The Collins Bay Institution at Kingston, Ont. includes maximum, medium and minimum security facilities for up to 720 male inmates. (CSC-scc.gc.ca)

Four farmers named to panel on Ontario prison farms

Four eastern Ontario farmers have been named to a new seven-member advisory panel on the “potential reopening” of two federal penitentiary farms at Kingston. Correctional Service Canada (CSC) on Thursday announced the panel members, who are expected to hold their first meeting next month and to “engage with community stakeholders” on the farms’ possible reopening.






B.C. Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick, shown here last October promoting the province’s income tax credit for farmers donating agricultural products to registered charities, held his Kelowna riding in the provincial election Tuesday night. (Gov.bc.ca)

B.C. ag minister, ag critic hang on in election

British Columbia’s incumbent agriculture minister and opposition agriculture critic have both held onto their seats in the legislature so far through the province’s harrowing election Tuesday. Complete results aren’t expected to be available until after the final count starting May 22, but preliminary results put the province’s governing Liberals in minority status with 43 of

Consumers are just figuring out what food fraud is to them, Sylvain Charlebois says. (John Greig photo)

Greig: Food fraud a challenge to whole food supply chain

Farmers are used to the conversation about how to manage trust with consumers. Food companies are learning it too, and finding food fraud to be a significant concern. Food fraud “comes back to trust,” according to Renata McGuire of NSF Consulting and Technical Services. “Do I trust this brand?” McGuire, along with Sylvain Charlebois, dean





CoCoRaHS’s map of precipitation over southern Ontario and Quebec for May 5, 2017. (Cocorahs.org)

Towns evacuated as heavy rains pelt Eastern Canada

Toronto/Ottawa | Reuters — Torrential rains lashed parts of central and Eastern Canada on Friday, causing flooding, flight delays and traffic disruptions, and the prime minister said the federal government was ready to provide help if necessary. The provinces of Ontario and Quebec have been dealing with the fallout of heavy spring rainfall this week,

U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order April 29 in Pennsylvania on the establishment of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy. (Screengrab from video at Whitehouse.gov)

U.S. farm groups pile on Canada as Trump eyes trade fairness

Winnipeg | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of the protected Canadian dairy system has emboldened U.S. farm groups to tackle other longstanding agriculture irritants, as the countries move toward rewriting trade rules. U.S. poultry exporters, who include Tyson Foods and Pilgrims Pride Corp., as well as egg sellers, are expected to seek greater