Reuters — Kraft Heinz is in talks to sell its Planters snack business to Skippy peanut butter maker Hormel Foods for about US$3 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The deal could be announced as soon as next week if talks do not fall apart, the Journal […] Read more
Kraft Heinz reported in talks to sell Planters snack business
Pandemic-based surge in snack demand wanes
South Africa’s barley growers face bleak outlook on alcohol ban
Ban reinstated against COVID-19 surge
Johannesburg | Reuters — South African barley farmers are bracing for a tough market ahead as demand for the grain used to make beer falls and stockpiles grow after a ban on the sale of alcohol was reinstated as the country battles a surge in COVID-19 cases. The government in December enforced its third ban […] Read more
Denmark to compensate mink farmers after nationwide cull
Copenhagen | Reuters — Denmark, the top exporter of mink furs, will compensate its mink farmers with up to 19 billion Danish crowns (C$3.95 billion) following an order last year to cull the country’s entire population. Denmark’s entire herd of some 17 million mink, one of the world’s biggest and highly valued for the quality […] Read more
Ontario backs ‘horse experience’ businesses for horse upkeep
Trail ride operations, riding schools, others eligible
Ontario horses whose jobs with riding schools, camps and trail rides were lost or cut back during the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for funding toward their upkeep. The province on Thursday announced a $3 million equine hardship program would launch starting Monday (Jan. 18) help “horse experience” businesses cover animal maintenance costs. The program […] Read more
Port of Thunder Bay wraps up 21st-century-best year
MarketsFarm — The last vessel of the 2020-21 shipping season left the Port of Thunder Bay on Tuesday, wrapping up the busiest year at the port since 1997. Annual cargo volumes through came in at 10.2 million tonnes, which marked the first time the tonnage topped 10 million since 1997. A total of 9.3 million […] Read more
Ban on food aid restrictions blocked at WTO
WTO says outcome 'disappointing' in difficult year
Geneva | Reuters — World Trade Organization members were at odds on Friday over a proposal that would ban countries from restricting food aid deliveries, potentially complicating the response to a feared COVID-fuelled humanitarian catastrophe next year. The proposal was one of two related to the pandemic that failed to make headway at a three-day […] Read more
Guelph beef plant idled against COVID-19 outbreak
Cattle set-aside plan en route, BFO says
Agrifood giant Cargill is temporarily halting production at its beef processing plant at Guelph, Ont. in the wake of a significant COVID-19 outbreak among employees. The company announced it would “begin the process to temporarily idle” the Dunlop Drive plant effective Thursday (Dec. 17). “This was a difficult decision for our team who are operating […] Read more
Tyson fires seven managers after probe into COVID-19 wagering
Employees had been suspended following lawsuit
Reuters — Tyson Foods said Wednesday it had fired seven managers at an Iowa pork plant after investigating allegations that they took bets on how many employees would catch COVID-19. The independent investigation, led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, came in response to a lawsuit filed by the son of a worker at […] Read more
COVID outbreak shuts Nova Scotia poultry plant
Province closes Eden Valley for at least two weeks
Provincial officials have temporarily shut a chicken and turkey slaughter and processing plant in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, citing recent cases of COVID-19 among employees. Eden Valley Poultry’s processing plant at Berwick will be closed “for at least two weeks,” the provincial health department said in a release Friday. “We know this will be a […] Read more
U.S. pork packer Smithfield offers ultra-cold vaccine storage
COVID-19 vaccines need storage at -20 C, -70 C
Chicago | Reuters — Smithfield Foods, the world’s biggest pork processor, said on Thursday it had offered to help U.S. health officials distribute COVID-19 vaccines and store them in ultra-cold freezers that are in high demand to support a public vaccination campaign. U.S. states, cities and hospitals are scrambling to buy freezers that can safely […] Read more
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