Reading Time: < 1 minute Hempco Food and Fiber Inc. says it plans to build a 56,000-square-foot hemp foods-processing facility at Nisku. In a press release, the company said it had obtained a lease for (with an option to purchase) 4.7 acres from Redco Properties. “Hempco is presently producing about 200,000 pounds of hulled hemp seed per month at its […] Read more
Hemp food company planning new plant in Nisku
Hempco Food and Fiber sells oil, seed nut, protein powder, and shells made from hemp seed
Panel calls for Canada to require plain-packaged pot products
Ottawa | Reuters — The Canadian government should regulate the production of cannabis when it is legalized for recreational use and require plain packaging for such products, an official panel recommended on Tuesday, a potential setback to growers who hoped to build brands. How cannabis is sold should be left up to the provinces and […] Read more
B.C. foods to require certification for organic claims
Agrifood producers in British Columbia who promote their wares using the word “organic” will soon have to show certification to back up the claim. The province on Thursday announced new regulations under its Food and Agricultural Products Classification Act that will allow for the term to be used “only if and when specific certification standards […] Read more
Flower growers turn to weed ahead of legalization
Winnipeg | Reuters — Some Canadian flower growers are turning to weed, with the country’s plan to legalize marijuana for recreational use expected to spur a spike in legal sales of the drug. While medical marijuana is already legal in Canada, the Liberal government said in April it will introduce a law in 2017 to […] Read more
OFA elects new president
Keith Currie is the new president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture , defeating incumbent Don McCabe in an election this week at the farmer organization’s convention. Currie emphasized the need for unity in the agriculture industry during his remarks before the vote. It’s more important than ever for the agriculture industry to work together, […] Read more
EU, Canada sign free trade deal but battle not over
Brussels | Reuters –– The European Union and Canada signed a free trade agreement on Sunday that aims to generate jobs and growth though it must still clear some 40 national and regional parliaments in Europe in the coming years to enter fully into force. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed the treaty along with […] Read more
Belgium breaks deadlock over EU-Canada trade pact
Brussels | Reuters — Belgium agreed a deal with its regional parliaments on Thursday to approve a landmark EU-Canada free trade agreement, breaking a deadlock that has blocked the pact for weeks. Prime Minister Charles Michel said the heads of the regions had drawn up an addendum to the agreement that answered their concerns over […] Read more
Court may help EU sidestep lone-wolf resistance to trade deals
Brussels | Reuters — A court ruling early next year may help the European Union out of the kind of embarrassing situation it has just landed in, where a regional assembly in Belgium is blocking a major trade agreement between Canada and the 28 sovereign states of the EU. Belgian negotiators failed on Tuesday to […] Read more
Belgian internal feud blocks EU-Canada trade deal
Brussels | Reuters — The European Union’s hopes of signing a landmark free trade deal with Canada this week appeared to evaporate on Monday as the Belgian federal government failed to win the consent of French-speaking regional authorities. European Council President Donald Tusk had given Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel until Monday, three days before […] Read more
Canada walks out of trade talks with ‘incapable’ EU
Brussels | Reuters — Canada’s trade minister walked out of talks in Belgium on Friday, declaring that the European Union was incapable of sealing a planned transatlantic free trade deal designed to boost growth in both economies. All 28 EU governments support the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), but Belgium cannot give assent without […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
