Canada’s biggest distributor of food products to the restaurant and institutional sectors has picked up public funding to consolidate three processing plants in the Greater Toronto Area at one site. Sysco Canada will get $1 million from Ontario’s Rural Economic Development program toward setting up a single new processing plant at Vaughan in the York […] Read more
Sysco backed to consolidate Toronto-area processing
Two farmers to exit Viterra’s board
A farmer from south-central Saskatchewan and another from South Australia plan not to stay on Viterra’s board of directors past March. Vic Bruce of Tuxford, Sask. and Paul Daniel of Balaklava, South Australia have both said they will not stand for re-election to the board at the grain giant’s annual shareholders’ meeting, scheduled for March […] Read more
Wheat Growers to sue CWB over ‘political’ spending
A pro-deregulation group of Prairie farmers plans to take the Canadian Wheat Board and over half its directors to court to block the board from allegedly "misusing farmer funds for political purposes." The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association said Thursday it has asked "a reputable law firm" to seek an injunction and "all available measures"[...]
N.L. names new minister for agrifoods
A St. John’s criminal lawyer who has since served as Newfoundland and Labrador’s health and finance minister is now in charge of the province’s agricultural policy. Jerome Kennedy, the MHA for Carbonear-Habour Grace, was sworn in Friday as the province’s new minister of natural resources, government house leader and minister responsible for the province’s Forestry […] Read more
Supplies drag down wheat, barley PROs
Economic anxiety in Europe aside, the global supply-and-demand picture for wheat and barley is hanging heavy on the Canadian Wheat Board's October pool return outlooks (PROs). Wheat values in the 2011-12 PROs released Thursday are down $10-$20 per tonne from September levels, while durum values are down $13, malting barley values are down $18-$19 and[...]
Viterra named title sponsor for gymnasts’ nationals
The name of Canada's largest grain company will be the brand of Canada's championship gymnastics event when it comes to Regina in May. Viterra has signed on as the title sponsor for what will be called the 2012 Viterra Canadian Gymnastics Championships when held in Regina May 21-26. Viterra CEO Mayo Schmidt described the sponsorship[...]
Pioneer seeks patent protection on soybean varieties
Facing "some confusion" at the farm gate as the patent expires on Roundup Ready genetics in Canada, seed giant Pioneer Hi-Bred has filed for Canadian patent protection on several of its soybean varieties. The DuPont-owned company's move, announced Thursday, is meant to clarify that the varieties in question are sold for single use only, and[...]
Major ag trade shows join Glacier Media
The owners of this website and its sister farm journals are branching out their ag information offerings from paper and cyberspace into the face-to-face world. Vancouver publishing firm Glacier Media announced Thursday it has bought Guelph-based Canada's Outdoor Shows Ltd., operators of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show and Canada’s Outdoor Equine Expo, for an undisclosed sum.[...]
Farming MPs found not in conflict on CWB matters
Grain growers in Western Canada are considered a large enough group that Prairie members of Parliament who grow grain can vote on issues that can broadly affect their farms. Mary Dawson, the federal conflict of interest and ethics commissioner, ruled Wednesday that a clutch of Conservative MPs won’t need to recuse themselves from debating or […] Read more
Metro buys into Que. ethnic grocery chain, food distributor
Seeking a bigger piece of the ethnic foods market, one of Eastern Canada's biggest supermarket firms has bought control of a Montreal-area chain of Mediterranean-style grocery stores. Metro Inc. on Wednesday announced a partnership agreement with Marche Adonis, giving Metro a 55 per cent stake in the smaller company and its distribution business, Phoenicia Products,[...]
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