Pulses & Production Tips

Nestle launching pea-based vegan alternative to tuna

'Vuna' going first to Swiss supermarkets

By Reuters, GFM Network News August 20, 2020

Zurich | Reuters — Food giant Nestle is launching a new plant-based tuna alternative in Switzerland this month ahead of a global rollout, hoping that consumers eating at home during the COVID-19 pandemic will stay eager to try new products. Known for Maggi soups and bouillon cubes, Nestle has been investing in plant-based food to […] Read more

Green lentils. (Savany/iStock/Getty Images)

Crops, Lentils, Markets

Pulse weekly: Harvest pressure now hitting lentils

By GFM Network News August 18, 2020

MarketsFarm — As the harvest begins to ramp up across Canada, lentil prices have begun to feel some of the downward pressure. However, to Marcos Mosnaim of Globeways Canada Inc. at Mississauga, Ont. there’s more to the recent declines. “We are feeling pressure from other origins. As United States green lentils are selling much cheaper […] Read more

An artists’ rendition of the Merit Functional Foods plant under construction in Winnipeg. (Meritfoods.com)

Canola, Crops, Peas

Plant-protein processor’s new processing plant gets grant

Feds, province put up cash for new equipment

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News August 18, 2020

The federal and Manitoba governments have added a seven-figure contribution to their support for a new facility to process plant proteins from canola and peas. Merit Functional Foods will put the additional money toward “new equipment purchases that will support the transformation of raw inputs into value-added goods.” The unspecified new technology is expected to […] Read more

File photo of a pea crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Crops, Markets, Peas

Pea crops strong, but prices falter

By GFM Network News August 12, 2020

MarketsFarm — Pea crops across the Prairies are expected to be in good condition ahead of the harvest. “As we go along with the sunshine and heat, the pulses are coming in fairly quickly,” said Darwin Hamilton of Kalshea Commodities in Winnipeg. “Without any excess moisture, the quality should be good this year.” Pea prices […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Pulses

Pulse weekly outlook: Chickpea prices steady into harvest

By GFM Network News August 11, 2020

MarketsFarm — The chickpea harvest is underway in some areas of the Prairies, including southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, where pulse crops were planted earlier due to drier spring weather. So far, the chickpea crop has seen co-operative weather conditions. “As we go along with this sunshine and heat, the pulses are coming in very […] Read more

Chickpeas. (CalypsoArt/iStock/Getty Images)

Crops, Markets, Pulses

Pulse weekly outlook: Chickpea market under pressure

Current crop up against disease issues

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News August 5, 2020

MarketsFarm — Lost demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic is keeping pressure on the Canadian chickpea market, despite disease issues causing problems for nearly a third of the country’s crop, according to an industry source. After disease caused problems for chickpeas in some areas of southern Saskatchewan in 2019, the radius of the problem area […] Read more

Markets, Pulses

Pulse weekly outlook: Good year for Alberta pulses, except in northern regions

By GFM Network News July 28, 2020

MarketsFarm – Pulse crops are doing quite well in most of Alberta, according to the province’s agriculture department. However in the Peace River and northwest regions, the story has been much different. “This year, crop conditions are better than the five-year average in both the south and central regions. In the northern region, excess moisture […] Read more

Beyond Meat’s ‘latest iteration’ of its Beyond Burger gets to carry a Made in Canada label. (Photo courtesy Beyond Meat via Globe Newswire)

Crops, Peas

Beyond Meat lines up Canadian patty co-packer

U.S. company launches 'latest iteration' of burger line

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News July 23, 2020

One of the names tied closest to the plant protein-based meat substitute sector has enlisted an unnamed Quebec operation to make its beef-similar patties for the Canadian retail market. Los Angeles-based Beyond Meat on Wednesday launched the “latest iteration” of its flagship Beyond Burger, billed as “produced locally at a co-manufacturing facility in Canada” and […] Read more

Crops, Pulses, Weather

Pulse weekly outlook: Saskatchewan pulses heading for a good year

By GFM Network News July 21, 2020

MarketsFarm — Pulse crops in Saskatchewan are in shape to have a good year, according to Dale Risula, a pulse specialist with the province’s agriculture department. “Pulses got off to a pretty good start. Moisture levels in the soil were pretty good. Most of the pulses were up and growing rapidly,” Risula said, noting pulse […] Read more

Pinto beans. (Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Crops, Pulses, Soybeans

Pulse weekly outlook: Manitoba edible beans look good for now

Bean growers watching weather

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News July 15, 2020

MarketsFarm — Edible bean crops in Manitoba remain in generally good shape in mid-July, with early indications pointing to solid production on the year. “Overall, they look pretty good,” said Dennis Lange, provincial pulse specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, on the state of dry edible bean crops. The crops had struggled with wind damage early on […] Read more

CFIA rejects beekeeper proposals on U.S. packaged bees

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures fall hard, hogs mixed

Alberta Crop Report: Scattered rains, crop conditions

GFM Network News