A major Canadian food workers’ union wants to see an inquiry into the deaths of three workers Friday in an apparent toxic gas release at a Langley, B.C. mushroom farm. “The (workers’) families, the public, and all agriculture workers need to know what led to this tragedy and how to prevent it from ever happening […] Read more
Inquiry demanded over mushroom farm deaths
FCC to consider farmers’ “integrity” for loans
The federal government has acted on a pledge to require Farm Credit Canada to consider the “personal integrity” of people applying for financing from the federal farm lender. FCC was one on a list of five Crown corporations that will now be required to make such considerations, announced Saturday by federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz […] Read more
Slicers likely source of listeria: Maple Leaf
Processors that produce ready-to-eat meats are being asked to take on “aggressive” cleaning of their meat slicing equipment after Maple Leaf Foods found such machines to be the likely source of a serious listeriosis contamination. Federal and provincial health officials have been investigating an increase in cases of listeriosis infections in people where the bacteria […] Read more
Declaration rules broadened for CWB vote
Prairie grain growers who don’t have Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) permit books now have other options to declare their eligibility to vote in this fall’s CWB director elections. And this round of elections will also see the cap removed on how much “third parties” can spend to advertise on their chosen candidates’ behalf. “We’ve made […] Read more
Cattle urine may lead to live BSE test
Canadian researchers say levels of a telltale protein in cattle urine may be the path to a BSE test for live cattle. Scientists at the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory (NML), working with others from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the University of Manitoba and Germany’s Federal Research Institute of Animal […] Read more
Alta. cattle groups line up behind ALMS
Four cattle producers’ organizations with Alberta membership are collectively putting their weight behind the provincial government’s planned Livestock and Meat Strategy (ALMS). The groups announced Thursday they have formed a new coalition, the Beef Industry Alliance (BIA), supported by the Western Stock Growers Association, Alberta Cattle Feeders Association (ACFA), Beef Initiative Group (BIG) and Feeder […] Read more
Hort growers look to recycle plastics
Ontario’s professional horticulture organization plans to develop a national program to recycle post-consumer horticultural plastics. Landscape Ontario said in a recent statement that such a program would be the first such nationwide program in the world. “A movement is underway to restrict plastic containers,” the group said. “To date, water bottles and plastic bags are […] Read more
Ottawa boosts Man. forage aid program
Applications are now available for Manitoba’s promised program to help producers pay to haul feed or move livestock due to excess moisture or drought, as the federal government sweetens the program pot. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz on Friday announced $6.1 million for the Manitoba Forage Assistance Program (MFAP), bringing total funding to $10.2 million for […] Read more
JRI to rebrand ag businesses as “Richardson”
Watch for new stationery from the ag businesses formerly known as JRI, Pioneer Grain and Canbra Foods. Winnipeg-based James Richardson International (JRI) announced Thursday that it has changed its own name to Richardson International Ltd. and will carry out its agricultural business under the trademark “Richardson.” Pioneer Grain, the privately-held company’s Prairie grain handling business, […] Read more
Feds back spinach-based cosmetics production
A Quebec company planning to extract compounds from organic baby spinach for use in new cosmetics will get up to $2.9 million in federal funding to promote its process. PureCell Technologies plans to use the funds to build a 10,000-square foot extraction and cosmeceutical manufacturing plant at Montmagny, about 80 km east of Quebec City […] Read more
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