Reuters — Canadian convenience store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard said on Monday it would buy U.S. convenience store chain CST Brands in a deal valued at about US$4.4 billion, boosting its presence in the southeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada. San Antonio, Texas-based CST is one of the largest publicly traded fuel retailers in North America and […] Read more
Couche-Tard to buy Corner Store owner in US$4.4B deal
Flu controls lifted on Ontario duck farm’s neighbours
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has lifted a three-kilometre avian flu control zone around a duck farm in Ontario’s Niagara region, freeing up traffic on and off neighbouring farms. All but one of the commercial and non-commercial farms in the control zone were released from quarantine effective Tuesday and will no longer need licensing for […] Read more
After scorching heat, Earth likely to get respite in 2017
Oslo | Reuters — The Earth is likely to get relief in 2017 from record scorching temperatures that bolstered governments’ resolve last year in reaching a deal to combat climate change, scientists said Wednesday. July was the hottest single month since records began in the 19th century, driven by greenhouse gases and an El Nino […] Read more
Trump names six U.S. governors as ag advisors
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump named 64 agriculture policy advisors on Tuesday, including the governors of Iowa and five other farm states and a former federal agriculture secretary. The announcement came as Trump, a New York businessman seeking his first elected office, looks to improve his standing among voters, particularly those […] Read more
Britain to plug EU funding gap for farms, colleges
London | Reuters — Britain will fill a gap of as much as 4.5 billion pounds (C$7.5 billion) in funding for agriculture, universities and its regions that will open up when Britain leaves the European Union, finance minister Philip Hammond said. Scientists, farmers and others who got EU funding were facing uncertainty after Britain voted […] Read more
North Saskatchewan River users still await all-clear
As the cleanup of the Husky Energy oil spill continues on the North Saskatchewan River, officials had a spot of good news during a recent media call. Collected water samples haven’t exceeded Canadian drinking water standards since July 24. As of Tuesday, over 1,000 water samples had been collected from over 60 locations between the […] Read more
U.S. GMO label law clears Congress
A law for mandatory labelling of foods for sale in the U.S. with genetically modified or otherwise “bioengineered” ingredients has cleared both houses of Congress and now goes to President Barack Obama. The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved the Senate’s bipartisan bill S.764 by a 306-117 vote, sending it to the White House […] Read more
La Nina seen likely to build in August-to-October period
New York | Reuters –– Following a damaging El Nino weather period, a U.S. government weather forecaster on Thursday said the La Nina weather phenomenon is favoured to develop during August through October 2016. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC), an agency of the National Weather Service, said in its monthly forecast there is a 55-60 […] Read more
Last avian flu-related block on U.S. poultry lifted
The last of Canada’s temporary avian flu-related rules against cross-border travellers bringing in poultry and/or eggs from the U.S. has been lifted. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, live birds, raw poultry, eggs and certain other raw or less-than-cooked poultry products originating in Indiana may again be brought into Canada. Lifted effective June 27, […] Read more
Bird flu control zone set up around Ontario duck farm
About 14,000 commercial ducks at a farm west of St. Catharines, Ont. are being euthanized following confirmation of a low-pathogenic strain of H5N2 avian flu in the flock. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Friday confirmed the influenza subtype, the day after announcing the low-path H5 flu outbreak, the resulting quarantine and the plans for […] Read more
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