Agriculture, biotech and BSE research in Alberta will all operate through one of four new provincial corporations as part of the province’s “Alberta Innovates” support structure for scientific research. “A stronger, more co-ordinated system will bring new opportunities to Alberta researchers and entrepreneurs,” Premier Ed Stelmach said in a release Monday. Alberta Innovates officially launched […] Read more
Alta. ag research moved to new “innovation” agency
Maple Leaf deal clarifies duty to foreign workers
A now-ratified labour contract at Maple Leaf Foods’ main pork slaughter and processing plant at Brandon, Man. will lay out the company’s obligations to its imported workers, according to their union. The company’s new five-year deal with over 2,200 Brandon workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 832 offers improvements to […] Read more
Kraft to sell Delissio pizza business to Nestle
Kraft Foods’ leading position in Canada’s frozen pizza market, through its Delissio brand, is to be sold to Nestle along with all Kraft’s other North American frozen pizza business. The US$3.7 billion cash deal gives Nestle the Delissio operations in Canada as well as its U.S. counterpart DiGiorno, plus the Tombstone and Jack’s brands in […] Read more
Klassen: Longer-term price outlook friendly on feeders
Jan. 4 — Auction markets have been rather quiet over the past couple weeks due to the holiday schedule. Feeder cattle prices appear to have stabilized for the time being. Looking forward, there are still a number of risks weighing on the market in the short term. Finishing feedlot margins continue to hover in red […] Read more
Big Sky proposals go to creditor vote Feb. 8
Creditors of Saskatchewan’s largest hog production company will get the chance to vote on a compromise proposal early next month in Saskatoon. Ernst and Young, acting as the court-appointed monitor for Big Sky Farms and affiliated companies since the hog firm entered creditor protection in November, has called a meeting of the company’s affected creditors […] Read more
Vetoquinol recalling vials of veterinary penicillin
One lot of Longisil, a veterinary form of injectable penicillin used mainly in larger livestock, is being recalled after allergic reactions were reported in treated dogs and cats. The manufacturer, Vetoquinol North America at Lavaltrie, Que., has announced the recall of lot number 9224, which was distributed in three vial sizes: 100 (9224-01), 250 (9224-02) […] Read more
New Prairie hog marketing service names chief
A new merged marketing service centre for Saskatchewan and Manitoba hog producers has turned to one of its parents’ head offices for its new general manager. Perry Mohr, CEO of Manitoba Pork Marketing Co-op, was named Monday as the new general manager for Winnipeg-based h@ms Marketing Services, jointly owned by MPMC and Saskatchewan’s SPI Marketing […] Read more
DDGS — Plentiful, Cheaper Than Barley, And Good Feed
Reading Time: 3 minutes “In a feedlot ration, it takes very little DDGS to provide excess protein. But the protein might be a real benefit in a beef cow diet.” Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is now the lowest-cost feed energy source, and is now replacing barley and other domestic feed grain at feedlots in southern Alberta. “It’s […] Read more
Smaller U.S. Cattle Supply Bullish For Prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes The U.S. Department of Agriculture Livestock on Feed report Dec. 18 showed a smaller-than-expected cattle supply, but analysts cautioned that the economic recession, which has been a drag on beef sales, may prevent long-term gains in prices. The report showed one per cent fewer cattle in feedlots as of Dec. 1. USDA also reported eight […] Read more
Costco Canada Launches Premium Beef Program
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Beef Information Centre (BIC) has partnered with Costco Canada to launch a premium beef program that features only Canada Prime beef. Canada Prime is the highest grade of beef Canada has to offer. Selected for most marbling, Canada Prime provides outstanding flavour, juiciness and tenderness. Less than two per cent of all Canadian graded […] Read more