Today's Statistics Canada numbers of 2013 production confirmed what everyone already new — Canadian farmers have a heck of a harvest in the bin (or headed there shortly). So while the production figures are perhaps old news and bearish, there is one very cool tidbit of information in the list: canola production, for the first... Read More
Category: News
The Five Nations Beef Alliance (FNBA) met in Australia for their annual conference. Tours and introductions began in Brisbane, then gradually migrated towards Cairns, where the conference concluded. Some of the topics discussed at the FNBA meetings, included discussions around: the letter of support for a comprehensive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Country of Origin Labelling, consumer... Read More
Hot on the heels of Chipotle's "Scarecrow" scare tactics, comes the announcement from the fast-food chain A&W that it will now be serving "better beef" in both Canada and the U.S. What is better beef? Beef that was raised without the use of growth promotants, according to the company's press release. A&W has devoted an... Read More
Manitoba has its first two cases of confirmed clubroot symptoms on canola — prior to now, only viable spores had been found in Manitoba soil. The provincial government announced yesterday that two unrelated fields have tested positive for this destructive disease. There is no mention of where the fields are located, but earlier this summer... Read More
Reports of increased bee deaths in the spring of 2012 in areas of Ontario and Quebec were alarming, but, at the time, attributed at least in part to the unseasonably cool and wet spring. This past spring, however, had more average temperatures but also had a higher than average reported bee kills. What's troublesome about... Read More
Ontario Premier and Minister of Agriculture Kathleen Wynne was on hand at Foodshare Toronto yesterday to announce that applications are now open for a new Local Food Fund. "Supporting local food does so much for Ontario. We are committed to working with our industry partners to increase the demand for local food, which will feed... Read More
Bees, as pollinators, are essential to food production worldwide. So when solid evidence of a link between corn planting and bee deaths in Ontario and Quebec was found, farmers and industry recognized the need to look into how to manage the risk of bee exposure to a particular insecticide class called neonicotinoids. As Steve Denys,... Read More
For rural and farming communities, an accident of any kind can be made worse simply because of distance. The extra time it takes for help to arrive or to transport to a fully equipped hospital can, quite literally, be the difference between life and death. The STARS Ambulance, a helicopter-based rescue team, is a key... Read More
The main, 2-storey structure of the popular St. Jacobs Famers' Market, at Waterloo, Ont., is a complete loss after a fire early Monday morning. Firefighting crews from four different stations responded to the call received around 2 a.m., but the wooden structure was already fully engulfed in flames by the time crews arrived. No one... Read More
Federated Co-operatives Limited, on behalf of the Co-operative Retailing System (CRS), has entered into an agreement to purchase 17 fertilizer, seed and agriculture chemical supply centres from Viterra Inc. Pending completion of customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, the transaction is expected to close by the end of September, according to a company press release.... Read More