Canada and the European Union will need to put in “quite a lot of hard work” to settle several key differences in talks on a proposed free trade deal, a senior official said Thursday. Canada, keen to diversify its exports away from the United States, opened a ninth round of negotiations with the European Union […] Read more
Supply management a sore spot for Canada/EU trade pact
Genome shows path from hempseed to weed
The fine line between the stuff rope and paper are made of, and the stuff Cheech and Chong's movies are made of, has been found on the plant's genome. A team of Canadian researchers has sequenced the genome of Cannabis sativa, which, depending on the strain, is known for its industrial or illicit recreational uses.[...]
Ontario names new agriculture minister
A veteran Hamilton-area MPP and former cabinet minister is Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty’s choice for minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs in a cabinet short on ag experience. Ted McMeekin, the MPP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, was sworn in Thursday as ag minister following the Oct. 6 election, which saw McGuinty’s Liberal government reduced just shy […] Read more
ICE plans new wheat, barley contracts for Oct. 2012 delivery
Winnipeg’s commodity exchange expects to have new contracts listed for milling wheat, durum and barley for October 2012 delivery if the Canadian Wheat Board’s single marketing desk ends next summer as planned. ICE Futures Canada on Wednesday laid out further plans for the new contracts, which it first proposed in May as the federal government […] Read more
Hemp crop looking good
Canada's hemp crop came off in good shape this year, with better-than-average yields for the most part and no serious quality issues reported. "We're seeing average to above-average yields," said Anndrea Hermann of Manitoba-based hemp processor Hemp Oil Canada and vice-president of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance. On the conventional side, yields were reported at[...]
Man. ag minister reappointed, named finance minister
Manitoba’s minister of agriculture, food and rural initiatives will remain in the same post he held before the Oct. 4 election, but will also be the province’s fill-in finance minister. Dauphin MLA Stan Struthers, the province’s ag minister since November 2009, was reappointed Wednesday to handle the farms file but was also named acting finance […] Read more
UN body delays efforts to regulate “land grabs”
A U.N. intergovernmental body on food security has failed to adopt international guidelines on land governance, delaying efforts to regulate so-called land-grabbing as investors race to snap up agricultural land. A voluntary code of conduct has been in the works since 2008, driven by concerns that countries such as China and Gulf Arab states are […] Read more
Maple Leaf plans expansions, closures across prepared meats business
In what it calls the final phase of its “value creation plan,” one of Canada’s most iconic food firms plans sweeping consolidations and staff reductions in its processed meats operations across the country. Maple Leaf Foods’ latest plan, announced Wednesday, calls for construction of a new $395 million prepared meats facility at Hamilton, Ont., and […] Read more
Quebec veal processor to shut Mauricie-area plant
Family-owned veal packer Montpak International plans to shut one of its processing plants in Quebec’s Mauricie region and consolidate its further-processing at Montreal. The Laval-based company on Friday said it will shut its veal and lamb processing plant at Sainte-Angele-de-Premont, about 45 km west of Trois-Rivieres, by Nov. 11. Layoffs for some of the plant’s […] Read more
P.E.I.’s Webster returns as ag minister
Prince Edward Island will keep the same agriculture minister it had before this month’s provincial election. George Webster was sworn back in Tuesday as agriculture minister and deputy premier, roles the Borden-Kinkora MLA has held since 2009 and 2010 respectively. Wesbter, who ran his family’s farm in the Middleton area for over 30 years before […] Read more
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