Viterra shareholders to vote May 29

Reuters / Shareholders in Viterra Inc. will vote May 29 whether to approve a $6.1-billion friendly takeover of Canada’s biggest grain handler by Swiss-based commodities trader Glencore International PLC. The vote will be taken at a special shareholder meeting in Calgary, Alberta, a Viterra spokeswoman said. The deal’s completion requires approval of two-thirds of the

Cattle Market Outlook Bright

CO-OPERATOR STAFF / BRANDON Feeder prices, already bright, are likely to get even brighter. I m not willing to quote any prices or make any predictions on how high they might go, but I m pretty bullish that this market is going to be strong, Cargill s Tyler Friesen said at the recent Manitoba Beef



DUC, Bayer, Support Winter Wheat Research

Canada’s top winter wheat breeder has been awarded a $600,000 grant to continue his work – even though he’s winding down his breeding program. But University of Saskatchewan plant scientist Brian Fowler says new winter wheat cultivars from his breeding program will continue to appear for years to come. For example, a new cultivar named

Maple Leaf Foods Investor Calls For Board Changes

Activist investor West Face Capi tal cal led for a special meeting of Maple Leaf Foods shareholders Dec. 3, saying it is concerned about how the company’s board of directors operates. Investors have expected the hedge fund to push for changes since it bought a 10 per cent stake in Maple Leaf in August, and


“Nice Guy” Takes On “Activist” Groups

When anti-pesticide groups show up to speak at public meetings, Jeffery Lowes urges all councillors and officials to arm themselves accordingly. “Cover your ass,” said Lowes, director of governmental and industry relations for M-REP Communications, a PR firm that he founded based in Kingston, Ontario. “The second an activist steps into your jurisdiction and wants

Rare Breeds Plans AGM

“We’re in the right place at the right time. There’s a growing number of people who are interested in the quality of their food.” – PAM HEATH Interest in obscure breeds of livestock, abandoned in past decades amid the push towards ever-larger farms and highly specialized production agriculture, is making a comeback. Local membership in

Vendors transact $1 billion annually

FOR MORE INFO? Log on to www.farmersmarketscanada.ca For an indepth presentation on the future of Canadian farmers’ markets and more detail on Farmers’ Markets Canada log on to the December 1 Agriwebinar presentation by Brent Warner found on Canadian Farm Business Management Council website at www.agriwebinar.com Mention this the next time someone declares “no one