(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Avian flu outbreaks climb in Quebec poultry

Thirteen outbreaks reported in province so far in April

After a relatively quiet March with just one outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in domestic poultry, Quebec has turned up 13 outbreaks so far this month. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency in April has reported detections of high-path avian flu at 13 sites in that province, including: three commercial barns in the regional county

(Merit Functional Foods video screengrab via YouTube)

Merit Foods co-owner Burcon partnering on bid for assets

Unnamed 'plant protein company' now in on Burcon's bid

A major shareholder in beleaguered pea and canola protein processor Merit Functional Foods has brought on an unnamed partner in its bid to buy the business out of receivership. After announcing last month it would submit a bid for the next-to-new Merit assets, Vancouver-based plant protein firm Burcon NutraScience said Monday it’s now “participating in


P.E.I. Ag Minister Bloyce Thompson speaks at a press conference in 2021. (Government of P.E.I. video screengrab via Facebook Live)

Thompson returns as P.E.I. ag minister

Ag and land ministry split; Compton not returning to cabinet

Prince Edward Island’s former agriculture minister is again its current ag minister, in a post-election cabinet shuffle by returning Premier Dennis King. Bloyce Thompson, MLA for the district of Stanhope-Marshfield since 2019 and ag minister from 2019 until last summer, was again appointed April 14 as King’s minister of agriculture, justice and public safety and

An adult lygus bug. (Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Matador, Voliam insecticides back in ‘limited’ release

Revised labels prohibit feeding, foraging of treated crops

Syngenta Canada no longer plans to keep its lambda-cyhalothrin insecticide products off the market in Western Canada this year — but it’s planning to have a smaller supply. The crop chem and seed company announced Friday it will have a “limited amount” of its lambda-cy-based products Matador 120EC and Voliam Xpress available in the West


Merit’s fall may create small setback in Manitoba pea market

Merit’s fall may create small setback in Manitoba pea market

The sale of the cash-strapped processor won’t be finalized until the end of May, at least

Manitoba farmers may see reduced opportunity to sell peas this year, as the fate of protein ingredient processor Merit Functional Foods remains undetermined until at least the end of the month. “Then the question is, do I continue to grow peas or do I switch to another crop. That’s a decision that the growers have probably made by now,”

A New Holland unit on display at the Yugagro exhibition in Krasnodar, Russia in 2021. (Media.cnhindustrial.com)

CNH sheds Russian business

New Holland, Case IH maker had suspended shipments last year

The maker of Case IH and New Holland tractors and combines is selling its business activities in Russia for about US$60 million. CNH Industrial, which employs about 200 people in Russia, announced the divestment in a release Wednesday without naming the buyer. CNH in March last year suspended all shipments and supplies to Russia and


Gerrit van der Scheer, CEO of Mechan’s parent firm Zweegers Equipment Group, with Toromont senior advisor Larry Moffatt (l-r). (Photo courtesy Mechan International)

Toromont to sell Manitoba Agco, Claas dealer chain

Dutch firm to buy AgWest

Canada’s Caterpillar equipment distributor for Manitoba and points east is set to sell a major Manitoba dealer of Agco’s farm equipment brands as well as the province’s exclusive dealer for Claas combines. Toromont Industries announced Monday it will sell its AgWest Ltd. arm to Dutch equipment distributor Mechan International, effective May 1. Neither company would

(Sollio Co-operative Group video screengrab via YouTube)

Olymel to shut one Quebec hog slaughter plant

New provincial hog supply agreement in works as Vallee-Jonction facility set to close

Quebec-based meat packer Olymel’s bid to stem losses in its fresh pork business now includes closing down one of its five Canadian hog slaughter plants. Olymel, the protein arm of Sollio Co-operative, announced Friday it will wind down operations at its hog slaughter, cutting and deboning plant at Vallee-Jonction, Que. and permanently close the facility


CME June 2023 live cattle with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures continue climbing

Lean hog futures down on day

Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle and feeder cattle futures continued climbing Tuesday, with most-active June live cattle again reaching a new contract high. CME June live cattle closed Tuesday at 163.95 cents/lb., up 0.25 cent on the day, while lightly-traded front-month April also closed at a new contract high of 172.3 cents, up 0.925

(Screengrab from Merit Functional Foods video via YouTube)

Bidding open for Merit Foods for two more weeks

Stakeholder Burcon plans to put up 'compelling bid'

The fate of Winnipeg pea- and canola-based protein processor Merit Functional Foods won’t be confirmed until the end of April at the earliest. Merit, whose major shareholders include Vancouver plant-based protein firm Burcon NutraScience, U.S. agrifood firm Bunge and former executives of Hemp Oil Canada, was placed into receivership March 1. According to the first