A Dose Of Buhler Logic

It must have felt particularly sweet for John Buhler, founder of Buhler Industries Ltd. to be honoured with a degree for distinguished achievement during the University of Manitoba s fall convocation Oct. 19. The self-made multimillionaire and noted philanthropist was a high school flunkie. As he described it while addressing the Harvest Gala banquet in

Corn Fungus Adds To Hard Year For U.S. Farmers

Corn farmers in some parts of the U.S. Plains are finding their newly harvested crop has to be heavily discounted or cannot be sold at all due to the presence of a vicious fungus that makes the corn dangerous to eat. The culprit is aflatoxin toxins produced by a fungus that can harm and possibly


U.S. To Ban More E. Coli Strains

The U.S. government is expected to ban the sale of ground beef contaminated with six types of the E. coli bacteria that can cause serious cases of food-borne illness, food-safety and industry groups said. So far, one type of E. coli, 0157: H7, is banned as an adulterant, the result of an outbreak of illness

USDA Slammed Over Data

China’s state-run food trader slammed the U.S. government’s dramatic revisions of its supply-demand data on corn as an “insult,” saying the sharp changes made it difficult for the entity to hedge risks. The unusually candid and critical remarks by a senior COFCO official triggered a quick retort from U.S. analysts and traders, who noted the


Wto Backs Canada On COOL

Canada appears to have won at least a partial victory in challenging a U.S. country-of-origin rule for labelling meat sold in grocery stores. Media reports last week said a World Trade Organization dispute panel ruling favours a trade challenge by Canada and Mexico against the COOL regulation. If so, it would overturn key portions of

In Brief… – for May. 12, 2011

Viterra opens Montreal office:Canada’s biggest grain handler, Viterra Inc. has opened a marketing office in Montreal following a deal last month to run the grain terminal owned by Montreal Port Authority. The marketing office will increase Viterra’s ability to buy crops and sell them to buyers in Canada, the United States and Europe, the company


Dairy Officials Reject U.S. Criticism Of Supply Management

Canadian dairy officials are dismissing a U.S. industry report which claims supply management for milk does not work. The report by a U.S. dairy processors association plays fast and loose with the facts when it says supply management restricts industry growth and does not reduce price volatility, said Phil Cairns, senior policy adviser with Dairy

USDA Changes Corn Wording After Ethanol Makers Complain

The U.S. government introduced new wording on corn use on April 8 following complaints from ethanol makers that they were not getting credit for the corn byproducts that are fed to livestock. Instead of saying “corn for ethanol” in its monthly report, the U.S. Agriculture Department now spells out the corn is going to produce


U.S. Farmers To Sow Idle Acres, Yields In Doubt

For the past five years, Nebraska farmer Brandon Hunnicutt has carefully avoided a small, soggy seven-acre plot of land in the middle of his farm, fearing the poor soil will be more trouble than it’s worth. This year, however, Hunnicutt – and thousands of others across the Midwest – will rush to cash in on

The Food Versus Fuel Debate Continued

With all the strange and highly unpredictable events in the global economy, the tension between economics and politics in the U.S. is making things even more interesting. Consider this: a highly indebted U.S. government pays ethanol producers 45 cents for each gallon they produce, while at the same time imposing a 54-cent tariff on imports.