Citing “a period of pronounced decline” in its farm machinery business, Quebec farm co-operative La Coop federee plans to get out of parts distribution by next fall. The co-operative announced May 30 it plans to “gradually” close its Dispro farm equipment and parts distribution centre at Trois-Rivieres over a 12- to 15-month period from September
Coop federee to exit machinery parts distribution
Washouts shut Hudson Bay Railway for shipping season
Flooding and rail bed washouts on sections of northern Manitoba’s Hudson Bay Railway have led the line’s owner to suspend its operations indefinitely. The closure of the portion of the line running from Amery, Man., about 50 km northeast of Gillam, north to Hudson Bay at Churchill, all but ensures no Prairie grain, other than
DLF to buy Syngenta sugar beet seed business
One of the world’s biggest forage seed firms is set to enter the sugar beet seed business by buying Syngenta’s. Swiss ag chemical and seed firm Syngenta announced Thursday it will sell its sugar beet seed business to Danish forage and turf seed producer DLF Seeds for an undisclosed sum. “Sugar beet seeds is a
Hothouse produce grower to devote site to marijuana
Canada’s only publicly traded greenhouse produce-growing company plans to put up one of its British Columbia greenhouses for a new venture in cannabis production. Vancouver-based Village Farms announced Tuesday it has partnered with Victoria-based medical cannabis producer/processor Emerald Health Therapeutics in a 50/50 joint venture to grow cannabis for medical use and, pending changes to
Universal tractors, now in two- and four-wheel drive
Our History: June 1984
Universal tractors advertised in our June 14, 1984 issue were available in two- and four-wheel drive in 35 to 100 hp. The crop report in that issue said that as of June 12, most seeding was complete except in the northwest, where there had been heavy rain in the Dauphin, Ste. Rose and Swan River
New Manitoba PED case pushes envelope
Southeastern Manitoba’s latest on-farm cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) include one outside the buffer zones in which earlier cases have been found. According to Manitoba Pork, the province’s chief veterinary officer (CVO) on Wednesday confirmed positive tests for PED on a hog nursery operation outside an existing five-kilometre buffer zone. That case — along
Food strategy consultations announced
The federal government is seeking input to formulate a first-of-its-kind national food policy
The federal government is launching consultations aimed at developing a national food policy for Canada. Lawrence McAulay, the federal agriculture minister, announced the move early this week which includes an online survey at www.canada.ca/food-policy. The government says the food policy will cover four key areas: Increasing access to affordable food; Improving health and food safety;
Consumers view free-range eggs as better tasting
Egg buyers appear to have linked taste with the ‘happiness’ of the hens
It seems most people buying free-range or cage-free eggs are doing so because they think the eggs are better, according to a recent study. While they understand animal welfare issues, consumers appear to have linked welfare and product quality, feeling that “happier” chickens produce a better-tasting egg. In a study, conducted by researchers at the
GrainsConnect picks second Alberta terminal site
The joint venture between Australia’s GrainCorp and Japan’s Zen-Noh Grain is taking its Prairie grain handling model to southern Alberta. GrainsConnect Canada announced plans Thursday to build a fourth Prairie high-throughput grain terminal on Canadian National (CN) Railway track at Huxley, Alta., about 75 km southeast of Red Deer. The company — which expects to
CFIA eyes replacing ‘Cellared in Canada’ claim for wine
Labels declaring blends of imported and domestic wine sold in Canada as “Cellared in Canada” could soon be on the way out in favour of more specific wording. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Thursday announced a round of consumer and stakeholder consultations, running until June 30, on a proposal for new wording on