Further risk to people is believed to be low after a person in central Alberta was confirmed to have caught a variant of H1N2 swine flu, in the first case of its kind in Canada. The virus was spotted in mid-October after a patient sought medical care with “influenza-like symptoms,” provincial chief medical officer Dr. […] Read more
Swine flu strain makes first jump to person in Canada
Alberta reports 'one isolated case' in central region
Equipment dealer chain Rocky Mountain to go private
Publicly traded CNH dealer's top brass make offer
Canada’s biggest farm equipment dealership chain has made a deal to take itself private after almost 13 years on the TSX. Rocky Mountain Dealerships (RME) announced Monday it has an agreement in place with a numbered Alberta company controlled by CEO Garrett Ganden and board chairman Matthew Campbell, for 100 per cent of RME at […] Read more
Tech firm aims to boost regenerative ag through A.I., machine learning
Terramera proposes to cut emissions, sequester carbon through efficiencies
A Vancouver ag tech firm is pitching a proposal to both public- and private-sector investors that would use Microsoft technology to help the ag sector “pull carbon from the air.” Terramera on Monday put forward a $730 million proposal for an initiative it calls the Global Centre for Regenerative Agriculture, which would oversee efforts to […] Read more
Canadian food laureate Anita Stewart, 73
Guelph flags to be lowered for Food Day Canada founder
Flags at the University of Guelph are to be flown at half-mast Tuesday in honour of Canadian food advocate Anita Stewart, who died Thursday in hospital in Hamilton. Stewart, 73, was the first person in the world to be conferred with the title of “food laureate,” as she was named by the University of Guelph […] Read more
Foreign worker isolation support extended
Federal program extended alongside federal restrictions
The federal program helping employers of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) cover the costs of isolating new workers for two weeks on their arrival in Canada has been extended through November. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced Monday that the Mandatory Isolation Support for Temporary Foreign Workers Program will now run to Nov. 30, as the government […] Read more
Input Capital takeover falls through
Input says U.S. buyer to walk away, pay termination fee
The Regina company that brought “streaming” to the Prairie canola marketing business is considering its other options now that a friendly cash bid from a U.S. suitor has been taken off the table. Input Capital said Thursday that Washington, D.C.-based investment firm Bridgeway National, which in August proposed to buy Input for about $96.15 million, […] Read more
Quebec poultry packer to shut ex-Maple Leaf plant
Giannone to close Drummondville facility
The new owner of an antibiotic-free poultry processing plant in the Centre-du-Quebec region is set to shut the plant next week after a “thorough review” of its condition. Volaille Giannone announced Friday it will close the former Avicomax plant at Drummondville effective Nov. 6, after having bought it from Maple Leaf Foods in July for […] Read more
Former federal ag minister Don Mazankowski, 85
Long-time Alberta Tory MP deemed a 'minister of everything'
A private memorial is planned for long-time Alberta MP Don Mazankowski, whose work in the cabinets of prime ministers Brian Mulroney and Joe Clark included a stint as Canada’s minister of agriculture. Mazankowski, the MP for the east-central Alberta riding of Vegreville from 1968 to 1993, died late Tuesday at age 85, his family said […] Read more
Feds seek feedback on farm worker living conditions
Consultations focused on 'primary agriculture' labour stream of TFWs
Improving and standardizing living conditions for temporary foreign workers (TFWs) in Canada — specifically, those on Canadian farms — is the subject of a new round of federal consultations. Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough and Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Tuesday announced consultations are now underway until Dec. 22 with “provinces and territories, employers, workers, worker […] Read more
Cenovus to get Prairies’ biggest ethanol maker in Husky sale
Plants can take up to 750,000 tonnes of wheat, corn, rye per year
A proposed takeover of Husky Energy by Cenovus Energy is expected to create not only Canada’s third-biggest oil and gas producer but also a new owner for the Prairies’ biggest ethanol business. The two Calgary companies on Sunday announced a friendly all-stock deal which would see Husky shareholders get 0.7845 of a Cenovus share — […] Read more
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