Updated, March 7 — Grain growers planning to claim their checkoff payments for a federal Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR+ED) tax credit can expect slightly smaller credits going forward. Starting in the 2013 tax year, changes in federal tax law permit the SR+ED tax credit to be claimed on 80 per cent of eligible […] Read more
Change in SR+ED rule pares back grain growers’ tax credits
PEDv infectiveness not confirmed in piglet feed: CFIA
Federal lab tests still can’t rule piglet feed in or out as a possible source of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) in Canada. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Monday announced its findings after testing an Ontario company’s hog feed pellets containing U.S.-origin blood plasma from PEDv-infected hogs as an ingredient. [Related story] While […] Read more
PEDv arrives in Sask. on soiled boots, not yet in hogs
Saskatchewan has now officially had a close encounter of the third kind with the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) — but not in hogs. Saskatchewan’s chief veterinary officer Dr. Betty Althouse on Friday reported a confirmed “positive environmental sample” of both PEDv and transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) in a livestock trailer returning to the province from […] Read more
Calgary’s Big Rock picks B.C. brewery site
Calgary craft brewer Big Rock Brewery has picked a vacant warehouse in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant area for the site of a bigger-than-expected second brewery. The company had announced plans last September to set up and open a second brewery somewhere in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland region, expecting to spend in the range of $1.5 million […] Read more
Cows learn dairying faster when housed together: study
Housing new dairy cows in pairs rather than individual pens could improve their ability to learn new feeding and milking technologies, a new B.C. study suggests. The study by Rebecca Meagher, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia, shows dairy calves become better at learning by way of a “buddy system” — and […] Read more
Weyburn Terminal shareholders approve sale
Updated, March 3, 2014 — Shareholders in southeastern Saskatchewan grain handler Weyburn Inland Terminal have given their blessing to a Winnipeg suitor’s proposal. Farmer-owned WIT late Friday reported approval from 79.79 per cent of shares voted, in person or by proxy, for a friendly takeover by Winnipeg agrifood firm Parrish and Heimbecker. The vote was […] Read more
Vetoquinol to buy Bioniche animal health business
Ontario medical and veterinary drugmaker Bioniche Life Sciences has picked a suitor for the animal health portion of its business. Belleville-based Bioniche announced Thursday it has reached a deal to sell its animal health business to France-based veterinary pharma firm Vetoquinol for $61 million, pending shareholder approval and other closing conditions. Bioniche’s animal health business […] Read more
Feds back farm safety training ahead of Ag Safety Week
A five-year federal funding pledge for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is expected to help fund more farm safety training and monitoring progress towards safer farms. Candice Bergen, the federal minister of state for social development, announced the funding through the Fostering Business Development stream of AgriCompetitiveness — a $114-million program under Growing Forward […] Read more
Prairie rail jams putting Canadian millers in shutdown mode
A rail backlog keeping Prairie wheat and oats from arriving at Canadian mills has already forced some millers to suspend operations, according to the millers’ organization. In the Feb. 27 issue of the Manitoba Co-operator, Canadian National Millers Association (CNMA) president Gordon Harrison notes “prolonged interruptions of up to three to four weeks” in wheat […] Read more
CN shutting parts of Prairie main lines for weekend
Canadian National Railway (CN) plans to close down several stretches of its main line on the Prairies for the weekend starting Friday night, citing “ongoing extreme cold weather.” CN said in an email Friday (Feb. 28) it will suspend operations from 8 p.m. local time until 8 a.m. Monday morning (March 3) on six subdivisions. […] Read more