Brazil police probe ag ministry for corruption

Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazilian federal police started two separate investigations on Tuesday into suspected corruption at the Agriculture Ministry to benefit meatpacking, dairy and other food companies. The probes into whether inspection procedures were eased in favour of certain unnamed companies comes two months after the country’s meatpacking industry was rocked by a […] Read more


Russia not planning expanded ban on Western foods

Moscow | Reuters — Russia does not plan to expand the list of banned Western food products, Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev told reporters. Earlier on Friday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered his ministers to draft proposals to extend Moscow’s food import ban until the end of 2017. The Agriculture Ministry has already started preparing […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Egypt writes to wheat suppliers on ergot, hoping to win confidence

Abu Dhabi | Reuters — Egypt’s Agriculture Ministry sent a letter to traders saying it will allow an ergot fungus tolerance level of 0.05 per cent in wheat imports, hoping suppliers will make offers in international purchase tenders for the strategic grain. Disputes about ergot content level have disrupted top buyer Egypt’s wheat imports in […] Read more

(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Sask. to seek new animal protection agency

Saskatchewan’s agriculture ministry plans to seek other options for enforcement of animal protection laws, with three months before the current enforcer’s contract ends. The ministry confirmed Monday that the Saskatchewan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has decided not to renew its contract for enforcement of the provincial Animal Protection Act. The […] Read more