Fruit/Vegetables & Production Tips

Potato partnership brings prosperity

Atlantic Region: Outstanding young farmers work in  partnership to grow potatoes on Prince Edward Island

By Shirley Byers November 25, 2014

Andrew and Heidi Law-less, the 2014 Outstanding Young Farmer nominees representing the Atlantic Canada region, are both from a P.E.I. farming background. Heidi grew up on a mixed farm (purebred Angus cattle, potatoes and grain). Andrew is the third generation on the Lawless potato farm a stone’s throw from the little town of Kinkora where […] Read more

young woman in a greenhouse of growing vegetables

Crops, Fruit/Vegetables, News

Vegetables straight to consumers, year round

B.C. / Yukon: Outstanding Young Farmer Lydia Ryall gets her organic vegetables  into the hands of her grateful customers 12 months of the year

By Shirley Byers November 24, 2014

Lydia Ryall, the 2014 Outstanding Young Farmer nominee for the B.C./Yukon region grows vegetables and pastures a flock of 100 laying hens on her 10 acre certified organic farm on Westham Island off the B.C. west coast. From a young age, she knew she wanted to be a farmer. She kept her eyes on that […] Read more

(Stephen Ausmus photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Crops, Potatoes, Reuters

USDA clears GMO potato with lower cancer risk

By GFM Network News November 8, 2014

CORRECTED, Nov. 10, 2014 — Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday approved the first genetically modified potato for commercial planting in the United States in more than a decade, a move likely to draw the ire of groups opposed to artificial manipulation of foods. The so-called Innate potato, developed by the […] Read more

Crops, Fruit/Vegetables, Markets, Reuters

Cutrale-Safra wins takeover battle for fruit producer Chiquita

By GFM Network News October 27, 2014

Sao Paulo | Reuters — Chiquita Brands International agreed on Monday to a US$682 million takeover by Brazilian juice maker Grupo Cutrale and investment firm Safra Group, with the U.S.-based banana producer going private early next year at the latest. The acquisition is a victory for Brazilian-Lebanese financier Joseph Safra and orange juice baron Jose […] Read more

Crops, Fruit/Vegetables, Reuters

Ukraine appeals to WTO over Russian ban on fruit, vegetable imports

By GFM Network News October 23, 2014

Kiev | Reuters –– Ukraine has complained to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about a decision by Russia to ban imports of fruit and vegetables from the country, the agriculture ministry said Thursday. The ban, which came into force Wednesday, was the latest trade barrier erected by Russia in a trade and sanctions war linked […] Read more

Crops, Fruit/Vegetables, Markets

Canadian produce growers lose U.S. default protection

By GFM Network News October 4, 2014

Canadian fruit and vegetable growers shipping produce to the U.S. have just lost a key piece of insurance against U.S. buyers who skip out on their bills. The Fresh Produce Alliance (FPA), representing the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) and Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation (DRC), announced Friday that Washington […] Read more

FarmLife, Fruit/Vegetables

Family-run orchard and U-pick operation

Prairie-hardy fruit provides the potential  for this successful business 

By Edna Manning September 26, 2014

A visit to the Bruno Cherry Festival in 2005 inspired Paul and Jacquie Mitchell to expand their U-pick orchard to include University of Saskatchewan sour cherries and haskap berries. The delicious flavour and the hardiness of the fruit convinced them of its potential. The Mitchells had purchased their farm, located in Eagle Hills south of […] Read more

Crops, Potatoes

Wrigley exec to lead McCain’s in Canada

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News September 25, 2014

The president of the Canadian arm of confection maker Wrigley is moving into the head office at McCain Foods’ Canadian business. Shai Altman will take the post of McCain Foods’ president, Canada, effective Oct. 20, replacing Darryl Rowe, who’d held the post since 2010 and announced late last year he’d be leaving the company. Altman, […] Read more

Crops, Fruit/Vegetables, Markets

Fruit, veg exporters fear loss of U.S. payment default coverage

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News September 24, 2014

The U.S. could potentially yank the payment default protection it grants to Canadian exporters of fresh fruit and vegetables if Canada doesn’t extend the same courtesy southward, produce growers warn. Under the U.S. Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), Canadian produce suppliers exporting into the U.S. have had the same rights as U.S. suppliers to recover […] Read more

Potatoes, Wheat & Chaff

Minimize potato bruising

Simple adjustments to your harvest equipment helps maintain good quality potatoes

By Susan Ainsworth September 18, 2014

As a potato producer, the first thought on your mind at harvest is probably “Go!” But this year, you might want to modify this idea slightly to “Go gently.” Challenging planting conditions caused above-average levels of seed-piece decay in some growing regions, resulting in uneven plant stands. And that means a challenging harvest, given the […] Read more

GFM Network News

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures rise on first WASDE since September

U.S. export sales include only small soybean business to China

U.S. corn and soybean yields revised down by USDA

Fruit/Vegetables