Another small group of Manitoba hogs has tested positive off-farm for the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv), this time at an unnamed “high-traffic site” in the province’s livestock-intensive southeast. The office of the provincial chief veterinary officer (CVO) reported Friday that the pigs in this case had been transported from another high-traffic site before they […] Read more
More Manitoba hogs turn up with PED
Quebec’s PQ, CAQ name ag critics
Quebec’s opposition Parti Quebecois (PQ) and Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) have named their agriculture critics for when the provincial assembly reconvenes next month. Interim PQ leader Stephane Bedard on Friday named Berthier MNA Andre Villeneuve as the official opposition critic for agriculture, fisheries and food. CAQ leader Francois Legault, also on Friday, named Sylvie D’Amours, […] Read more
Alta. pet food firm to make U.S. play with Kentucky plant
An Edmonton pet food manufacturer with a penchant for home-grown ingredients plans to expand its reach south of the border with a new U.S. facility, and new U.S. suppliers, in western Kentucky. Champion Petfoods, which operates plants at Morinville, Alta. and Oakville, Ont., announced Thursday it will build its third kitchen at Auburn, Kentucky, about […] Read more
Ex-ag committee chief Paradis named Que. ag minister
A former agriculture critic for Quebec’s provincial Liberals and former chair of the assembly’s agriculture, fisheries and food committee is the province’s new agriculture minister. Announcing his cabinet Wednesday following the April 7 election [Related story], incoming Premier Philippe Couillard named Pierre Paradis, the MNA for the Monteregie riding of Brome-Missisquoi since 1980, as the […] Read more
CP, CN book higher Q1 grain revenue, smaller grain handle
First-quarter revenue from grain handling is up at both Canadian Pacific (CP) and Canadian National (CN) Railways as the two companies both reported higher overall quarterly profit. CP on Tuesday booked overall first-quarter net income of $254 million on revenues of $1.509 billion for the period ending March 31 — the company’s best-ever Q1 result, […] Read more
OAC’s Kemptville campus funded for skills training
The Ontario government has put up $2 million to extend skills training programs at the Ontario Agricultural College’s (OAC) soon-to-be-shuttered Kemptville campus for the coming academic year. The province announced the funding Tuesday for the campus to continue to host skills training programs that “support the agricultural sector in eastern Ontario,” including the agricultural equipment […] Read more
Billiton resumes Sask. potash work at ‘modulated’ pace
Global mining giant BHP Billiton has resumed excavation work it put on hold late last year at its potash mining project in Saskatchewan — but plans to pace its dig to best meet market demand. The Australian/British company on Wednesday released its operational review for the nine months ending March 31, in which it reported […] Read more
Sask. sets up pre-emptive PEDv response fund
Saskatchewan and its hog industry are setting up a contingency fund against the day porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) arrives in the province. The federal and Saskatchewan governments on Thursday announced $200,000, to be matched by industry association Sask Pork, to offset “costs related to disease containment strategies, welfare issues, enhanced marketing efforts and mortality management” […] Read more
Maple Leaf’s Hamilton wiener plant now closed
A wiener processing plant on Maple Leaf Foods’ list of six further-processing facilities tapped for closure in the company’s 2011 “value creation” plan has officially shut its doors. The Toronto meat processing company on Thursday announced its plant on Brockley Road in Hamilton has closed and its production — plus 88 per cent of the […] Read more
Winnipeg egg processor to join Post
Winnipeg foodservice egg processor MFI Food Canada is poised to become an arm of breakfast giant Post as part of the U.S. company’s biggest-ever takeover deal. Post Holdings, whose brands include cereals such as Honeycomb, Alpha-Bits, Grape-Nuts and (in Canada) Shreddies, plus other cereal, snack and nutrition supplement products, announced Thursday it has an agreement […] Read more
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