Manitoba in the past decade has imposed restrictions on intensive hog production in a bid to reduce the nutrient load on the Red River heading north toward Lake Winnipeg. (Dave Bedard photo)

Investors press meat producers to cut water pollution

Reuters — Forty-five large investors collectively managing C$1.6 trillion in assets are pressing some of the nation’s largest meat producers to set policies for reducing water pollution in their feeding, slaughtering and processing operations. The investors, who are members of sustainability non-profit advocate Ceres and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), sent letters to […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Cargill to exit Canadian egg processing

U.S. agrifood giant Cargill is set to step out of the Canadian egg processing business and sell its Toronto-area plant to another processor in the same line of work. The company announced Thursday it plans to sell its egg processing plant at Etobicoke to Global Egg Corp., which also operates out of Etobicoke, for an […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Cargill profit jumps on beef demand, grain margins

Reuters — Global commodities trader Cargill reported a sharply higher quarterly net profit on Tuesday, helped by rising beef demand and stronger grain trading and processing margins. The privately held company’s net income rose 66 per cent to $852 million in the first quarter ended Aug. 31 from $512 million a year earlier (all figures […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Major Alberta cattle feeder set to shut feedlots

Reuters — One of Canada’s biggest cattle feeding operations, Western Feedlots, said Wednesday it will close feeding operations after marketing the cattle it currently owns, due to poor market conditions. Closure of Western’s feeding operations, likely early in 2017 once its current cattle are sold, will make it more difficult for ranchers to find markets […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Saskatchewan farmers to launch ag retail chain

A Saskatchewan family farm and seed retailing operation is set to become the home base for a new chain of crop input and seed retail stores. Brad Hanmer, who farms and operates Hanmer Seeds at Govan, Sask., about 100 km north of Regina, on Wednesday announced the launch of SynergyAG, which plans to open four […] Read more


(File photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Canadian canola exporters book sales to China

Winnipeg | Reuters — Canadian exporters are making small sales of canola to China under Beijing’s stricter terms, an industry group and three sources said, possibly undermining Ottawa’s hardline negotiating stance with the world’s top market for the oilseed. The dispute over the new shipping standard, which industry groups in the world’s biggest canola exporter […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Cargill posts net profit on special gains; revenue down

Reuters — Global commodity trader Cargill on Wednesday said it turned in a quarterly net profit, boosted by special gains that offset poor results from trading and oilseed processing. Revenue for the privately held company declined for the eighth straight quarter. Minnesota-based Cargill reported net income of $15 million for the fourth quarter ended May […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

Cargill to sell two Texas feedlots

Reuters — Cargill, a top U.S. meat processor, said Friday it will sell two Texas beef cattle feedlots to Amarillo-based Friona Industries pending final agreements and regulatory reviews. Under the deal, Friona will acquire Cargill’s cattle feedlots at Bovina and Dalhart, Texas. Cargill said in a statement it will retain ownership of its cattle feedyards […] Read more