Shanghai/Wellington | Reuters — Chinese police have arrested 19 people for repackaging and selling expired dairy products originally from New Zealand giant Fonterra Co-Operative Group, a Shanghai regulator said on Monday, the latest food scare to hit the country. The bust, which initially took place in March, uncovered the gang who had cut 276 tons […] Read more

China busts gang selling expired dairy products

Gay Lea to buy central Ontario butter maker
A U.S.-owned artisanal butter processor in central Ontario is set to become an arm of Ontario dairy co-operative Gay Lea Foods. Michigan-based butter producer Butterball Farms has agreed to sell Stirling Creamery, based at Stirling, Ont., north of Belleville, to Gay Lea effective Nov. 1. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, though Gay Lea […] Read more

Dairy firms plan joint processing venture in Winnipeg
Manitoba dairy producers are expected to get a new outlet for their raw milk from a new joint venture to process butter and dairy ingredients in Winnipeg. Mississauga-based dairy co-operative Gay Lea Foods and ingredient processor Vitalus Nutrition of Abbotsford, B.C. on Monday announced a joint venture to be based at an unnamed “existing food […] Read more

EU anti-globalization politician allowed to stay in Canada
Ottawa | Reuters — European Parliament member and anti-globalization activist Jose Bove will be allowed to stay in Canada after earlier being told to leave the country, according to organizers of an event where he had been scheduled to speak. The Council of Canadians, a social justice non-profit, said on Wednesday that a decision to […] Read more

NAFTA negotiators see gains for Canada if pact reopened
Reuters — Canada, fearful of talk by the U.S. presidential candidates to reopen the North American Free Trade Agreement, could use the opportunity to push for a better deal on worker mobility, dispute resolutions and other issues, Canadian negotiators of the original pact said. Republican Donald Trump calls NAFTA the worst trade deal signed by […] Read more

New Zealand dairy industry worries over Canada pricing plan
Wellington/Winnipeg | Reuters — New Zealand is closely watching changes in how Canada prices dairy products, New Zealand’s trade ministry said on Friday, as industry groups in several countries complain of unfair Canadian competition. Canada’s dairy farmers and processors, which include Saputo and Parmalat Canada, struck a pricing agreement in July that industry groups in […] Read more
Lely offering dairy industry scholarships
Application deadline is Oct. 1
Reading Time: < 1 minute Lely North America is offering five $1,000 scholarships for Canadian residents currently attending a junior college, college, university, or graduate school. The student must also be registered in a program that can equip them to contribute to the dairy industry and be current or previous members of 4-H. Applicants also have to write a short […] Read more

Germany’s Gabriel gets green light to support CETA
Wolfsburg, Germany | Reuters — Germany appeared set on Monday to back an ambitious trade accord between the European Union and Canada after the leader of the Social Democrats (SPD), junior partner in the ruling coalition, overcame left-wing resistance to the deal within his party. The SPD decision paves the way for EU member states […] Read more

TPP study sees net ‘neutral’ effect on dairy sector
An economic impact study on Canada’s participation in a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal finds losses in Canada’s dairy sector would be “offset” by gains for dairy processors from cheaper dairy imports. The study, prepared for the federal government by its Office of the Chief Economist and released Friday, notes Canada has offered expanded access […] Read more

Milk costs and revenues up
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has released The Economics of Milk Production 2015, which details the cost of producing a hectolitre of milk in Alberta last year. Higher feed prices pushed up production costs last year, but were partially offset by lower costs for fuel, utilities and labour (on an hours-per-cow basis). Overall costs were up […] Read more