Ontario’s small-scale fruit cideries and distillers are getting provincial support to help scale up production. The province on Tuesday announced it would budget $4.9 million over three years for a new Small Cidery and Small Distillery Support Program. The program will provide eligible cideries with up to 74 cents per litre and eligible distillers with
Ontario cider, spirit makers get support program
Canada Bread buys into organic craft bread market
A Toronto baking firm that grows and contracts its own organic grains in eastern Ontario is going to be an entry point in the craft bread market for Canada Bread. Canada Bread, the Canadian arm of Mexican baking giant Grupo Bimbo, announced Monday it had completed its deal to buy Stonemill Bakehouse Ltd. for an
Saskatchewan ponders changes to ag extension model
Saskatchewan’s agriculture ministry is considering an overhaul of its delivery system for ag extension services, in time for a new federal/provincial funding framework next year. Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart on Tuesday announced a new online survey on the subject for farmers, ranchers and agribusiness operators, running until the end of the month. Extension delivery in
Proposed labour rules for Alberta farms go public
The Alberta public will get about a month to speak its mind on proposed changes to provincial labour laws, with the goal of applying those changes to farms and ranches. The province on Monday released a pair of reports from technical working groups (TWGs) reviewing farm and ranch operations’ status under the Employment Standards Code
CleanFARMS program gets significant uptake
The 2016 version of the industry stewardship program safely disposed of thousands of kilograms of farm inputs
The 2016 CleanFARMS effort to collect old pesticides and livestock medication has yielded banner results in the Keystone province. Manitoba farmers returned over 53,000 kilograms of obsolete and unwanted pesticides and 1,800 kilograms of various medications. CleanFARMS, which operates the program, is a national plant science and animal health industry-led agricultural waste stewardship organization. Collections
Flood risk persists across most of Manitoba
The Red, Souris, Pembina, Roseau and Lower Assiniboine rivers and Whiteshell Lakes areas are all at major risk of flooding, February 27 flood forecast report says
Manitobans have been told to prepare for flooding this spring with the risk of moderate to major flooding persisting in many areas of the province. “At this time, we encourage communities to continue with preparatory measures such as ensuring emergency protocols are in place,” Infrastructure Minister Blaine Pedersen said during the release of the first
Food demand predictions could be inaccurate
Lots of people say food demand will double by 2050 — but some researchers say the numbers don’t add up
The widely held view that food production needs to double by 2050 to feed a growing world population may be inaccurate. In a study published in the journal Bioscience, researchers from Penn State’s agriculture college have challenged that view, saying the required increase may be as high as 70 per cent — or as low
PHOTOS: This Old Elevator: February 2017
The Manitoba Historical Society wants to gather information about all the grain elevators in Manitoba
In the 1950s, there were over 700 grain elevators in Manitoba. Today, there are fewer than 200. You can help to preserve the legacy of these disappearing “Prairie sentinels.” The Manitoba Historical Society (MHS) is gathering information about all elevators that ever stood in Manitoba, regardless of their present status. Collaborating with the Manitoba Co-operator
Incentives urged to match organic supply to demand
Canadian governments will need to come up with incentives for farmers going organic if they want domestic supply to keep up with domestic demand, a national organic sector group warns. The Canada Organic Trade Association on Wednesday released data showing 5,053 certified organic operations in Canada, accounting for 2.43 million acres of land, at the
Ontario waste plan to include ban on food waste disposal
Ontario’s new strategy for a “waste-free” province includes a proposal to ban food waste from disposal, instead finding “creative strategies” to recycle it. The province on Wednesday announced its new “Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy,” which calls for industries to divert more of the waste they produce away from landfills, and
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