U.S. processor to rebuild flax plant

A U.S. grain-processing firm plans to set itself up in the Prairie flax ingredients business over the wreck of a previous player’s Manitoba plant, and will bring back the plant’s founding family to help run it. Minnesota-based Grain Millers, Inc. on Thursday announced the launch of SafeFlax, a new line of flaxseed products, to be

Conference board food strategy consultation a smokescreen

Why the National Farmers Union won’t be participating in the conference board discussions towards a national food strategy

For those of us who care deeply about locally based food systems and who recognize the role food can play in strengthening our communities, ecosystems and economies, it can be tempting to jump at each and every opportunity to get a piece of our vision mentioned in larger discussions about food and agriculture. As part


Funding for value-added food processors

The Manitoba Food Processors Association is getting $440,000 in funds to assist with commercializing new products and expand food manufacturing in Manitoba. “Here in Manitoba and across the country, the food-processing industry delivers a lot to the Canadian economy and it deserves our support,” said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in announcing the funding at Ag

UN declared 2013 International Year of the Quinoa

It’s a highly nutritious grain and a cool-climate crop that could have played a more important role feeding a hungry world, had rice, wheat and corn not predominated. But in 2013 quinoa, (pronounced KEEN-wah), dubbed one of the “lost crops of the Incas,” or “poor man’s crop” could begin a comeback after centuries of relative


Container regulation change angers food processors

A coalition of food processors and farm groups is protesting a federal plan to no longer require standard-size packages. New rules mean American food producers will no longer have to use Canadian-size packages and that will give some of them an advantage in the grocery store aisle, said Chris Kyte, president of the Food Processors

Producers must speak up on trade

Trade negotiations. I can almost hear the pages turning as people turn to other things that seem more relevant. For years everyone involved in agriculture has been subjected to the strong arguments on both sides of this issue. And yet, very little seems to change. For example, since 2001, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha


Canada’s role in meeting humanity’s biggest challenge

In 40 years’ time the world will need to have increased global food production and supply by 100 per cent to provide adequate nutrition for its nine billion or more inhabitants. This implies an annual growth in agricultural productivity of 2.5 per cent, from the same or less land. Over the past three decades, despite

Fish dish wins gold at Food Fight

Anew table-ready fish product called Walleye Wonders knocked out the competition at this year’s Great Manitoba Food Fight and earned Meda Olson first place and $15,000 worth of research-and-development expertise from the Food Development Centre. “I knew I had a good product that’s different,” said Olson, a homemaker from St. Martin in the northern Interlake


Canada lagging in ag research

Canadian agriculture is being shortchanged by governments when it comes to basic research compared to other countries, according to John Cranfield of the University of Guelph. “We are standing still while other countries are getting ahead of us,” said Cranfield, citing statistics from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The professor, an agricultural economist,

After the bust, the Irish look back to the land

After the Celtic Tiger died, Anthony Slattery quit his job as an accountant and bought some cows. With food and drinks exports rising by close to a billion euros a year and food firms among the best performers on Ireland’s bruised stock market, agriculture is one of the few sectors to survive a devastating property