Agriculture and agrifood sector stakeholders will learn Monday which of their requests make their way out of the pile and into a long-awaited federal budget. Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s 2021 budget is scheduled to be released Monday in the House of Commons, at about 4 p.m. ET. Canadians didn’t get a 2020 budget: it […] Read more
Tag Archives food processing
Agriculture, agrifood wish lists pile up ahead of long-delayed budget
Freeland's budget due out Monday afternoon
Demand surges for processing tomatoes
Ontario producers will need to grow more tomatoes to meet 2021 demand
As people were forced to cook at home, many reached for the tomato sauce. Demand for processed tomato products jumped globally in 2020, lowering product inventories and peaking interest from both growers and processors. Whether higher demands will outlast the pandemic remains uncertain. But in the meantime, Ontario’s processing tomato sector is gearing up for […] Read more
Indian cabinet minister quits over farm legislation
New Delhi | Reuters — India’s minister for food processing resigned on Thursday over her opposition to planned laws to allow farmers to sell produce directly to bulk buyers and make contract farming easier, saying the legislation will hurt millions of the country’s farmers. “Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter and sister,” Harsimrat […] Read more
Sensor technology could prevent foreign material contamination in processing plants
Contamination is detected from a distance away from the assembly line, avoiding extra cleaning and processes
A Calgary-based start-up is about to start trials on an innovation for food processing facilities it says can prevent foreign material contamination of food products. E.O.I Technologies is preparing to launch a pilot project with a major poultry processor in the southern United States that focuses on large-scale, remote monitoring and predictive analytics of conveyor […] Read more
Ottawa expected to ‘officially’ declare ag an essential service
The Western Grain Elevator Association says that designation will clarify things and help to keep grain moving
Canada’s grain industry expects the federal government will soon officially declare agriculture an essential service. Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA), says that designation will have a practical application. “Hopefully it ends all confusion about grain workers at elevators, railway workers and anybody else required for moving grain, as to […] Read more
Are vertical farms ready for prime time?
Indoor farm companies say they’re scaling up, but many question their business model
Reuters – Leafy salad greens grown under banks of LED lights, with mist or drips of water are having their day in the sun. Several top U.S. indoor farms say they are boosting production to a level where they can now supply hundreds of grocery stores. Plenty, Bowery, Aerofarms and 80 Acres Farms are among young companies […] Read more
New pickle plant coming to Wallaceburg
Whyte’s Foods will create 100 jobs and use Ontario cucumbers and peppers in a refurbished plant
Pickles will once again be processed in Ontario. A large crowd of farmers, politicians, community members and local officials gathered in Wallaceburg on Aug. 23 to hear representatives from Whyte’s Foods Inc. – a large Canadian pickled vegetables company based in Quebec – announce plans to create a new pepper and cucumber processing facility in […] Read more
Asking the right questions: AMI guide designed to assist farm and food entrepreneurs
Farmers trying to grow a direct-sale food business from the farmers’ market or roadside stand to a retail level face an imposing regulatory system. Navigating this system without help can levy artificial limits on the market potential of unique farm-sourced products. There are resources to help manage these regulatory growing pains, however. Ontario’s Agri-Food Management […] Read more
Making frozen veggies more tasty
Some people regard frozen vegetables as a disappointing alternative when fresh veggies are not available. But that is likely to change with new methods of preparing food for cold storage. Dr. Tony Savard and his team from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s St-Hyacinthe Research Development Centre re-examined the usual way of treating vegetables -blanching – which […] Read more
Food processing groups amalgamate
Food and Beverage Ontario and the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Processors Association announced a new agreement May 15 to work together to streamline operations. The new agreement will help the organizations have a more unified voice on shared industry issues and relations with government. Food and Beverage Ontario will provide operational support to Ontario Fruit […] Read more
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