Toronto custom burger maker Belmont Meats has become the latest subsidiary of Vancouver food processing firm Premium Brands. Premium Brands, which owns assorted processing and distribution businesses across Western Canada, Ontario and the U.S., on Thursday announced it has paid $50 million – $49.2 million in cash and $800,000 in Premium common shares — for
Premium Brands buys Toronto burger processor
The Butler building advantage, rain and slush halts harvest
Our History: October 1954
This ad from our Oct. 21, 1954 issue promoted the ease of erection, expansion or relocation of Butler steel buildings. Another ad by the Manitoba Power Commission celebrated a milestone in rural electrification with the installation of the 100,000th power meter at the farm of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Weerts at Ochre River. “Just nine
U.S. chicken chain makes move on Western Canada
The world’s second-biggest quick-service chicken chain by number of stores is set to expand its reach into Western Canada starting next month. Atlanta-based chain Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen announced Tuesday it plans to open a new store in November in the Tamarack area of Edmonton, followed by a store in Calgary’s Forest Lawn area, then “subsequent
Deere to license Precision Planting wares to Ag Leader
Iowa precision ag equipment maker Ag Leader will be able to make and sell high-speed planting equipment using certain systems from Precison Planting — when, or if, Deere and Co. seals its deal to buy the latter company. Deere and Ag Leader announced Wednesday they will have a licensing agreement in place allowing Ag Leader to
B.C. beer firm to shed Vancouver, Winnipeg breweries
The owner of Winnipeg’s Fort Garry Brewing and Surrey-based Russell Brewing is set to sell those companies to separate buyers. Vancouver-based Russell Breweries said Friday it plans to sell Fort Garry to an unnamed purchaser for about $7.7 million and Russell Brewing to a B.C. numbered company for $1.8 million. Russell Breweries, whose shares trade
FBC earns national, provincial honours for farm coverage
Winnipeg farm publishing house Farm Business Communications has earned 13 national and provincial awards so far this fall for its news and feature coverage of issues in Canadian farming. FBC, an arm of Glacier FarmMedia, earned a total of 10 gold, silver and bronze awards on Oct. 1 from the Canadian Farm Writers Federation (CFWF),
Space agriculture key to exploration
Nobody knows exactly how space will affect plant growth and reproduction over the long term
Food is an essential of life and if humanity is to escape the cradle of Earth, producing food extraterrestrially is a looming challenge. A recent paper in the journal Botany Letters by French researchers from the University of Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne demonstrates there are many challenges to address to ensure astronauts can grow enough food aboard
Canada resets mildew grading standards on milling wheat
Canada’s visual grading standards for mildew in Prairie milling wheat have been relaxed to reflect what’s now known about the actual quality of affected wheat. The Canadian Grain Commission on Friday announced new mildew guidelines, “effective immediately,” for western Canadian milling wheat classes, to allow for an “increased presence” of mildew in visual guides and
U.S. investment firm takes major stake in SunOpta
Canadian organic and non-GMO food firm SunOpta Inc. has taken on a new minority owner to help it pay down debt and boost its “flexibility.” The Mississauga-based, publicly traded company said Friday it has picked up an $85 million investment, in the form of exchangeable preferred shares, from Los Angeles-based Oaktree Capital Management. The investment,
Co-operator reporter captures awards
Manitoba Co-operator reporter Shannon VanRaes has won two awards at the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation annual conference in Saskatoon. VanRaes earned a gold in the weekly press reporting category for her article “Trade deal promises both problems and possibilities for Canadian farmers,” and a silver in the news photography category for “Beagles protect biodiversity.” Other