Reading Time: 2 minutes Don’t worry, be happy — the banana is not going extinct. And an Alberta plant scientist is helping to ensure that. “I think we will always have bananas,” said Stan Blade. But, he added, they might be quite a bit different — such as much smaller and red or purple in colour. “My view of […] Read more
Raise a glass of banana beer — this popular fruit will endure
U of A’s Stan Blade says the world’s most popular fruit will survive — in some form or another
Produce sector needs help with CFIA changes
Low margins in the industry leave little capacity to cover rising research costs if an existing formula is scrapped
Reading Time: 2 minutes Sweeping regulatory changes at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and limited funds for research are among the challenges facing fruit and vegetable growers, says Ron Lemaire, president of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association. “The foundation for Canada’s fresh produce supply chain is made up of approximately 25,000 small-, medium- and large-size farms that produce vegetables, […] Read more
Revisions in the works for Canada’s Food Guide
Health Canada is planning changes to one of its key policy documents to reflect how Canadians’ diets are generally coming up short in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, milk and milk alternatives. At the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Montreal on Monday, the federal health department launched a 45-day public consultation on changes to Canada’s Food Guide, […] Read more
Books on veggie and fruit production
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has a number of publications available for those interested in commercial production of vegetables and fruits. Commercial Vegetable Production on the Prairies is a 300-page book covering all aspects of production from seeding through to disease, weed and insect control. Commercial Strawberry Production on the Prairies and the Saskatoon Berry Production […] Read more
Farmers return to vegetable patch as currency slumps
Reuters — Canadian farmers are cashing in on the highest vegetable prices in years, helped by the country’s weak currency and soaring costs of U.S. imports that have made them unexpected winners in a bearish commodity world. Soft wheat and canola prices may diminish Canadian farm incomes by nine per cent this year. But it […] Read more
Australia to hike tax on ‘backpacker’ workers
Sydney | Reuters — Australia is set to increase taxes on foreign travellers who work in the country, raising concerns from farmers that their supply of “backpacker labour” at harvest times may dry up and undermine Australia’s ambitions of being Asia’s delicatessen. Australian fruit exports are set to hit a record A$2.27 billion (C$2.19 billion) […] Read more
USDA report says no risk from pesticide residues
Reuters — More than half of food tested by the U.S. government for pesticide residues last year showed detectable levels of pesticides, though most were within levels the government considers to be safe, according to a report issued Dec. 19 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA looked at fresh and processed fruits and […] Read more
Ukraine appeals to WTO over Russian ban on fruit, vegetable imports
Kiev | Reuters –– Ukraine has complained to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about a decision by Russia to ban imports of fruit and vegetables from the country, the agriculture ministry said Thursday. The ban, which came into force Wednesday, was the latest trade barrier erected by Russia in a trade and sanctions war linked […] Read more
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