Dutch dairy equipment manufacturer Lely, best known in the Canadian market for its robotic milking systems, plans to focus on that business and sell its forage equipment lines to Agco. The two companies announced Monday they have an agreement in principle for Lely to sell its forage division, including two German manufacturing plants, to U.S.-based
Robot milker firm Lely to shed forage equipment business
Study finds organic’s sustainability ‘context-dependent’
When weighed for sustainability, the purported benefits and costs of organic agriculture can actually “vary heavily” from case to case, a new University of British Columbia study finds. The UBC study, titled “Many shades of gray: The context-dependent performance of organic agriculture,” published Friday in the U.S. journal Science Advances, sets out to “systematically review
A+W tightens standards for broiler suppliers’ barns
Canadian burger and root beer chain A+W has set up additional standards for broiler barns supplying chicken meat to its restaurants. On top of its existing requirements for raising birds on grain-based diets without the use of antibiotics, the company on Friday announced it would require a new maximum stocking density for birds in its
Runoff levels up in Saskatchewan’s forecast
Saskatchewan has raised its expectations for spring runoff across the board, now predicting “near normal” levels for much of the province and “above normal” to “well above normal” levels in its southeast. The province’s Water Security Agency on Thursday released a March spring runoff forecast pointing to two “areas of concern” — the province’s far
CCGA cash advance applications out early
Among other changes to the program, applications are available earlier this year for spring cash advances through the Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA). The CCGA on Thursday announced it’s now accepting applications for the 2017-18 advance payments program (APP), which offers cash advances on 45 different crop and livestock commodities. The CCGA is the administrative
Canada’s top seed disinfectant
Our History: March 1953
Your seed treatment options in this ad from our March 12, 1953 issue included mercury-based Ceresan and Benesan, or C-I-L Bunt Cure, which was a non-mercurial treatment for wheat costing three cents an acre. Among the front page news items that week was the death of Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin at age 73, introduction of
P.E.I. potato chip plant revived for pulse processing
A Prairie grain and pulse processing firm plans to get Prince Edward Island farmers growing field peas this year to supply a new pulse processing plant. New Leaf Essentials East, a new arm of Innisfail, Alta.-based W.A. Grain and Pulse Solutions, announced Wednesday it has bought the former Humpty Dumpty potato chip plant at Slemon
Dining firm Imvescor to shed veggie meals business
The Montreal parent firm for the Pizza Delight, Baton Rouge, Toujours Mikes and Scores restaurant chains is stepping out of the prepared meals business. Imvescor Restaurant Group announced Tuesday it has reached a deal to sell its Groupe Commensal subsidiary to Montreal processor Pasta Romana Foods for about $4.2 million. Commensal markets vegetarian refrigerated and
Ag groups tout potential of trade pact with China
Canadian ag commodity groups expect to make a case for freer trade with China during consultations now underway alongside Ottawa’s talks on a possible free trade deal with Beijing. Federal Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Friday announced public consultations, running until June 2, following last September’s announcement of “exploratory discussions” on a free trade agreement
Farm Products Marketing Council board members shuffled
There’s a new chair, vice-chair and directors for the organization
The board of the Farm Products Marketing Council has been shaken up by the provincial government. Provincial Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler has named a new chair and directors and named one of the existing board members vice-chair. “The newly appointed chair, vice-chair and directors for the Manitoba Farm Products Marketing Council will serve an important
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