Food Freedom Day, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s bellwether of affordability for food in Canada, is a day later in 2018. The CFA on Wednesday announced that by its calculations, a Canadian household of average income has earned enough to pay an entire year’s grocery bill on Friday, Feb. 9. Canadians spent 11 per cent
Market shifts, weather push back Food Freedom Day
Dairy sector wary of proposed food label policy
Canadian consumers are being asked to weigh in on proposed new front-of-pack warnings for foods high in saturated fats, sugars and sodium, starting this weekend. And while whole milk would get a pass from such a plan, Canada’s dairy farmer organization fears many other dairy products would wind up wearing such warnings, thus “alarming” consumers.
Feds to help fund Canadian Organic Standards review
The update is key to ensuring organic product from Canada is recognized internationally
The federal government will commit $250,000 towards a review process of the Canadian Organic Standards, a procedure that must be conducted every five years. The sector had stepped up its call for funding in recent months, noting that without resources to fund the required update the Standards is at risk of being withdrawn under the
A seven year round of trade talks?
Our History: February 1992
The Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) had been going on for 5-1/2 years in February 1992. Though it continued to stretch for another two years, there was concern that an impending agreement would limit Canada’s ability to maintain supply management. A crowd of farmers and other supporters, estimated at
Scientists want to understand behaviour of invasive weeds
Why are certain plants able to enter a new ecosystem and run riot?
Is it possible to predict which non-native plant species will become invasive weeds and when? According to research featured in the journal Invasive Plant Science and Management, the answer is “hopefully yes.” Researchers say invasive species generally follow a three-phase development curve — from lag to expansion to plateau. The length and rapidity of the
Saskatchewan, B.C. areas up for livestock tax deferrals
Livestock producers in several more parched municipalities in Saskatchewan and British Columbia will be able to defer income from sales of animals on their 2017 tax returns. The federal government on Tuesday announced its final list of designated regions for 2017, including 20 more municipalities in Saskatchewan and seven in British Columbia. The initial list,
Ocean Spray to buy Quebec cranberry processor
Quebec cranberry processor Atoka Cranberries is set to become an arm of the U.S.-based cranberry grower co-op Ocean Spray. Massachussetts-based Ocean Spray on Friday announced it would buy the Atoka processing plant at Manseau, Que., about 70 km east of Trois-Rivieres, along with the Atoka brand from berry producer Canneberges Bieler. Financial terms of the
Canola biodiesel processor in receivership
An eastern Saskatchewan biodiesel processor using growers’ heated, green, spring-harvested, tough and otherwise off-spec canola for feedstock is in receivership. Saskatchewan Court of Queen’s Bench on Thursday appointed Calgary-based insolvency trustee Hardie and Kelly as the receiver for Milligan Biofuels, which operates at Foam Lake, about 90 km northwest of Yorkton. Alberta’s Crown lending agency
Le Bulletin marks 100th anniversary
Canada’s oldest francophone farm publication on Friday marked its 100th birthday with an updated look and a new theme for the year. Le Bulletin des agriculteurs — now owned and published by Glacier FarmMedia, operator of this website — recently released its January 2018 issue under the theme “100 ans et tourne vers l’avenir” (100
Mechanization, ‘that extra hired man’
Our History: January 1960
More than 100 Manitoba livestock producers had purchased this electric mix mill advertised in our January 7, 1960 issue. It could mix and grind up to four ingredients at a cost of 23 cents per ton. Free trade, or the lack of it, was the main news item on the front page that week. Manitoba