The Fresh From the Farm fundraising program has expanded to 28 Ontario school boards, just three years into the pilot project. This is an expansion over the 19 school boards from last year, says the group. The program, where students sell bundles of Ontario potatoes, carrots, and onions and boxes of apples, has helped schools… Read More

Monsanto has announced $4 million in funding to protect monarch butterfly populations, mainly through the restoration of milkweed habitat in North America. The company on Tuesday committed $3.6 million over three years to the U.S. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, as well as $400 thousand in funding for universities and non-profit organizations involved in monarch conservation. It’s estimated… Read More

After months of anticipation, the grain and oilseed market finally got to see the U.S.D.A.’s acreage estimates for 2015 on Tuesday morning. While traders had braced themselves for some surprises and volatility, most of the numbers in both the Prospective Plantings and Quarterly Grain Stocks reports fell within the range of expectations. However, the numbers… Read More

Canaryseed is not listed as an official grain in the Canada Grain Act, so farmers selling the crop have no protection from the Canadian Grain Commission’s licensing and bonding program. The Canaryseed Development Commission of Saskatchewan (CDSC) issued a notice on Monday reminding producers about payment risk, while singling out a Melfort-based specialty crop buyer. The… Read More

Sofina Foods Inc. has announced plans to turn the former Great Lakes Specialty Meats hog processing plant in Mitchell, Ontario into a turkey processing operation. The Markham-based company acquired the property in September 2014 after Great Lakes entered receivership. According to court documents, a net $4.77 million was paid for the site, which includes a… Read More

Responding to demands from both the Canadian wheat industry and international customers, the Canadian Grain Commission has proposed creating a new class of milling wheat for Western Canada.As part of this Wheat School West episode, Daryl Beswitherick, program manager for quality assurance with the CGC, explains they believe the creation of a new milling class with lower gluten… Read More

A&L Biologicals Inc. will receive funding of nearly $1.2 million to help develop a diagnostic test aimed at providing corn producers information to “increase their productivity through improved plant and soil health,” says an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada press release. A&L Biologicals will use molecular technologies to detect and diagnose microorganisms that impact corn output…. Read More