Report. The average value of Canadian farmland increased by 5.2 per cent in 2019, compared to 6.6 per cent in 2019, and 8.4 per cent in 2017. While still positive, 2019 also marks five... Read More
The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association (WCWGA) has elected a new chair. Daryl Fransoo, who farms near Glaslyn, Sask., was chosen at the most recent Wheat Growers' board meeting. He replaces Jim Wickett of Rosetown, Sask. Fransoo (pictured above right) farms with his father, growing spring and soft white wheat, malt barley, canola, multiple varieties... Read More
Many are wondering what sort of COVID-19 related disruptions producers are facing when it comes to spring operations on their farms. The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) has launched a weekly survey for Saskatchewan farmers to share how COVID-19 is affecting producers at the farm gate, and the first round of the survey is... Read More
Many temporary foreign workers are still in their home countries waiting for the green light (and an available flight) to come to Canada. Once here, the Government of Canada has laid out added measures and precautions for a mandatory 14-day isolation period. There are also new guidelines and rules in relation to seasonal workers, as... Read More
Ontario has launched a web portal connecting workers with employers looking to fill positions in the agri-food sector. The initiative is aimed at matching people to essential jobs and training resources throughout the provincial food supply chain in an effort to ensure grocery store shelves remain full during the COVID-19 outbreak. “Right now, there are... Read More
The fourteen day closure of an Olymel hog plant in Quebec has Ontario pork producers scrambling to find a slaughter destination for their finished hogs. Ontario producers normally ship around 20,000 pigs to Quebec for processing each week. The plant at Yamachiche, Que. and its 1000 employees have not been operating since March 29 after... Read More
The Ontario government has announced that farmers will have until June 30, 2020 to apply for or make changes to coverage under the risk management program (RMP) for Livestock and RMP: Grains and Oilseeds, Ontario's crop and livestock insurance programs. Extending the RMP deadlines "gives farmers more time to make business decisions and to assess... Read More
Olymel has notified pork producers in Ontario who ship to its processing plants in Quebec that it intends to exercise the force majeure clause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to industry sources. By invoking the clause, the company would no longer be required to purchase market hogs under the terms of the contracts it... Read More