The U.S. company behind the Crisco brand of cooking oils and shortenings is selling that product line to the maker of Cream of Wheat cereal and Green Giant vegetables. New Jersey-based B+G Foods announced Monday it will buy the Crisco product lines from Ohio-based J.M. Smucker for about US$550 million (C$725.1 million). The sale includes […] Read more
Cream of Wheat maker to buy Crisco line from Smucker
Shortening, cooking oil brand goes to B+G Foods
Saskatchewan agriculture minister cruises to election win
NDP's ag critic trailing, with mail-in votes still to come
Another incumbent agriculture minister easily held his seat as Saskatchewan’s governing Saskatchewan Party scored another decisive majority in Monday’s provincial election. David Marit, MLA for the southwestern riding of Wood River since 2016, held his seat by a spread of 5,177 votes over the New Democrats’ challenger, teacher Roger Morgan, with 459 mail-in ballots remaining […] Read more
More farmers expected to benefit from new CEBA eligibility expansion
Businesses operating via personal accounts to now be eligible
The latest tweak to the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) pandemic aid program is expected to allow farmers who run their business via personal bank accounts to seek CEBA loans. Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Monday that “as early as” Oct. 26, CEBA will be available to businesses which until now have been operating […] Read more
B.C. ag minister, critic expected to win re-election
NDP projected to form majority government
British Columbia’s incumbent agriculture minister and opposition ag critic both appear set to head back to the provincial legislature as the New Democrats are projected to end three years of tentative minority governing. John Horgan’s NDP, which in 2017 overturned a minority Liberal government with the help of the Green Party, was projected Saturday evening […] Read more
Southwestern Ontario elevator to handle Scoular grain
Martin Farming to take grain at new elevator
Scoular Co. has set up a new delivery point for southwestern Ontario growers from whom it buys grain. The Omaha-based, privately-held grain firm announced Thursday it has made a deal with Martin Farming — which operates at Paris, just northwest of Brantford — that will direct grain to Martin’s new 22,000-tonne-capacity elevator. The agreement “allows […] Read more
Shutdown urged for Quebec pork plant after COVID-19 death
Union calls on Olymel to close site for at least two weeks
The union for over 1,000 workers at a major Quebec hog slaughter plant is calling on the owner to temporarily close the facility against a COVID-19 outbreak now blamed for the death of an employee. Le Syndicat des travailleurs d’Olymel Vallee-Jonction-CSN said Wednesday the death of a worker earlier this week led it to demand […] Read more
Four Quebec farm programs’ payments to roll early
FADQ to pay out $9.1 million on four programs on Nov. 1
Four provincial farm development programs in Quebec are to pay out to over 5,000 farm businesses a month ahead of schedule. La Financiere agricole du Quebec (FADQ), the provincial ag lending agency, announced Wednesday it will pay out about $9.1 million to businesses participating in the four programs effective Nov. 1. FADQ noted it made […] Read more
BHP covers added costs for potash project
Long-awaited decision by BHP board now expected mid-2021
“Challenges” in completing the shafts for its Saskatchewan potash project have led the world’s biggest mining company to top up the project budget by 10 per cent. BHP, in an operational review document released Tuesday for its quarter ending Sept. 30, said its board has approved another $272 million to complete the watertight concrete and […] Read more
Wireworms a target for first Group 30 insecticide in Canada
BASF picks up registration for two broflanilide products
The list of insecticides cleared for use in Canadian crops now includes its first Group 30 chemistry, as BASF makes plans to launch it in new wireworm control products next year. BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions on Monday announced approval from Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) for broflanilide, a GABA-gated chloride channel allosteric modulator. […] Read more
BMO regroups ag banking business
Ag-focused national banking team put in place
With COVID-19 serving to “accelerate” changes in the industry, BMO Bank of Montreal says it has reset its farm banking work under the oversight of an expanded national agriculture and agribusiness banking team. BMO announced the new team approach Oct. 14, describing it as “a national team of agriculture banking specialists — team members with […] Read more