A Quebec cheese plant formerly known as a top maker of Camembert- and Brie-type cheeses is set to shut permanently in April after five years under Agropur’s ownership. Quebec-based Agropur, North America’s biggest dairy co-operative, announced Friday it will start winding down operations at its Saint-Damase cheese plant in January ahead of the April 2019
Agropur to shut Monteregie fine cheese plant
Ottawa budgets $117 million to reconnect Churchill
The federal government’s latest commitment to restore and maintain rail service from the eastern Prairies up to Hudson Bay will involve $117 million over the next 10 years. Ottawa’s pledge follows the Aug. 31 announcement of a deal for a private/public partnership group to buy the Hudson Bay Railway line, which has been closed since
Ontario plugs holes in wildlife compensation plan
Ontario’s agriculture ministry has patched a glitch in its wildlife damage compensation program, in which farmers’ claims risked rejection over the validity of their farm business registrations. “We heard livestock farmers’ concerns with the program so we’re making the first changes effective immediately,” Agriculture Minister Ernie Hardeman said in a release Monday. “We’re also continuing
Tories’ junior ag critic promoted in shuffle
The federal Conservatives’ associate critic for agriculture and agri-food has been shuffled into a new post in the opposition’s shadow cabinet. John Barlow, MP for the southwestern Alberta riding of Foothills, was appointed Friday as lead shadow minister for employment, workforce development and labour by party leader Andrew Scheer. In a post on Facebook, Scheer
Drone data firm invests in precision ag analytics
Southwestern Ontario crop input retailer and grain handler South West Ag Partners has made a deal to sell its precision agriculture analytics business to an expansion-minded drone data provider. Toronto-based Deveron UAS announced Aug. 28 it will trade a 9.9 per cent share of its business plus $320,000 cash for South West Ag’s Veritas Farm
AGT sees ‘further port access’ in Hudson Bay deal
The grain industry player in a deal to restore and restart the Hudson Bay Railway and Port of Churchill has factored the port’s access to Arctic tidewater into its business plan. Regina-based pulse processor AGT Food and Ingredients is one of the members of the Arctic Gateway Group, which on Friday confirmed a deal to
Hudson Bay rail line repairs to start ‘immediately’
Off-and-on talks toward a new ownership group for the Hudson Bay Railway have produced a deal, which it’s hoped will lead to the line’s repair before this winter, federal officials announced Friday. Federal Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr and Northern Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced the Arctic Gateway Group Limited Partnership has bought the Hudson
Allflex buys RFID reader maker Agrident
One of the world’s biggest livestock identification firms has expanded its share of the radio frequency ID (RFID) tag reader market with a deal to buy German manufacturer Agrident. Allflex, whose parent firm the Allflex Group rebranded in February under the name Antelliq, announced Aug. 21 it has bought Agrident for an undisclosed sum. Agrident,
Coop federee buys into Ontario feed sector
Fresh off its recent investment in the Prairie livestock feed business, Quebec ag co-operative giant La Coop federee is headed down a similar path in southwestern Ontario. The co-operative announced Monday it will pay an undisclosed sum for a 50 per cent stake in W-S Feed and Supply, based at Tavistock, Ont., about 30 km
Federal government to invest $8.3-million in organics
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay today announced a federal investment of up to $8.3 million to the Organic Federation of Canada, under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriScience Clusters. The research investment, which includes an additional $4.4 million in contributions from industry, will help the organic sector enhance productivity through better soil health and
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