The federal government has named David Carefoot, Viterra’s former chief financial officer, as one of its appointees to the Canadian Wheat Board’s (CWB) board of directors. Carefoot, of Oakbank, Man., left Viterra in February, when he was replaced by current CFO Rex McLennan. Carefoot had come to the grain company’s executive as CFO of Agricore […] Read more
Former Viterra exec joins CWB board
Ag ad agency to boost online presence
Calgary marketing and PR agency AdFarm plans to cast a wider marketing net online to reach North American farmers where they surf. The company, which focuses strictly on clients in North America’s ag, food and rural development sectors, announced Thursday that it’s formed an “exclusive alliance” with Rare Method Interactive Corp., another Calgary agency focused […] Read more
Bovine TB found in Manitoba cow
Neither Manitoba’s “TB-free” status for bovine tuberculosis, nor its beef and cattle export status, will be affected by the finding of a TB-positive beef cow in the province’s northwest. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) offered those assurances in a release Thursday confirming the finding in a five-year-old cow within 10 km of Riding Mountain […] Read more
N.S. farmers get wildlife compensation plan
Nova Scotia farmers are expected to get compensation for livestock losses and crop damage caused by wildlife under a new program announced Thursday. Agriculture Minister Brooke Taylor said the program, to be cost-shared through a recently extended portion of the federal/provincial Agricultural Policy Framework, will provide assistance to farmers who experience damage to eligible products […] Read more
Ridley earnings up in “challenging” Q3
Feed maker Ridley Inc., in the midst of courting potential new owners, has posted improved quarterly earnings in the face of a shrinking Canadian swine herd. Ridley on Thursday announced net earnings of $5 million on $167.3 million in revenue (all figures US$) for its third quarter ending March 31, compared to $3.1 million on […] Read more
Dump feed wheat contract: ICE brass
Management of the former Winnipeg Commodity Exchange are recommending its feed wheat futures contract be pulled from trading. In a memo Tuesday to exchange participants, ICE Futures Canada management said they will recommend to the Winnipeg exchange’s board of directors that the December 2008 and subsequent feed wheat futures contract months be removed from trading. […] Read more
Red ink rising again at Atlantic Beef: CBC
Following a public bailout, losses are increasing again at the Atlantic Beef Products plant on Prince Edward Island, CBC reported Thursday. The plant had managed to cut monthly losses from $500,000 in early 2007 to about half that amount by late summer. However, CBC reports, the plant, which has been without a manager since December, […] Read more
UAP takeover complete
Calgary fertilizer and ag retail firm Agrium has officially wrapped up its US$2.65 billion friendly takeover of UAP. Agrium announced Wednesday it has successfully completed its cash deal to buy the Colorado ag retail company for US$39 per share through a subsidiary, Utah Acquisition, which will now be merged with and into UAP. UAP will […] Read more
U of Guelph goes big with food focus group
Canadians’ eating habits and reactions to food safety scares may soon be tracked through a 2,000-member consumer panel developed at the University of Guelph. The Guelph Food Panel is billed as the first large-scale panel consumer group dedicated to food and research. It’s expected the panel will allow researchers to survey participants with 24 hours’ […] Read more
Research on BSE vaccine funded
Development of a BSE vaccine for cattle, and a mathematical study of the risk to people who eat meat from BSE-infected cattle, are up for PrioNet Canada funding, the research network announced Wednesday. PrioNet Canada, which is funded by the federally-backed Networks of Centres of Excellence Canada, announced $8 million in funding for 19 research […] Read more
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