Livestock

While the Canadian Dairy Commission says new increases in support prices will help dairy producers catch up with higher costs, some Canadian restaurateurs say the hike will force them further out of the dairy market. The CDC on Wednesday announced that effective Feb. 1, 2009, the support price for skim milk powder will increase from […] Read more

The Manitoba government’s offer of a new funding plan for one of the province’s best-known venues for farm shows and events has been rejected as doing nothing to solve the facility’s debt woes. The province in October had pledged provincial grants of up to $250,000 a year for five years for the Keystone Centre in […] Read more

The final version of Alberta’s new Land-Use Framework now calls for legislation on regional land-use planning, as well as a seventh planning region and a strategy for efficient use of land. The provincial government on Wednesday rolled out its final framework, which follows months of consultations and feedback after the province released a first draft […] Read more

Manitoba’s agriculture department would take over responsibility from public health officials for inspections of the province’s food processing, distribution and warehousing businesses under legislation introduced Wednesday. “This act will strengthen the food safety system in Manitoba and provide the necessary authority for our province to work co-operatively with food industry partners and the federal government,” […] Read more

Livestock producers’ groups are hailing Ottawa’s decision to take the U.S. government into World Trade Organization talks over Washington’s mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) laws on imports of meat and other foods. The Canadian government said Monday it will seek formal consultations with the U.S. on COOL under the WTO dispute settlement process. “We are committed […] Read more

The Newfoundland and Labrador government will back a new mink farm at Notre Dame Bay with $750,000 in start-up costs. Comfort Cove Farms will get $500,000 from the provincial Agriculture and Agrifoods Development Fund to cover up to 50 per cent of eligible costs for establishing the farm. The provincial innovation, trade and rural development […] Read more

Canada’s former chief NAFTA negotiator and the operations manager for a well-known Calgary-area ranch are the newest board members for the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency. Agriculture Minister George Groeneveld named John Weekes and Cherie Copithorne-Barnes to ALMA’s board on Monday. “Their combined experience in international trade and beef production systems, in both Alberta and […] Read more

Bank of Montreal may soon jump the queue of secured creditors for financially battered U.S. poultry processor Pilgrim’s Pride. The Texas company, which operates 46 chicken processing and prepared-foods plants, mostly in the southeastern U.S. and Mexico, went voluntarily into Chapter 11 protection Monday in a U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Texas. At the same time, […] Read more