(Leonid Eremeychuk/iStock/Getty Images)

‘Keep it Clean’ program aims for more than just good advice

Program seen as 'one stop shop' for ensuring marketability of grains

As farmers plan for the upcoming season, they need to do their part to make certain their grain will be ready for market, come harvest time. “Market access issues in general are becoming a bigger issue globally,” said Ian Epp, an agronomy specialist and lead on market access and pesticides with the Canola Council of

(Dave Bedard photo)

Maple Leaf poultry plant shuts for ‘deep cleaning’

COVID-19 found in three workers at Brampton facility

One of two Maple Leaf Foods plants at Brampton, Ont. has gone into shutdown mode for “deep cleaning” in the wake of three cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus among its workers. Toronto-based Maple Leaf announced Wednesday that operations at the company’s Kennedy Road poultry slaughter and packing plant in Brampton are suspended “while we complete


(Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Canola dockage agreement with China expires, but limited exports to continue

Most remaining shipments meet Beijing's requirement

Exports of Canadian canola seed exports to China will continue, at the same reduced pace seen since March last year — but only if it contains less than one per cent dockage. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two countries allowing higher dockage ends Tuesday (March 31), a Canadian government official said in an

Commonly used surfaces, such as truck door handles, should be cleaned more often. (Kali9/E+/Getty Images)

Take extra steps to keep farm workers safe during COVID-19

Add biosecurity practices, or ramp up the ones you already employ

Farmers concerned about the spread of COVID-19 can learn from the hog sector on the matter of protecting themselves and their workers, says a leading expert on biosecurity in the pork industry. “This is the world of biosecurity that the swine industry deals with on a daily basis,” said Dr. Egan Brockhoff, veterinarian counsellor for

A homemade chlorine-based sanitizer can effectively and economically sanitize surfaces in your kitchen.

Cleaning up

It’s spring cleaning time for your 
kitchen too, and studies show there’s
 plenty of lurking bacteria

The calendar insists it’s spring, despite the snow and ice that continue to keep the daffodils and tulips hidden below ground. The birds probably are wondering if they missed summer. Spring puts me in a cleaning mood, even when snow still is blanketing the ground. In the kitchen, spring cleaning usually means scrubbing surfaces and




Reena answers your questions

Dear Reena, Is there a way to remove perfume from clothing? My pedicurist doused my legs with fragrant oil and I am allergic to perfume. It won’t happen again, but in the meantime just washing my cords has not removed the odour. Flora Dear Flora, Soak your pants in either white vinegar (the smell of


Clean as you go

I admit it. I’m kind of a messy cook, but, in my defence, I can prepare food pretty quickly. But with my dark-coloured countertops, flour, sugar and other light-coloured ingredients show up much too well. Fingerprints magically appear on the stainless steel fridge and splatters of food materialize on the walls of the microwave. Everyone

More questions from readers

Dear Reena, Do you have any tips on how to keep soda pop from going flat (especially two-litre bottles)? Thank you, Vicki Interesting question Vicki! Keeping pop cold (but not frozen) and closed are big factors in fizz loss since the solubility of carbon dioxide is greater at lower temperatures. Squeezing the bottle before recapping