Equipment manufacturer AGCO has made a deal with The Climate Corporation to acquire the Precision Planting LLC equipment business. “Precision Planting is a strong business that plays an essential role in the growth and adoption of innovative precision ag practices that help farmers enhance their productivity,” said Mike Stern, chief executive officer for The Climate […] Read more
AGCO to acquire Precision Planting from The Climate Corporation
Federal government extends food policy discussions
Citing a strong response from across the country, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay has extended the public consultations on a national food policy until Aug. 31. “Canadians’ responses to our online survey show they truly care about food issues. I encourage everyone to take advantage of the extended comment period, and I look forward […] Read more
Heat wave may have left a toxic legacy
Reading Time: 2 minutes The heat wave from earlier this month could pose a lingering and deadly danger to your children, livestock, or pets — blue-green algae. The algae contains several types of toxins, which can cause organ damage; affect the nervous and respiratory systems; cause paralysis; and, in extreme cases, can kill. While people are not likely to […] Read more
CSTA welcomes its 66th president
Dan Wright, of Monsanto Canada, has been named the 66th President of the Canadian Seed Trade Association, the association says in a release. Wright has been involved with the CSTA for a number of years. In that time, he has served on the board of directors for two years and on the executive for three […] Read more
Annual food contest has new category for alcoholic beverages
Aspiring Manitoba entrepreneurs with creative ideas for new foods or alcoholic beverages are invited to enter the 11th annual Great Manitoba Food Fight (GMFF), Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced yesterday “Manitoba is home to many budding entrepreneurs with a passion for food and drink and the skill to create innovative and delicious new products,” said […] Read more
Small hive beetle appears in New Brunswick
An emerging pest in honeybee colonies has made its way into New Brunswick for the first time. The province’s agriculture department last month quarantined 12 beekeepers’ colonies that were in “close proximity” to colonies imported from an Ontario beekeeper to pollinate wild blueberries in the Acadian Peninsula. However, the department said Friday, two beetles have […] Read more
Olymel to expand Quebec sausage plant
Quebec meat packing firm Olymel is set to double the production space at the La Fernandiere sausage plant it bought last year at Trois-Rivieres. The company, an arm of major agrifood co-operative La Coop federee, announced plans to spend $8.1 million to double the plant’s area to over 45,000 square feet, setting up more space […] Read more
Chicken farmers to expand phase-out of antibiotics
The national body for Canada’s chicken producers has set new targets to phase out preventive use of the antimicrobials deemed next-to-most important in human medicine. Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) on Tuesday announced that, following the “successful elimination” of Category I antibiotics for disease prevention in chickens, its antimicrobial use strategy will next focus on […] Read more
B.C. NDP’s ag critic named ag minister
The agriculture critic for British Columbia’s opposition New Democrats will be the minister of agriculture as the party takes the governing reins. Lana Popham, the MLA for the Vancouver Island riding of Saanich South, was named Tuesday as ag minister in Premier John Horgan’s cabinet. Horgan took over as premier after Christy Clark’s Liberals, who […] Read more
Ministers agree on new ag funding framework
Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial ministers for agriculture have agreed on the bones of a new five-year policy funding framework, committing them to a review of its business risk management (BRM) programming. The ministers came out of three days of meetings Friday in St. John’s with the “key elements” of a five-year, $3 billion framework, […] Read more
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