Their financial data isn’t likely to be stolen, but canola growers in five provinces have been warned that the computer containing it was. Several Prairie media outlets on Thursday reported that a laptop belonging to the Canadian Canola Growers Association was stolen in late March after it was taken off-site for maintenance. According to the […] Read more
Stolen laptop had canola growers’ data
Agrium fined over Sask. miner injury
A potash mine rockfall that left a miner paraplegic will cost fertilizer firm Agrium a $234,000 fine, a Saskatchewan court ruled Wednesday. The penalty follows an incident in late August 2006 at the Calgary company’s potash mine at Vanscoy, about 25 km southwest of Saskatoon. CBC, which identified the worker as Paul Goddard, reported Wednesday […] Read more
Alta. beekeepers report high overwintering losses
Higher-than-normal loads of mites that have built up resistance to pesticides have helped lead to higher-than-normal rates of winterkill in Alberta bees, according to the provincial apiculturist. Alberta producers are seeing about 25 per cent overwintering losses, the province said, compared to the normal 15-20 per cent range. “The hardest hit regions are the Peace […] Read more
Nfld. to fund Aleutian disease program
An Aleutian disease management program for Newfoundland and Labrador is expected to allow that province’s mink farmers to step up biosecurity. Under a $5.4 million, two-year program announced in April’s provincial budget and rolled out Thursday, eligible mink farmers may use the funding for improving biosecurity measures on farms, carcass disposal, disinfection and replacement of […] Read more
DUC expands Alta. wildlife plan
A program to help Alberta ranchers and farmers develop wildlife habitat management plans for their property will be expanded, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) said Thursday. The program, which ran as a pilot last year under the name “On-Farm Wildlife and Biodiversity Planning Service,” will be relaunched under the name “Natural Advantage” and will now employ […] Read more
Pulse processor buys western Sask. competitor
Pulse crop processing firm Alliance Grain Traders has signed a letter of intent to buy Pulse Depot, a Rosetown, Sask. pulse and special crop processor. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed in Alliance’s announcement Tuesday, other than to say that Pulse Depot’s shareholders will be able to decide whether to sell all their outstanding shares […] Read more
Changes proposed for eastern grain grading
A single select grade for eastern and western malt barley are among the changes proposed for eastern grain grading to take effect July 1. According to a Canadian Grain Commission release Tuesday, the Eastern Standards Committee (ESC) has recommended that the CGC revise the current malt barley grade schedule to include only two grades: Select […] Read more
Planet Organic balks at U.S. acquisition
Faced with a “very weak” market for a share offering, Edmonton-based retailer Planet Organic has dropped its plan to buy its way into California’s lucrative organic food market. The company, which already runs 20 natural food supermarkets in Canada and the eastern U.S., said in a release Wednesday that its board has voted to focus […] Read more
N.B. to restrict live chicken exports
The New Brunswick government is introducing “temporary” legislation that would require all chickens raised in the province to be processed only in designated plants. Agriculture Minister Ron Ouellette said in a release Tuesday that the amendment to the Natural Products Act is meant to prevent the province’s poultry producers from “making changes in the trade […] Read more
Russia to resume Canadian pork imports
Russia’s two-month ban on imports of Canadian pork will be lifted as Canada upgrades the security of its export documents, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Tuesday. Russia closed its ports of entry to Canadian pork on April 1 this year because of concerns about “fraudulent export documents,” Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said in a release. […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
