A set-aside program has formally been launched to help Ontario’s 6,800-odd cattle producers maintain market-ready animals while Eastern Canada’s biggest beef slaughter plant remains closed. Federal and provincial officials on Monday announced applications are now open for the Canada-Ontario COVID-19 AgriRecovery Beef Emergency Feed Maintenance Initiative, with applications for the first intake period due by […] Read more
Ontario’s beef set-aside AgriRecovery plan underway
Applications for first intake due Dec. 22
Former KAP president promoted at CGC
KAP GM to replace Chorney as CGC's assistant chief
The acting chief commissioner for Canada’s grain handling regulator has formally levelled up to the chief’s role, while the GM of Manitoba’s general farm group replaces him at the second seat. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Monday appointed Doug Chorney — an agricultural engineer and grain and oilseed grower at East Selkirk, Man. — […] Read more
Ontario to limit imports, transport of live elk, deer
Moves meant to keep out chronic wasting disease
Moving live captive cervids such as elk, deer, moose and caribou into or within Ontario is set to be banned under new provincial regulations to keep out chronic wasting disease (CWD). The province said Thursday it has amended regulations under its Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act that will ban anyone from importing live, captive cervids […] Read more
Lactalis to buy Agropur’s yogurt business
Deal to include two processing plants, major yogurt brands
Canadian dairy co-operative Agropur has reached a deal to sell its yogurt processing business and plants to the Canadian arm of French dairy giant Groupe Lactalis. The deal, as announced Thursday, will include Agropur’s plants at Granby, Que. and Delta, B.C. plus the operations at a distribution centre it leases at Longueuil, Que. Financial terms […] Read more
Guelph beef plant idled against COVID-19 outbreak
Cattle set-aside plan en route, BFO says
Agrifood giant Cargill is temporarily halting production at its beef processing plant at Guelph, Ont. in the wake of a significant COVID-19 outbreak among employees. The company announced it would “begin the process to temporarily idle” the Dunlop Drive plant effective Thursday (Dec. 17). “This was a difficult decision for our team who are operating […] Read more
New greening programs planned for ag alongside carbon tax hike
Carbon price to hit $170 per tonne by 2030
A new federal climate plan which further cranks up taxes on carbon emissions also includes pledges of new programs to help sink more carbon into farmland. The government on Friday released the sequel to its 2016 Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change — a “strengthened” climate plan, titled A Healthy Environment and a […] Read more
COVID outbreak shuts Nova Scotia poultry plant
Province closes Eden Valley for at least two weeks
Provincial officials have temporarily shut a chicken and turkey slaughter and processing plant in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, citing recent cases of COVID-19 among employees. Eden Valley Poultry’s processing plant at Berwick will be closed “for at least two weeks,” the provincial health department said in a release Friday. “We know this will be a […] Read more
Group 27 herbicide resistance arrives in Canada
Mesotrione-resistant waterhemp confirmed in Quebec
A persistent and fiercely competitive weed that has developed resistance to several herbicide groups since its arrival in Canada is now the first in the country to fight off a Group 27 product. Quebec’s Reseau d’avertissement phytosanitaire (RAP) last Friday reported a patch of waterhemp with resistance to mesotrione herbicide in the Haut-Richelieu municipality, in […] Read more
Minks, staff positive for COVID-19 at B.C. mink farm
Coronavirus found in eight workers, five mink so far
A mink farm in southwestern British Columbia’s Fraser Valley is now under provincial veterinary quarantine and its staff self-isolating after several animals and workers tested positive for COVID-19. Fraser Valley Health, the regional health authority for the area, on Sunday declared an outbreak at the farm after eight workers tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus […] Read more
U.S. throws down CUSMA challenge on Canada’s dairy import limits
Filing challenges Canadian tariff rate quota reserved for processors
Five months and counting since the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement came into force, the U.S. government has launched a CUSMA challenge of how Canada applies tariff exemptions on dairy imports. U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer said Wednesday he has served Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng with written notice that the U.S. is “exercising its rights to […] Read more
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