General

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) says more than 13,500 children and participants in Canada will take part this year in Progressive Agriculture Safety Day events, the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America. More than 70 Canadian events are scheduled across rural communities in 2012, with the majority of […] Read more

The Quebec-based Metro supermarket chain is partnering with the social change organization Equiterre for a pilot project supporting Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). From June to November three of the chain’s stores – in Granby, Joliette and Trois-Rivieres – will serve as a drop off point for produce baskets from operations that are either certified organic […] Read more

Quebec’s La Coop fédérée has signed an ownership agreement with the most advanced biomass company in Canada, Prairie Bio Energy Inc. (PBE Group). This agreement will make La Coop fédérée the owner of 50 per cent of all intellectual properties possessed by PBE Group. This new partnership will allow La Coop fédérée to become a […] Read more

A small farm in the country’s largest city has gotten a new lease on life. Toronto media are reporting a new deal that will keep Riverdale Farm open to the public. It’s a farm and interpretive centre that’s been a long-time draw for young families in Toronto and its future was unclear in light of […] Read more

A proposed new food safety model that would "standardize" Canada’s approach to federal food inspection across all commodities and products has been laid out for stakeholder comment. The federal government on Friday released a discussion document proposing a "more effective and efficient food inspection system" that would "standardize requirements and procedures across all food, based […] Read more

Farm cash receipts for Canadian farmers totalled $14.4 billion during the first quarter of this year, up 16.9 per cent from the same period in 2011, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday. Farm cash receipts, which include crop and livestock revenues plus program payments, increased in every province except Prince Edward Island (down 2.5 per cent). Increases […] Read more

Saskatoon’s PotashCorp plans to cut about 15 per cent of the workforce at its phosphate mine and fertilizer and feed supplement plant in North Carolina through "voluntary separations" and layoffs. "As a company, we never take these decisions lightly," Steve Beckel, general manager of the company’s plant at Aurora, about 70 km southeast of Greenville, […] Read more

A United Nations expert sees Canada’s "export-led" agricultural and trade policies hampering the farming sector’s ability to move to "sustainable and decentralized" food systems. Olivier De Schutter, the UN’s special rapporteur on the right to food, wrapped up his official visit to Canada on Wednesday with a statement that credits Canadian farmers for their support […] Read more