Reuters — After Amazon.com completes its takeover of high-end grocer Whole Foods Market, it might launch another brand with different standards, the grocery chain’s chief executive said in remarks reported in a securities filing on Monday. Amazon plans to keep the natural grocer’s high standards, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey said, adding, “They’re not stupid […] Read more
Whole Foods CEO hints at another brand under Amazon
No charges against Quebec’s ex-ag minister
Quebec’s director of prosecutions has decided not to pursue criminal charges against the province’s fired agriculture minister over allegations of “acts of a sexual character.” The province’s director of criminal and penal prosecutions (DPCP) announced in a release Monday that the office was “not reasonably convinced” culpability could be proven against the provincial member for […] Read more
Amazon moves into real-world stores with Whole Foods deal
Reuters — Amazon.com said Friday it would buy grocer Whole Foods Market for US$13.7 billion in a move that gives the online retailer a physical network of stores to distribute fresh food and other goods to millennials and wealthy consumers. Amazon, which is known for squeezing suppliers and has been experimenting with its own outlets, […] Read more
Hourly employees in agriculture among lowest paid
CNS Canada –– Hourly-wage employees in agriculture and related production were among the lowest earners nationally, according to data from Statistics Canada. The agency on Thursday released data on wages paid to payroll employees in 2016. It reported the average hourly wage paid to full-time employees, excluding overtime pay, tips, incentives and performance pay arrangements, […] Read more
Iogo maker to ramp up drinkable yogurt production
The yogurt-making joint venture of dairy co-ops Agropur and Agrifoods International plans to boost its drinkable yogurt output by adding another production line in Quebec’s Monteregie. Ultima Foods announced last week it will put up $10.8 million of its own funds plus a $3.6 million interest-free loan from Investissement Quebec, the investment arm of the […] Read more
Farm buildings getting bigger, but also stronger
Diaphragm bracing has been key as farm buildings become larger and larger
Reading Time: 2 minutes One comment Steven Adema often hears is that his company’s building designs are getting heavier. But the engineer with Tacoma Engineers in Guelph, Ontario argues that heaviness is not the culprit — the buildings are simply getting bigger in order to accommodate producer needs and government regulations. “For comparison’s sake we pulled an old Beaver […] Read more
Province taking wait-and-see approach to new farm building code
Farm buildings are generally exempt from the provincial building code, but that’s likely to change in a few years
Reading Time: 2 minutes The growing complexity of farm buildings — not to mention the ongoing threat of fire — has attracted regulatory attention. However, Alberta does not have a specific farm building code nor has it adopted the federal National Farm Building Code. The provincial government is waiting on the results of a new, planned federal code currently […] Read more
Farm buildings are complex and costly, but built to last
Old-fashioned barn raisings are pretty much gone – today you need a team of experts when building an equipment shed or barn
Reading Time: 5 minutes Building a barn used to be relatively simple. Often, family members, and maybe a few neighbours, simply went out and did it. Today, however, construction of a new farm building is an extremely complex — not to mention expensive — process. Regulations, more sophisticated building techniques, and advanced technology have upped the cost and complexity, […] Read more
Coop federee to exit machinery parts distribution
Citing “a period of pronounced decline” in its farm machinery business, Quebec farm co-operative La Coop federee plans to get out of parts distribution by next fall. The co-operative announced May 30 it plans to “gradually” close its Dispro farm equipment and parts distribution centre at Trois-Rivieres over a 12- to 15-month period from September […] Read more
U.S. forecaster sees El Nino unlikely through fall
Reuters — A U.S. government weather forecaster on Thursday said there are no active El Nino or La Nina patterns and that neutral conditions are likely in the Northern Hemisphere during fall 2017. However, chances for El Nino remain elevated, between 35 and 50 per cent, relative to the long-term average into the fall, the […] Read more