KFC Canada backs controlled-atmosphere slaughter

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has pledged to end its boycott of KFC Canada, after the chicken chain agreed to a new animal welfare plan including support for controlled-atmosphere slaughter. The Norfolk, Virginia-based advocacy group, operators of the “Kentucky Fried Cruelty” campaign, said KFC Canada has pledged to phase in a plan […] Read more

CPR to fine grain handlers for sloppy loading

As part of a wildlife protection initiative, Canadian Pacific Railway plans to fine grain handling companies who spill grain on the end sills of rail hopper cars during loading. The railway announced Friday that starting July 7, customers who identify and clean up spilled grain on the end sills of cars will benefit from an […] Read more


Montreal Climate Exchange begins trading

The Montreal Climate Exchange on Friday officially launched its new futures contract in Canada carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) units. Co-owned by the Montreal Exchange and the Chicago Climate Exchange, the MCeX thus becomes the first regulated environmental market in Canada, chairman Luc Bertrand said in a release Friday. Fully automated trading in the MCeX futures […] Read more

Alta. beet-based cleanser project funded

A processing project to get industrial acid out of Alberta sugar beets has picked up a $1 million investment from Ottawa. The federal government, through its Agri-Opportunities program, said Friday it will put up the repayable funding for Flexible Solutions Ltd. to renovate an existing processing plant at Taber, Alta., and install new equipment to […] Read more


Ottawa to fund P.E.I. value chain office

A value chain co-ordinator to help farmers, processors and retailers connect on Prince Edward Island will get over $61,000 as one of four ag innovation projects funded Friday. The federal government announced over $155,000 in funding from the federal Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) program for the co-ordinator and three other projects, including: $40,000 […] Read more

JRI crush plant up for “immediate” construction

The rising cost to build a new canola crush plant at Yorkton, Sask. won’t stop James Richardson International (JRI) from doing so after all. The Winnipeg grain company announced Friday that its board has approved “immediate construction” of the canola processing plant it announced for Yorkton in September 2006. JRI never formally shelved its plans, […] Read more


N.B. hog farmers get AgriStability TAP

Hog farmers in New Brunswick will be offered early access to their expected AgriStability payout for 2008, under a Targeted Advance Payment (TAP) program announced Thursday. Letters are in the mail to eligible producers with information about the amount of their advance and how to receive a payment, the federal and provincial governments said in […] Read more

Que. court approves Ridley BSE settlement

The Quebec Superior Court has approved Winnipeg feed maker Ridley Inc.’s proposed $6 million settlement of four proposed class-action lawsuits by cattle producers. “While affecting only the Quebec lawsuit, the Quebec court’s order is a significant step toward final resolution of the pending BSE cases against Ridley,” the company wrote in a release Thursday. Ridley […] Read more


Sask. utilities to finance rural hookup costs

Crown-owned utilities SaskPower and SaskTel will offer new financing programs for what could otherwise be cost-prohibitive new connections to electricity and phone service. Starting June 1, SaskPower will finance new residential and farm customers whose electricity connection costs are over $1,000, and commercial customers where such costs are over $5,000. SaskPower’s “New Connects” program will […] Read more

Alta., Sask. urge export focus at WTO

The Saskatchewan and Alberta governments are asking Ottawa to take a “more progressive stance” on opening up market access for Canadian farmers at global trade talks. Bob Bjornerud and George Groeneveld, the two provinces’ respective ag ministers, on Wednesday jointly urged the federal government and the other provinces to support a World Trade Organization position […] Read more