The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) now considers Canada free of highly pathogenic avian flu, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency reported Friday. The OIE’s notification follows the end of a 90-day period after the cleanup of the most recent outbreak of the H7N3 strain of avian influenza on a poultry farm near Regina Beach, […] Read more
Canada free of “high-path” bird flu: OIE
Quebec puts up $5M to boost food exports
Quebec’s provincial government says it will boost the funding it provides to ag export agencies as part of its response to the provincial commission on the future of farming. Agriculture Minister Laurent Lessard, speaking Friday at the Salon international de l’alimentation (SIAL) trade show in Montreal, pledged $5 million to support companies that export Quebec […] Read more
Canada, Korea working toward beef deal: report
“Working-level” talks are reportedly underway to set up negotiations between Ottawa and Seoul to resume Canadian beef exports to South Korea. Korean news agency Yonhap reported Wednesday that Canada is asking for “unfettered access” to South Korea’s beef market after Seoul agreed last week to loosen its ban on U.S. beef imports. The report quoted […] Read more
Brighter crop prospects pressure CWB PROs
Improved prospects for the worldwide wheat crop are a drag on the Canadian Wheat Board’s 2008-09 pool return outlook (PRO) for Prairie wheat. The April PROs — the board’s monthly estimates of crop year returns from its wheat and barley pools — have dropped across the board for 2008-09 milling wheat, the board reported Thursday. […] Read more
Ottawa to fund B.C. hemp plot trials
B.C. forestry towns hit hard by the mountain pine beetle will use federal cash to see whether they can produce hemp commercially. The project in the District of 100 Mile House, about 200 km northwest of Kamloops, will be funded through the federal Community Economic Diversification Initiative (CEDI). Ottawa will put up $235,665 for the […] Read more
Cost index raised for railways’ Prairie grain handle
Rising fuel and labour costs may allow Canada’s two main railways to keep more revenue from Prairie grain freight in 2008-09. The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) on Thursday announced it would boost the 2008-09 volume-related composite price index (VRCPI), a figure used to calculate the cap on western grain freight revenue, to 1.1493, up eight […] Read more
P.E.I. ag budget up, not down: minister
Prince Edward Island’s agriculture minister is disputing claims that the department’s funding was cut by 30 per cent in Wednesday’s budget. Neil LeClair issued a press release Thursday stating the provincial ag department’s budget has been increased by almost $2 million “over that proposed last year by the previous administration.” During the past fiscal year, […] Read more
Grain prices cost Maple Leaf in Q1
Higher grain prices have bit into Maple Leaf Foods’ bakery and hog production businesses, leading the company to break even in its first fiscal quarter. The Toronto food processing company on Thursday posted a net loss of just $10,000 on $1.2 billion in sales in its quarter ending March 31, down from $10.5 million net […] Read more
Manitoba to legislate compensation for artificial floods
A compensation program for farmers in northwestern Manitoba whose land is flooded by operation of the Shellmouth Dam will be legislated under a bill introduced Wednesday. The Shellmouth Dam and Other Water Control Works Management Act lays out the rules under which the dam will operate, and can be expanded to cover compensation relating to […] Read more
New markets beckon to Canadian food firms: report
While rising costs, the rising dollar and slowing economies such as the U.S. put pressure on Canadian food processors, they should look to other export markets as well as their own “underserved” ethnic populations, according to a new report from Rabobank. The Dutch firm, which bills itself as the “premier” bank to the global food […] Read more
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