Edmonton marijuana producer Aurora Cannabis is poised to close five of its grow sites across Canada and lay off almost a third of its production workforce. The company on Tuesday announced next steps in the “business transformation plan” it launched in February to “better align the business financially with the current realities of the cannabis […] Read more
Aurora Cannabis to shut five Canadian grows
Closures mean layoffs for 30 per cent of firm's production staff
U.S. court blocks California cancer label on Roundup
WHO agency's ruling alone insufficient, judge says
Reuters — A U.S. federal appeals court on Monday blocked California from requiring that Bayer label its glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup with a cancer warning, handing the company a victory in its ongoing litigation over the product. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge William Shubb called California’s cancer warning misleading and said the state’s label is […] Read more
Beekeepers to get $1 million for replacement colonies
Reading Time: < 1 minute In response to the recent challenges faced by Alberta’s beekeepers, the provincial Agriculture Ministry is introducing a new Canadian Agricultural Partnership program. The program will include up to $1 million to help beekeepers offset the costs of increased colony replacements due to COVID-19. The program, available this summer, will be retroactive to cover issues faced […] Read more
U.S. farming body, Zambian firm partner aim to boost crop yields
Country rebuilding drought-battered ag sector
Lusaka | Reuters — A U.S. non-profit organization has launched a US$40 million joint venture with one of Zambia’s top farm suppliers to boost crop yields and food security as farmers struggle to access finance amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the local company said on Sunday. The chairman of African Green Resources (AGR), Zuneid Yousuf, said […] Read more
National seeds sector groups put merger plan to vote
New organization, if approved, would be called Seeds Canada
Members of five national seed sector organizations are set to vote this summer on their proposed amalgamation under a single banner, Seeds Canada. A “detailed ratification package” has gone out to members of the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA), Canadian Seed Institute (CSI), Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA), Canadian Plant Technology Agency (CPTA) and Commercial […] Read more
Louis Dreyfus adds venture capital unit
New unit's potential budget not yet discussed publicly
Paris | Reuters — Agricultural commodities trader Louis Dreyfus Co. has launched a venture capital program to invest in food and farming firms while also announcing a change of head for its innovation business. “Over the coming months, we will invest in early-stage companies with the potential to transform the food and agriculture industries,” CEO […] Read more
Quebec Liberals name new agriculture critic
New leader names former Laval police officer to handle ag file
Quebec’s official opposition Liberals have shuffled their shadow cabinet and moved their labour critic, a former police officer, to the agriculture portfolio. Dominique Anglade, who was named last month as the Liberals’ new leader, on Tuesday appointed Jean Rousselle, MNA for the Laval-area riding of Vimont, as the party’s critic for public safety and for […] Read more
Bayer scraps plans for U.S. dicamba production
Move unrelated to court ruling, company says
Chicago | Reuters — Bayer said on Tuesday it will scrap a nearly US$1 billion project to produce dicamba in the United States, but said the move is unrelated to a federal court decision that blocked sales of dicamba-based herbicides. The German-based company is moving to save cash as it wages an expensive legal battle […] Read more
Federal surplus food program now taking applications
Qualified NGOs sought to move, distribute perishables to 'populations in need'
A federal program to get food to those who need it, using stockpiles of perishables created by the COVID-19-related shutdown of the dining sector, is now taking applications. The $50 million Surplus Food Rescue Program — which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau telegraphed in a funding announcement May 5 — will take applications from “organizations addressing […] Read more
Ocean freight rate index moving higher
MarketsFarm — Ocean freight rates have shown steady gains over the past month, rising to some of their highest levels of 2020 as world economies show signs of recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Baltic Dry Index (BDI), a major indicator of shipping rates, has moved higher for 12 straight sessions, hitting 973 points on […] Read more
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