Maple Leaf Foods’ hog production company Elite Swine has been renamed Maple Leaf Agri-Farms, the company announced Monday. The move is the latest step in the reorganization the company announced in October last year, in which it planned to refocus on value-added meat and meals. As part of that move, Maple Leaf said at the […] Read more
Maple Leaf rebrands Elite Swine
Alta. puts up $4.5M for biodiesel project
The Alberta government has put up $4.46 million in grants toward Canadian Bioenergy Corp.’s planned biodiesel plant near Fort Saskatchewan, just northeast of Edmonton. The company will get the grants through the province’s bio-refining commercialization and market development program, and through the bioenergy infrastructure development program, both run through the province’s $239 million Nine-Point Bio-energy […] Read more
FCC fuels up Accelerator Loans for second year
Farm Credit Canada has brought back the Accelerator Loan for another year, the federal farm lender announced Monday. The Accelerator Loan program, which targets farmers under age 40, allows young farmers to maintain cash flow to build equity and build their farms, by providing flexibility in payment options and down payments as low as zero. […] Read more
Forms mailed for Ontario RMP
Ontario grain and oilseed growers who haven’t yet got a personalized application form for the provincial risk management program (RMP) can call Agricorp to get one, the agency said Monday. Over 20,000 application packages have been mailed to eligible Ontario farmers, who must review, revise (if need be), sign and mail back the personalized form […] Read more
Core extended as Dairy Commission CEO
Ontario dairy farmer John Core, the CEO of the Canadian Dairy Commission since 2002, has been re-appointed to the post for another year by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. Core served as both CEO and chairman of the commission from 2002 until the two positions were split in April this year. He was also previously a […] Read more
Grain Growers past president named to CGC post
Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has named a past president of the Grain Growers of Canada to a three-year term as assistant chief commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission. At the time of his appointment, announced Friday, Jim Smolik of Dawson Creek, B.C. sat on the GGC’s executive committee as past president and is listed […] Read more
U.S. firm buys Prairie combine parts maker
Loewen Manufacturing, a Altona, Man. maker of parts for the North American and European combine aftermarket, has been sold to an Iowa parts company. A&I Products of Rock Valley, Iowa, bought Loewen for an undisclosed sum. The U.S. company said in a release Friday that the deal will allow dealerships and repair shops worldwide to […] Read more
N.B. puts up $34M for climate projects
New Brunswick crop growers may be able to dip into or benefit from a new fund to back projects supporting the provincial climate change action plan. The province on Friday announced $34 million for the New Brunswick Climate Action Fund, dedicated to public, private and not-for-profit initiatives to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions and […] Read more
Nova Scotia cider maker to expand
Nova Scotia’s Cider House Co. Ltd. plans to expand production of its high-end hard apple cider, citing opportunities in both North America and Europe. The company, affiliated with winery Grand Pre Wines Ltd. (50 miles northwest of Halifax on Minas Basin) plans to lease an area of the former Avon Foods building in nearby Berwick, […] Read more
Hytek buys pork processor at Neepawa, Man.
Manitoba hog producer Hytek Ltd. has opted to buy rather than build new to get into the pork packing business. The company, based at La Broquerie in southeastern Manitoba, announced late Thursday that it will buy the Springhill Farms pork plant at Neepawa, about 50 miles northeast of Brandon, for an undisclosed sum. The deal […] Read more
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