The hog farmers’ association in Manitoba now proposes an alternative to the all-out ban on industry expansion planned for several hog-producing regions of the province. The Manitoba Pork Council on Monday announced it will propose that the province amend Bill 17, legislation that the council had dubbed the “Anti-Farm Bill” in a recent ad campaign. […] Read more
Man. hog farmers propose alternative to ban
Ont. hothouse growers approve checkoff
Flowers Canada (Ontario) has been officially approved as the checkoff-funded representative group for the province’s flower and potted plant growers. The province granted the designation, effective Sept. 11, after a January vote by greenhouse floriculture growers in Ontario, overseen by the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission. The growers will now pay a mandatory license fee […] Read more
B.C. hothouse staff gone, union vote goes on
A union certification vote for an Abbotsford, B.C. greenhouse operation is expected to continue Monday, even though the union in question says half the workers in the proposed bargaining unit have been shipped back to Mexico. The B.C. Labour Relations Board is to hold the certification vote for Floralia Plant Growers Ltd., which, according to […] Read more
Historic Alta. ranch to preserve native grassland
A 125-year-old ranch that’s home to one of the largest areas of native grassland in Alberta plans to preserve that grassland through new agreements with the province and conservation groups. The OH Ranch, which has operated since 1881 and runs livestock at Longview, Pekisko, Dorothy and Bassano in southern Alberta, will get a “heritage rangeland” […] Read more
Jones rink keeps Monsanto brand
Manitoba’s Team Jennifer Jones has signed on for a two-year extension of its sponsorship by Monsanto Canada, through to the end of April 2010. The extension, announced Monday, includes an undisclosed amount of monetary support and “performance incentives” for the curling team as well as title sponsorship, company logo placement on both on-ice and off-ice […] Read more
N.S. to fund farm energy audit pilot
Development of an energy audit system for Nova Scotia farms by the provincial ag federation will get some funding from the province’s EcoTrust fund. The EcoTrust for Clean Air and Climate Change will put up $37,000 for the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture to create an auditing system that can be customized to help individual […] Read more
GSU to vote on Viterra’s “final” offer
Unionized workers at Viterra’s Regina head office and Saskatchewan grain elevators will vote starting this week on what the company calls its “last, best and final” contract offers. The voting process will at least temporarily end any work disruptions at the grain company’s Saskatchewan elevators as farmers in the province continue with harvest, though the […] Read more
Food makers’ profit growth to continue: report
Even as prices rise for ag products and production growth slows, Canada’s food makers are expected to show steady growth in profits over the next four years, according to the Conference Board of Canada. The Ottawa-based think tank on Thursday released its industrial outlook for the food manufacturing industry, predicting that after two years of […] Read more
New directors named to Alberta’s AFSC
Two well-known Alberta farm leaders have been appointed to the board of the province’s ag financing, insurance and funding agency. Grain and oilseed grower Mel McNaughton and beef and grain producer Darcy Davis have each been named by Ag Minister George Groeneveld to three-year terms on the 12-member board of the Agricultural Financial Services Corp. […] Read more
Rothmans takeover gets federal approval
U.S. tobacco giant Philip Morris International has won the last blessing it needs from Ottawa to take over Canada’s only Canadian-owned, publicly traded tobacco processor. New York-based PMI in late July announced a $2 billion, $30-per-share bid for Rothmans Inc., pending approval from Canada’s Competition Bureau, as well as approval from Industry Canada under the […] Read more
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