Ontario’s economy can expect to take a bath of around $150 million annually from the development of its corn ethanol sector, the George Morris Centre warns in a new report. The Guelph-based ag think tank said in a report Tuesday that a $150 million net cost to the economy will be borne mostly by the […] Read more
Corn ethanol will cost Ont. economy: report
Viterra to build new Peace-area terminal
Grain handler Viterra plans to spend $24 million building a high-throughput terminal to meet rising demand in northern Alberta’s grain-growing Peace River region. The concrete-and-steel terminal on the CN rail line at Sexsmith, about 18 km north of Grande Prairie, will feature 30,000 tonnes of grain storage capacity and capability to load 104 railcars. “The […] Read more
Sask., Man. farmers catch break in weather
Grain growers in much of farming Manitoba and Saskatchewan were able to get harvest back on track last week as weather conditions improved, the two provinces said in their weekly crop reports. About 39 per cent of Saskatchewan’s crop had been harvested overall as of Sunday, up from 22 per cent the previous week, the […] Read more
Viterra head office workers take deal
Striking workers at the head office of Canada’s biggest grain company will be back at work Sept. 22 after agreeing to what Viterra called its “last, best and final” contract offer. And workers at the company’s Saskatchewan grain elevators, all of whom were back on the job last week after talks resumed between Viterra and […] Read more
Maritime cattlemen short on feed, call for help
The leaders of the three beef industry boards in Atlantic Canada are calling on their provinces’ ag ministers to support “solutions” to a looming feed crisis. The three boards said in a joint release Monday that a “very serious” feed shortage is evolving due to heavy rainfall in many regions of the Maritimes over the […] Read more
Safflower-based insulin OK for human trials
A Calgary biotech company using modified safflowers to make insulin for diabetes treatments has clearance from U.S. regulators to take its product to human clinical trials. SemBioSys Genetics announced Tuesday that it’s now eligible to go ahead with its planned Phase I/II human clinical trial of plant-produced insulin, since the 30-day review period of its […] Read more
FCC takes food bank drive national
Employees of Farm Credit Canada will go national this year with their annual drive to collect food and donations for rural food banks. The program, called Drive Away Hunger, expands this year from a collection of regional tour events to a drive to collect food and cash donations in every FCC field office across Canada. […] Read more
Man. hog farmers propose alternative to ban
The hog farmers’ association in Manitoba now proposes an alternative to the all-out ban on industry expansion planned for several hog-producing regions of the province. The Manitoba Pork Council on Monday announced it will propose that the province amend Bill 17, legislation that the council had dubbed the “Anti-Farm Bill” in a recent ad campaign. […] Read more
Ont. hothouse growers approve checkoff
Flowers Canada (Ontario) has been officially approved as the checkoff-funded representative group for the province’s flower and potted plant growers. The province granted the designation, effective Sept. 11, after a January vote by greenhouse floriculture growers in Ontario, overseen by the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission. The growers will now pay a mandatory license fee […] Read more
B.C. hothouse staff gone, union vote goes on
A union certification vote for an Abbotsford, B.C. greenhouse operation is expected to continue Monday, even though the union in question says half the workers in the proposed bargaining unit have been shipped back to Mexico. The B.C. Labour Relations Board is to hold the certification vote for Floralia Plant Growers Ltd., which, according to […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
