Feds pause update on food from cloned livestock
Health Canada has paused a proposed update to its policy around foods from cloned pigs, cattle and their offspring.
It said the decision was based on the volume and nature of feedback from industry stakeholders, and due to public pushback.
Public dissenters have said Canadians could soon be eating cloned beef and pork without knowing it. Health Canada said there are no approved foods from cloned products in the Canadian market.
The decision relates to food derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer cloned cattle, swine and their offspring. Gene-edited technologies are not included in the pause to the novel food policy,
and are still under regulatory consideration.
Port of Churchill revamp gathers pace
The revamp of the Port of Churchill in northern Manitoba is gaining steam.
The port is in the initial stages of an ambitious upgrade, dubbed “Port of Churchill Plus.” The upgrades aim to provide year-round shipping, Class 1 railway services and an all-weather road to the town of Churchill.
On November 17, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced $51 million in funding for improvements to the rail line to the port and to build a critical minerals storage facility. That brings the province’s share of recent funding to $87.5 million.
The five-year commitment adds to the federal government’s $175 million announced earlier this year.
Churchill is Canada’s only rail-serviced deep sea port in the Artic but its significance has slid in recent decades. Efforts to diversify trade and assert Artic sovereignty have raised its profile.
European Union’s deforestation delay bad news for canola
A delay to a European Union deforestation rule spells bad news for canola demand.
The European Council recently agreed to delay implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) for another year. That regulation, which was set to take effect on December 30, would ensure commodities like cattle, cocoa and coffee have not caused deforestation or forest degradation.
The rule also targets palm oil – which had potential to boost demand for alternatives like canola oil.
Marlene Boersch is managing partner of Mercantile Consulting Venture. She speculated that vegetable oil users lobbied EU member states for the delay and there seems to be political appetite to entertain such suggestions.
The European Council will now negotiate with the European Parliament to reach a final agreement on the regulation.
