Sacramento | Reuters — California will become the first U.S. state to require farmers to pay overtime to field workers and fruit pickers under a bill signed Monday by Democratic […] Read more
Apples
California first state to promise overtime to farmworkers
Trump names six U.S. governors as ag advisors
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump named 64 agriculture policy advisors on Tuesday, including the governors of Iowa and five other farm states and a former federal […] Read more
U.S. GMO label law clears Congress
A law for mandatory labelling of foods for sale in the U.S. with genetically modified or otherwise “bioengineered” ingredients has cleared both houses of Congress and now goes to President […] Read more
Organic seed growers split with OTA over U.S. label plan
A U.S. organic seed grower organization best known for its court case against Monsanto has parted ways with one of North America’s biggest organic sector bodies over a proposed nationwide […] Read more
Canada dilutes plan to limit temporary foreign workers
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s Liberal government on Thursday watered down measures to limit the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers firms can hire after complaints the restrictions would cause […] Read more
MP calls for mandatory GMO labels, echoes Vermont regulations
CNS Canada — A Quebec MP has tabled a new bill calling for mandatory labelling of genetically modified (GM) foods, following steps taken by lawmakers south of the border. Pierre-Luc […] Read more
Hedge fund urges organics firm SunOpta to sell itself
Reuters — Hedge fund Tourbillon Capital Partners is urging Canadian organic food firm SunOpta Inc. to sell itself to a bigger rival, according to a letter sent to the company […] Read more
New Whole Foods chain 365 faces tough mission
Los Angeles | Reuters — Whole Foods Market’s 365 grocery chain offers lower prices and more technology than the company’s namesake supermarkets, but experts say the fledgling brand must beat […] Read more
U.S. study finds no risks to people, planet in GMOs
It’s time for the task of regulating new crop varieties to focus on plants’ characteristics rather than on how the plants were developed, a team of U.S. scientists recommends in a […] Read more
Canada, U.S. to collaborate on food safety controls
Food safety officials in Canada and the U.S. have formally recognized each other’s respective food safety controls under a cross-border co-operation pact. The two countries last week announced their new […] Read more