Syngenta Concerned About Eu Gm Proposals

An EU move away from a single-market approach on genetically modified (GM) technology could possibly create new trade bans, the principal scientific adviser at seed company Syngenta said June 9. “It’s clear that within Europe there are some countries that will never accept GM technology. The issue is going to be, if you go away

Union Can’t Find New Inspectors

The new workers “must be ghosts, no one can find them, they’re nowhere.” – BOB KINGSTON The wrangling between the Harper government and the union representing food inspectors at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is on again following the presentation in Parliament of a report that says the agency has added 93 inspectors to its


World Food Safety At Risk From Climate Change: Lewis

“It’s paralyzing to see such hunger. But you can’t compromise on food safety.” – STEPHEN LEWIS Climate change poses a huge danger to food safety, especially in Africa, where many already go hungry, a national food science summit in Winnipeg was warned May 31. “Volcanic shifts” in weather patterns expected in the next 20 to

Study Suggests Livestock Traceability Deadline Unrealistic

“This could be the demise of livestock marketing as we know it today.” – BOB PERLICH, LETHBRIDGE Ever since the federal government announced 2011 as the deadline for a national livestock traceability system, Canada’s cattle industry has insisted the technology at auction markets isn’t up to the task. A new study agrees that radio frequency


Wanted: Accurate Farm Weather Forecasts

It would be great to have even longer-range forecasts with reasonable accuracy, but I’m not convinced that is possible. Talking about the weather is a Canadian pastime and an obsession among grain producers. There’s been a lot to talk about this spring, with a big low-pressure system often following close on the heels of the

Will Bill C-474 Kill Research?

Will the private sector bow out of crop research if Bill C-474 becomes law? Some industry and farm organizations warn NDP MP Alex Atamanenko’s private member’s bill to require a market impact assessment before new technology is approved will have that result. If private companies pull out, or even cut back on research, it would


Ont. Report Sees No Link From Wind Farms To Illnesses

Mining the available scientific evidence, a new report from Ontario’s chief medical officer of health finds that while living near wind turbine farms “may annoy some people,” it’s a stretch to blame the turbines for health problems. “According to the scientific evidence, there isn’t any direct causal link between wind turbine noise and adverse health

Swine Traceability Gets Financial Boost

The Canadian pork industry is on track to meet a 2011 deadline for a national livestock traceability system, thanks in part to a $3.3-million federal cash injection. The money is part of a $15-million industry package announced by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz at a news conference last week. The program will also spend $9.5 million


More Balanced Railway-Customer Relationship Sought

“It is not reasonable to expect any operation to function competitively when vital transportation fails to arrive one in five times.” – WESTERN CANADIAN SHIPPERS’ COALITION The federal rail freight review panel made it clear last fall that it wanted final submissions from the railways and shippers to contain solutions and not just rehash old

Growers, Distributor, Buyers Link Up

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Log on to: www.valuechainmb.ca/orcall… Eugene Warwaruk Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council [email protected] free: 1-800-216-9767 Marnie Feeleus has been delivering “fresh boxes” of locally grown produce to Winnipeg homes since 2006, serving as an important go-between for customers and small-scale vegetable producers. Now, with a retailer and an institutional buyer asking her to