More than two dozen farmers are moving ahead with legal action against Purely Canada Foods after it failed to honour contracts for gluten-free oats. The dispute centres on 2022 gluten-free oat contracts. On March 1, 2023, the company sent a letter to the farmers saying it was voiding the contracts because oat processing machinery had failed the previous fall and it couldn’t accept the crop.

Court remedy sought for unfulfilled contracts
Sask. company claims equipment breakdown at a third-party mill caused it to declare force majeure on contracted oats

Viterra workers suspend strike to vote on new offer
Workers will be working to rule during the voting period
Today, Grain and General Services Union workers employed by Viterra in Saskatchewan said they will vote on the grain handling company's latest final offer over the next two weeks. Locals 1 and 2, representing country operations and head office staff, respectively, were set to walk out at 2 p.m. today if a deal had not been reached.

Hepworth honoured for agricultural achievements
The London, Ont. resident started as a Sask. farmer and vet before moving to politics, then research
Lorne Hepworth, former Saskatchewan agriculture minister and current chair of the Agriculture Research Institute of Ontario, has been named a member of the Order of Canada.

Agriculture’s labour challenges continue
Survey finds increasing number of foreign workers not enough to fill gap
Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – The latest agricultural labour market information shows shortages cost the sector billions and the problem is likely to grow. The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council’s (CAHRC) most recent survey, conducted by the Conference Board of Canada between March and September, found 28,200 jobs were unfilled during peak season in 2022. That resulted in […] Read more

Ottawa sets challenge for cattle methane emissions
Ottawa announces Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge and $12 million in funding
Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Ottawa is making $12 million available to help find ways to reduce methane emissions from cow-calf, dairy and feedlot operations. The Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge is part of the federal government’s plan to reduce overall methane emissions 40 to 45 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and to be net-zero by […] Read more

Farmgate milk price hike delayed to May
Stakeholders say increase should be postponed amid food inflation concerns
The farmgate price of milk will go up May 1, 2024, rather than Feb. 1, after a review of the national pricing formula and consultation with stakeholders. The increase will be 1.77 per cent, or about 1.5 cents per litre for milk going into processing plants, the Canadian Dairy Commission said Wednesday. The commission had […] Read more

Private member’s bill looks for quicker ag product approval
Seed, feed and pest control legislation would be amended to allow faster approval of products already registered in ‘trusted’ jurisdictions
Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Kody Blois, Liberal MP and chair of the House of Commons agriculture committee, has introduced a bill to make it easier for seed, feed and crop protection products to move into Canada. Private member’s Bill C-359 would amend the Seeds Act, Feeds Act and Pest Control Products Act to provide a 90-day […] Read more