Canadian pork exports to all destinations in 2011 are on par to match the level established during 2010, but demand from both China and South Korea has jumped significantly, according to an official in the industry. “Demand for Canadian pork products from China and South Korea are spectacularly ahead of trend,” said Martin Rice, executive […] Read more
Pork exports to China up, values soar
Native prairie thrives under climate change: Study
One might assume southern Saskatchewan’s native grasslands to have suffered stress under climate pressures over the past 30 years — and one might be wrong, a new study suggests. The province’s south has experienced “much drier weather and some very significant droughts overall” in the past three decades, according to University of Regina geography professor […] Read more
Sobeys sets up separate command chain for IGA
Supermarket company Sobeys has "realigned" its organizational chart around its Sobeys and IGA grocery store chains rather than by geography. The Nova Scotia-based company on Thursday said it has formed two business units, each with its own president of operations. The IGA unit includes the company's IGA chain plus four other Quebec-based retail chains, IGA[...]
Price spread seen limiting DDGS use in Canada
Ample domestic feed grain supplies, together with high prices for corn-based DDGS (dried distillers grains with solubles) from the U.S., are now limiting usage of the ethanol byproduct in Canadian livestock rations, according to market participants. The price spread is too wide right now to bring in DDGS, said Ryan Slozka, senior commodity trader with[...]
Cattle breed groups considering Angus office space
A number of Canadian beef breed and beef industry organizations are reportedly considering a new landlord named Angus for their office needs. The Canadian Angus Association on Thursday announced it has bought land at East Balzac in Rocky View County outside Calgary, where it plans to put up its own new office building. The Angus […] Read more
BIXS set for cow-calf producers’ use nationwide
The Beef InfoXchange System (BIXS) is officially live nationwide for cow-calf producers’ use heading into this year’s fall calf run. “BIXS is the result of the (Canadian Cattlemen’s Association) recognizing how an improved flow of information between producers and packers can enhance industry competitiveness,” CCA president Travis Toews said in a release Thursday. “In time, […] Read more
Alta. farmers to ponder development agency for all wheats
Alberta’s wheat growers will be asked to consider the idea of a new checkoff-funded commission backing variety and market development across all wheats grown in the province. A steering committee, for what would tentatively be called the Alberta Wheat Commission, was formed in December and plans to consult growers this winter on their views. The […] Read more
New Alta. premier names new Alta. ag minister
Alberta’s newly minted premier has tapped a farmer and rookie MLA as her new minister of agriculture and rural development, in a shuffle that also includes several departmental mergers. Evan Berger, who was elected as the MLA for the southwestern riding of Livingstone-Macleod in 2008, comes to the ag portfolio with a resume of farming […] Read more
Global grains picture brightens in U.S. forecast
World grain supplies will be much healthier next year than previously forecast, the U.S. government said in a report that could put further pressure on crop prices that have already tumbled from their peaks. Apart from an unexpectedly deep cut to its forecast of U.S. soybean stockpiles, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly report made […] Read more
Flax industry sees “good progress” against Triffid
Canada’s flaxseed industry reports it has made progress eliminating traces of genetically-modified Triffid seed from the country’s supply, but it will still take more time before the situation resolves itself completely. Traces of Triffid, a genetically modified flaxseed variety developed in Canada but never commercially produced, were found in Canadian shipments to Europe in 2009, […] Read more
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