Wireworm action added to cereal seed treatment

Bayer CropScience has installed a neonicotinoid wireworm defense in the latest version of its Raxil cereal seed treatment. The company last week launched Raxil PRO Shield, which includes the active fungicides from Bayer’s Raxil PRO formulation, tebuconazole, prothioconazole and metalaxyl. The new product, however, also includes imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, in a new “Stress Shield” […] Read more

Coop Federee to close Que. hardware distribution centre

Agricultural co-operative La Coop federee plans to close the distribution centre supplying “hardware and material” to its Unimat chain of ag supply and hardware retail stores by early next year. The Quebec co-op giant, whose operations also include fuel company Sonic and meat packer Olymel, said Friday it will gradually shut down those distribution operations […] Read more


Alta. declares PEDv a reportable disease

Mindful of its potentially devastating effect on farrowing operations, and its recent arrival in Canada, Alberta has moved to declare the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) a reportable disease. Dr. Gerald Hauer, the province’s chief veterinarian, announced the change in PEDv’s status effective Jan. 20, citing “the economic harm that it could cause to the […] Read more

A+W — whose Root Bear mascot is shown here in March 2013, opening the chain’s 100th restaurant in Quebec — booked higher same-store sales in 2013, partly crediting its “Better Beef” campaign. (CNW Group/A+W Food Services of Canada Inc. )

A+W ‘pleased with progress’ from no-hormone burger push

The year-end financials for Canada’s second-biggest burger chain find its recasting of its beef as produced with “no added hormones or steroids” has so far been “positively received” by diners. The A+W Revenue Royalties Income Fund and A+W Food Services of Canada announced their fourth-quarter and year-end results Thursday, booking sales of $278.1 million for […] Read more


(Photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

New seed flow lubricant to be only one allowed on corn, soy

With bees and other pollinators in mind, corn and soybean growers who’ve used seed flow lubricants when planting seed treated with neonicotinoid pesticides will have only one option this spring. Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has rolled out new guidelines for corn and soybean planting which will permit only the use of Bayer […] Read more

PEDv hits more Ont. farrowing barns

The porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, most often fatal to new young piglets, has appeared so far this week at three more farrow-to-finish operations in southwestern Ontario. Ontario Pork on its website reported two new cases of PEDv at farrow-to-finish barns in Perth and Wellington counties, confirmed Wednesday, along with a case confirmed Tuesday at another […] Read more


CN’s last work stoppage saw its Teamster-represented engineers walk the picket line in 2009. (File photo by Dave Bedard)

CN, Teamsters reach new deal to avoid conductors’ strike

Conductors, trainmen and yardmen for Canadian National Railway (CN) will remain on the job following an 11th-hour tentative agreement under threat of back-to-work legislation. “We commend the leadership of the (Teamsters Canada Rail Conference unit) for reaching consensus with the company and averting a possible strike,” CN chief operating officer Jim Vena said in a […] Read more




Ont. dairy co-op buys Hamilton cheesemaker

Hamilton’s family-owned Salerno Dairy, a specialty Italian-style cheesemaker, is becoming part of Ontario’s largest dairy co-operative. Gay Lea Foods announced Monday it has reached a deal, effective Feb. 1, to buy Salerno for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 1962 by cheesemaker Carmine Marzaro and his family, Salerno today makes hard, soft, semi-soft and shredded cheese […] Read more