Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister and opposition ag critic both easily held their ridings Monday night as the governing Saskatchewan Party completed its electoral hat trick. By about 1 a.m. Tuesday, Premier Brad Wall’s Saskatchewan Party had won 51 of 61 ridings, for a third straight majority mandate coming out of Monday’s general election. The opposition New […] Read more
Saskatchewan ag minister, ag critic return in election
U.S. trader Lansing takes bigger stake in Providence
Prairie grain handler Providence Grain Group is set to add some merchandising bench strength as its silent partner takes a bigger stake. Kansas-based Lansing Trade Group, which maintains grain trading desks in Western Canada, announced in late March it will increase its stake in Alberta-based Providence Grain to 38 per cent, up from about 12 […] Read more
Tropical fruit giant buys Canada’s top mushroom firm
A major worldwide distributor and marketer of bananas, pineapples and melons is making a move into the mushroom business, by buying Canada’s biggest player. Fyffes, whose products are sold in Canada and the U.S. under the Fyffes, Turbana, Sol and Fresh Quest labels, on Friday announced it has paid $145 million for all equity in […] Read more
Farm emissions research program renewed
A federal program backing research into farm-level technologies and practices that limit farms’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has been picked up for another five-year run. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay on Wednesday announced $27 million is budgeted over the 2016-21 period for the Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Program (AGGP). More information about criteria for the renewed program […] Read more
Two more states’ eggs, poultry allowed into Canada
Cross-border travellers may again bring raw poultry meat, eggs and live birds into Canada from North Dakota and Missouri. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency last week shortened its list of U.S. states under avian influenza-related restrictions to just one. Indiana remains under limits imposed in January after highly pathogenic (“high-path”) H7N8 avian flu turned up at […] Read more
Roundup Ready alfalfa primed for launch in East
The company with Roundup Ready alfalfa on its launchpad plans a limited rollout of commercial seed into Canada’s six eastern provinces this spring. In a move likely to face opposition from several farm groups across the country, Forage Genetics International (FGI) on Tuesday announced plans for a limited release of commercial HarvXtra alfalfa “in time for […] Read more
Premium Brands buys meat supplier C+C
Montreal meat distributor and processor C+C Packing is set to become a new eastern arm for Vancouver food firm Premium Brands. Premium Brands last Tuesday announced a $146 million cash-and-stock deal to buy C+C and its in-house processing arm Premier Meat Packers. The company supplies fresh and frozen meats to grocery chains, the hotel and […] Read more
B.C. pulls PST for farm telehandlers, skid steers
Qualifying farmers in British Columbia are now able to buy telehandlers, skid steers and polycarbonate greenhouse panels for farm use without paying the province’s seven per cent sales tax. The province on Thursday announced the additions, effective Feb. 17, to its list of goods, equipment and services for which eligible farmers are PST-exempt. Farmers wanting […] Read more
Mexico clears Canadian poultry meat for import
Duck and other poultry from Canada may again be exported to Mexico, for the first time since 2004. Canada’s Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland on Thursday announced Mexico had reopened its border to fresh poultry meat including chicken, turkey and, “most significant in terms of historical trade,” duck. Mexico had […] Read more
Alberta to pare slots cut for horse racing sector
A renewed 10-year funding agreement for Alberta’s horse racing industry body will see its take from racetrack slot machine revenue cut from almost 52 per cent down to 40 per cent by 2018. The provincial government, in a release March 19, said its new agreement “will help ensure the viability of Alberta’s horse racing industry […] Read more
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