Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has accepted the challenge from Canada’s poultry and egg farmers to shave his moustache in support of prostate cancer awareness and men’s mental health. Chicken Farmers of Canada, Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, Egg Farmers of Canada and Turkey Farmers of Canada issued the challenge in recognition of Movember, the public campaign […] Read more
Ritz to shave his moustache during Movember
CFIA fertilizer efficacy testing optional, for now
Agency to focus only on product safety starting in 2013
CROP CHECKUP: Potential for four generations of diamondbacks
In his weekly Call of the Land report Alberta Agriculture pest specialist Scott Meers says that diamondback moths could be a season-long threat, especially in southern Alberta where emergence was so early this year. The first adults of the new generation have been spotted around Lethbridge this week. "This is really early, these generations will […] Read more
Feds fund Cargill for waste processing at High River
The federal government has announced a grant of $10 million to Cargill Meat Solutions for its plant at High River, Alberta. The funds are for purchase and installation of new equipment designed to safely dispose of specified risk materials (SRM), landfill trash, and compost material to produce energy, while producing energy in the form of […] Read more
Robert Meijer appointed president of Canada Beef Inc.
Robert Meijer, former Director of Corporate Affairs for Cargill Limited, has been appointed President of Canada Beef Inc. effective August 1, 2011. “Rob’s extensive background in the beef industry ranges from domestic and international marketing to trade and regulatory issues. This, coupled with his dynamic approach to taking the interests of Canada Beef forward on […] Read more
Final 2010-11 PROs slightly down from last month
The Canadian Wheat Board has released its final Pool Return Outlook (PRO) for the 2010-11 crop year. Wheat values have declined slightly from last month’s PRO, with most values dropping between $1 and $7 per tonne, depending on class, grade and protein level. Milling quality durum values are down by $5 per tonne since the […] Read more
Brad Wildeman elected board chair of Canada Beef Inc.
Canadian Cattlemen’s Association past-president Brad Wildeman has been elected as chair of the board of Canada Beef Inc., the new organization formed by the merger of Canadian Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Agency (National Check-off Agency), Canada Beef Export Federation and the Beef Information Centre. Wildeman is a feedlot operator from Lanigan, Saskatchewan. […] Read more
Frozen pizza plant announced for London
Food manufacturer Dr. Oetker Canada has announced construction of its first North American frozen pizza production facility in London. An Ontario government release said the expansion project will help the company source over 24 million pounds of high-quality ingredients from Ontario farmers and food processors and produce about 50 million frozen pizzas per year for […] Read more
China canola agreement extended
Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has announced that China has agreed to continue an agreement to accept imports of Canadian canola. In 2009, exports of Canadian canola seed to China were affected by import restrictions related to the fungal disease blackleg, but an interim agreement was reached to allow imports to continue while both sides […] Read more
Please don’t bring these in your baggage
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is urging travellers to be mindful of the role they play in keeping Canada free of serious foreign animal diseases. “Travellers should be extra vigilant at the border in light of recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Asia, classical swine fever in Europe, and African swine fever in Russia. While […] Read more