Food companies poised to profit as production rebounds

The world’s farmers are poised for a year of plenty in 2012 after last year’s weather-related disasters, and prospects of lower grain prices from bumper harvests could offer relief to the battered bottom lines of grain and food companies. Food and beverage companies like Sara Lee, PepsiCo and General Mills have struggled to absorb high

Confusion around CFIA budget cuts

Budget cuts at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency won’t weaken food safety protection, says Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “Food safety is a priority for this government,” Ritz told the Commons agriculture committee, adding a big chunk of the planned cost cutting will come from the winding down of the listeria inquiry into the 2008 tainted


Better times ahead for organic farmers held on through downturn

The recession has taken its toll on Canada’s certified organic sector, but the worst may already be over. The number of Canadian certified organic farms peaked at 3,914 in 2009. Then the recession hit and that number fell 4.5 per cent nationwide, with a 16 per cent plunge in Saskatchewan, once home to the largest

GMO proliferation an existential threat to organic farmers

Sourcing organic alfalfa seed has become more complicated since the commercial release of genetically modified alfalfa in the U.S., the executive director of the Canadian Organic Trade Association says. Although it is not yet grown commercially in Canada, the herbicide-tolerant forage crop was given a green light by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in 2005


Briefs, March 29, 2012

Safeway to stop buying “pink slime” beef filler washington / reuters Safeway, the No. 2 U.S. supermarket operator, will stop buying the ammonia-treated beef filler critics call “pink slime” because of widespread customer concern. The halt is a fresh blow to use of the ground beef filler, also known as lean, finely textured beef, which

Farm groups applaud start of trade talks with Japan

Farm and food industry groups were quick to praise the launch of negotiations for a Canada-Japan free trade deal by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Japanese counterpart Yoshihiko Noda. Japan is the third-largest economy in the world and is Canada’s second-largest agriculture market. The market is worth almost $4 billion for Canadian farmers and


Ag issues bog down European trade talks

Meeting the needs of export oriented commodities without compromising the supply managed sector is an ongoing challenge for negotiators

Agriculture and food issues remain a stumbling block for free trade talks between Canada and Europe, according the Commons trade committee. Export-oriented agri-food industries are keen to gain access to Europe’s 500 million consumers, but tariffs protecting supply management, genetically engineered crops, and rules of origin are among the most sensitive issues in the talks,

Food panel releases first study results

Eating out appears to be a once-a-week occasion for most Manitobans. We have strong views about local food but differing definitions of what “local” means. Most of us have never eaten buckwheat, hemp or flax-based foods. And while a little over 40 per cent of Manitobans buy organic food, an equal number don’t think organic


Social media: Lending credibility to marketing in the digital age

Just being good isn’t enough. Being special can elevate products like canola oil to new levels and increase sales

Low in saturated fat and high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids canola oil, offers clear health benefits to consumers. But marketers can’t expect the product to sell itself — they need to grease the wheels. Kit Yarrow, a consumer psychologist, author and consultant spoke at the Canola Council of Canada’s convention in Washington, D.C. about

Good marketing means fully engaging customers

Farmers pursuing direct-zmarketing ventures are paying attention to customer 
demand to not only buy something but learn something, says NADFMA president

The Canadian Prairies’ lack of people and long distance between places doesn’t mean there aren’t good opportunities for selling direct from your farm, said a speaker at Manitoba’s Direct Farm Marketing Conference March 10. “It’s about being really good at marketing and understanding your customer,” said Kerry Engel, president of the North American Direct Farm