Reading Time: < 1 minute After more than two years of construction, the 268,000-square-foot Agri-Food Hub & Trade Centre is set to start hosting events in Lethbridge later this spring. “The Agri-Food Hub & Trade Centre will drive tourism to our city, create opportunities for local businesses, give a place for the agriculture and agri-food industries to highlight their value […] Read more
Lethbridge’s new trade centre in final finishing stage
Indoor ‘mega-farm’ in Calgary getting even bigger
While the facility is the same size, the growing area is being increased by a third and production doubled
Reading Time: 3 minutes An indoor mega-farm set to produce microgreens and baby greens just got even more mega. The facility that will house the “vertical farm” now under construction in southeast Calgary isn’t getting bigger but the growing space inside is jumping to 100,000 square feet from 74,000 previously. “We found, through further engineering, ways of further squeezing […] Read more
JBS to pay US$25 million in latest beef price-fixing settlement
Settlement calls for co-operation in cases against other defendants
Reuters — JBS SA has agreed to pay US$25 million to commercial beef purchasers that accused the meat-packing company of conspiring with industry rivals to restrict market supply in order to keep prices artificially high. The proposed settlement in Minnesota federal court was disclosed on Friday from plaintiffs’ lawyers representing a class of businesses that […] Read more
Schoepp: Farmers markets have become part of the community fabric
Regardless of farm size, there is an opportunity to connect with those who buy our food products
Reading Time: 3 minutes I recall the early days of the farmers market in our community as the leaders focused on untapped opportunities. It was the mid-1970s, and farmers markets were just beginning to revive. It was difficult to convince folks to go back to buying local produce and food. As the population shifted to buying in grocery stores, […] Read more
Bidding open for Merit Foods for two more weeks
Stakeholder Burcon plans to put up 'compelling bid'
The fate of Winnipeg pea- and canola-based protein processor Merit Functional Foods won’t be confirmed until the end of April at the earliest. Merit, whose major shareholders include Vancouver plant-based protein firm Burcon NutraScience, U.S. agrifood firm Bunge and former executives of Hemp Oil Canada, was placed into receivership March 1. According to the first […] Read more
Sustainable soybean program underway
Food-grade, IP soy growers showing interest in verification, Soy Canada says
A new voluntary program spearheaded by Canada’s soybean value-chain group is expected to help Canadian soy growers seeking a sustainability mark for their goods. Soy Canada on March 28 announced the rollout of Sustainable Canadian Soy, a program it said will be available for the 2023 growing season. Exporters and handlers who supply customers that […] Read more
McDonald’s reported laying off hundreds of corporate employees
Layoffs don't include restaurant-level workers
New York | Reuters — The number of corporate employees McDonald’s Corp. plans to lay off this week will tally in the “hundreds,” a source familiar with the burger chain’s thinking said on Monday, as the company moves forward with a previously announced restructuring. The fast-food company is closing its offices “out of respect,” and […] Read more
Made in Alberta food labelling program launched
Reading Time: 2 minutes The province is giving $5 million to the Alberta Food Processors Association to launch and run a Made in Alberta food labelling program. In a news release, the association and the government touted the program as both a way to boost the profile of makers of food products and help keep grocery dollars in the […] Read more
Interest-free cash advances get extra lift in federal budget
Fertilizer diversification, solids non-fat processing also up for funding
Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s latest budget envelope for Canadian farmers up against rising costs of production includes a temporary boost to the interest-free portion of cash advances. Freeland’s 2023 federal budget, released Tuesday, includes $13 million in 2023-24 for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to temporarily increase the interest-free limit for loans under its Advance […] Read more
Food sales grew but margins tightened in 2022, FCC says
Modest further growth expected this year
Food and beverages sales increased in Canada last year, even as margins hit an historic low and consumers chose Canadian less. According to the latest FCC Food and Beverage Report, released Tuesday, sales increased 11 per cent to $156 billion in 2022. These gains came largely from higher export values and strength in the grain […] Read more