Canadian meat packer Maple Leaf Foods is buying space on the non-meat side of the deli section with a deal for U.S. processor Lightlife Foods. Toronto-based Maple Leaf announced Tuesday it would pay US$140 million for Lightlife, which makes vegetarian burgers, hot dogs, sausage, deli cuts, jerky and other meatless protein products at Turners Falls, […] Read more
Maple Leaf to buy U.S. veggie dog, burger maker
Saskatchewan approves largest multi-farm drainage plan
Saskatchewan’s provincial Water Security Agency has signed off on what it describes as the largest single agricultural drainage project in the province’s history, with more projects of a similar scale to come. The province announced Thursday it has issued a single approval for 73 landowners in the province’s southeast to set up an “organized and […] Read more
Newfoundland expands Crown land base for farming
CORRECTED, Feb. 28, 2017 — The Newfoundland and Labrador government plans to boost the amount of land available to the province’s farmers by allocating more Crown land for development. The province’s Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods announced Thursday it has now identified 62 “agriculture areas of interest” to date, totalling about 158,150 acres. The […] Read more
VIDEO: Canada’s Agriculture Day Celebration in Ottawa
Members of the agricultural community gathered in Ottawa and in 200 events around the country to Celebrate Canada’s Agriculture Day on Feb. 16, 2017. In this video, Cam Choquette (student), Lane Stockbrugger (farmer) and Michael Hoffort (FCC CEO) share their experiences of the day.
FCC launches new loan for young agri-businesspeople
Canada’s federal farm lending agency is expanding its loan offerings in agribusiness and agrifood with a new program aimed at young businesspeople. Farm Credit Canada’s Young Entrepreneur Loan, launched Thursday in Ottawa during Canada Agriculture Day celebrations, will offer financing of up to $1 million per qualified applicant under age 40, at closed variable rates […] Read more
Syngenta to shed southwestern Ontario seed storehouse
Crop chemical and seed firm Syngenta Canada plans to shut and sell its seed distribution site in southwestern Ontario by the end of May. The company announced Wednesday it would shut its operations at Cottam, about 30 km southeast of Windsor, “not later than May 31.” The Cottam site, formerly a seed processing plant, was […] Read more
A+W books sales growth despite Prairie ‘challenges’
Canadian burger and root beer chain A+W has chalked up another year of same-store sales growth despite “economic challenges” in the Alberta and Saskatchewan markets. Posting its year-end results on Tuesday, A+W’s Vancouver-based income fund reported same-store sales growth of 3.4 per cent in 2016 over 2015, down from a 7.6 per cent sales growth […] Read more
Canada’s competition watchdog clears Syngenta takeover
Canada’s farmers aren’t likely to see less competition for their crop chemical dollars if the owner of Adama Canada buys Syngenta, the Canadian antitrust watchdog has ruled. The Competition Bureau on Tuesday issued a “no action” letter for the takeover of Syngenta by China National Chemical Corp. (ChemChina), saying the deal is “unlikely to result […] Read more
Viterra plans new eastern Alberta elevator
Glencore’s Prairie grain handling arm Viterra plans to stake a new claim in the northeastern Alberta market with a new high-throughput elevator at Vegreville. The company announced Monday it has picked up the necessary regulatory approvals and expects to start construction along Canadian National Railway (CN) track this spring. The elevator is expected to have […] Read more
Grainews editor, investment columnist Andy Sirski, 73
Memorial services will be held Friday in Winnipeg for Andy Sirski, the ag rep turned farm writer who encouraged Prairie producers to expand their views of financial planning beyond the farm gate. Sirski was best known to farmers in his role as editor of Grainews from 1995 to 2006 and as the farm journal’s “Off-Farm […] Read more
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