New York | Thomson Reuters Foundation — Some of the world’s largest consumer goods companies, including Kellogg and Wal-Mart, said on Wednesday they will simplify food expiration labels in an effort to eliminate confusion that contributes to food waste. Standardized labeling will use a single expiration date on perishable items and a single quality indicator […] Read more

Taking aim at food waste, companies plan simplified expiration labels

StatsCan’s model-based estimates confirm larger crops
CNS Canada — Canadian canola and wheat production likely ended up larger than earlier estimates, according to computer model-based data released Tuesday by Statistics Canada. The model-based estimates are calculated by incorporating satellite data, agro-climate data, and Statistics Canada’s field crop reporting data. The numbers compare with the survey of farmers released Aug. 31. Total […] Read more

Lower Prairie flax production, decent quality expected
CNS Canada — What’s really happening with this year’s flax crop is going to be revealed in the next few weeks as farmers get into their fields. Statistics Canada predicted in a production report, released Aug. 31, that both Saskatchewan’s and Canada’s flax production this year would be 13.7 per cent less than in 2016. […] Read more

Traders look to new crop following StatsCan stocks estimates
CNS Canada — Canadian canola stocks were relatively tight at the close of the 2016-17 crop year, which should be underpinning the market as the trade works to get a better handle on new-crop production. In a report released Wednesday, Statistics Canada pegged Canadian canola supplies as of July 31 at 1.35 million tonnes, compared […] Read more

StatsCan production survey timing likely to skew results
CNS Canada — Production of Canada’s major crops is generally expected to be down on the year after an adverse growing season in many areas. However, actual production may not end up as low as the estimates set to be released by Statistics Canada on Thursday, due to the timing of the survey. The survey […] Read more

Whole Foods slashes prices on some produce
Los Angeles/Chicago | Reuters — On its first day as part of Amazon.com, organic grocery chain Whole Foods Market slashed prices on popular items like avocados and apples on Monday by a third as it bid to shake off its “Whole Paycheque” reputation for high prices. In another sign of changes to come, a display […] Read more

Amazon to cut Whole Foods prices amid intense grocery turf war
Reuters — Amazon.com said Thursday it will cut prices on a range of popular goods as it completes its acquisition of Whole Foods Market, sending shares of rival grocers tumbling over fears of even more brutal market share battles. Amazon’s $13.7 billion purchase of Whole Foods, which won antitrust approval from U.S. regulators on Wednesday, […] Read more

U.S. FTC clears Amazon acquisition of Whole Foods
Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday it has cleared Amazon.com’s planned US$13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods Market. The FTC said in a statement that it had reviewed whether the deal would substantially lessen competition or constituted an unfair method of competition and opted not to pursue its investigation […] Read more

New crop of Nuffield scholars named
Canada’s agriculture sector has yielded four new scholars to join the international Nuffield community and receive funding for research in their fields of interest. Nuffield Canada, the Canadian arm of the international Nuffield organization since 1986, has named Ellen Crane, Josh Oulton, Gavin Robertson and Shelley Spruitt as its Nuffield scholars for 2018. The new […] Read more
Saskatchewan harvest starts amid heat, dryness concerns
CNS Canada – Some producers in the south have started harvest, according to the latest Saskatchewan Agriculture crop report for the week ended July 31. Less than one per cent of fields have been combined across the province so far, but 47 per cent of fall rye, six per cent of winter wheat, two per […] Read more