(File photo by Greg Berg)

Newfoundland farmers may shoot problem moose at night

Province to provide permits to qualified farmers

Moose causing crop damage on farms in Newfoundland and Labrador may now be shot by farmers at night under a new special permit system. Farmers dealing with “problem moose” can now apply for permits for night shooting, via provincial agriculture development officers in their areas, the provincial fisheries and land resources department said Thursday. The […] Read more

Fruit and vegetable growers say that better procedures are needed for temporary workers who move from farm to farm.

OFVGA recommending on-farm COVID-19 testing

Farmer group concerned about temporary workers moving among farms

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) is recommending that all essential agri-food employees on Ontario farms get tested for COVID-19, as the virus continues to stubbornly spread on some farms. Testing workers on farm can help limit the spread of the disease, says the OFVGA. Why it matters: Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 on […] Read more

(File photo)

Ontario extends fruit, forage insurance premium deadlines

Extension offers 'flexibility,' Agricorp says

Ontario fruit and forage growers who have production insurance premiums due this month will now have until June 30 to pay, the province said Monday. The extended premium payment deadline applies only to production insurance plans for fruit, strawberries and asparagus — and to the forage rainfall insurance plan, which uses rainfall as an indicator […] Read more

Farmer Anil Salunkhe feeds strawberries to a cow during a 21-day nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the Satara district in India’s Maharashtra state on April 1, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Rajendra Jadhav)

How COVID-19 is upending global food supply chains

Cows fed strawberries in India, watermelons rot in U.S., okra not reaching Canada

Satara/Singapore/London | Reuters — In the fertile Satara district in western India, farmers are putting their cattle on an unorthodox diet: Some feed iceberg lettuce to buffalo. Others feed strawberries to cows. It’s not a treat. They can either feed their crops to animals or let them spoil. And other farmers are doing just that […] Read more

Cups of lassi, a traditional Indian yogurt drink, at a food stall. (Jedraszak/iStock/Getty Images)

India offers U.S. dairy, chicken access in bid for elusive trade deal

New Delhi/Washington | Reuters — India has offered to partially open up its poultry and dairy markets in a bid for a limited trade deal during U.S. President Donald Trump’s first official visit to the country this month, people familiar with the protracted talks say. India, the world’s largest milk-producing nation, has traditionally restricted dairy […] Read more


(Jeremy Woodhouse/DigitalVision/Getty Images Plus)

CFIA rethinking limits on travellers’ personal food imports

Consultation running until March

The federal government is considering changes to the amounts of food travellers can bring into Canada with them from other countries for their personal use. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Thursday announced public online consultations on the proposed new limits, which CFIA said would “better reflect the volume of foods typically moved by travellers […] Read more

Abbey Garden’s containerized Growcer system will allow the food hub to extend its growing season year-round.

Canadian container farming system aims to grow markets

Growing indoors can help extend the production season for produce farmers

Updated Jan. 6, 2020 A container farming start-up from Ottawa launched into the Canadian market several years ago by bringing year-round fresh produce production to northern communities. And although that continues to be a successful venture for The Growcer, the company is now finding its business shifting to customers from more southern regions. That includes […] Read more

File photo of street food on display in Hue, Vietnam. (RomanBabakin/iStock/Getty Images)

Vietnam considers CPTPP-level tariff cuts on U.S. ag products

Hanoi | Reuters — Vietnam is considering cutting tariffs on several U.S. products, the ministry of finance said in a statement on Monday, after U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross urged Vietnam to reduce its trade surplus during a visit to Hanoi last month. Tariffs on chicken and processed chicken meat, almonds, grapes, wheat, pork and […] Read more


Watermelons head to market in California.

Managing water for farming on a large scale

California’s most recent drought has pushed farmers to become more water-use efficient

The drought may be over but water continues to be a top-of-mind issue in California — particularly for its US$50 billion a year agriculture sector. Most of the state’s rainfall happens in the north and most consumption in the agricultural and urbanized south, which has created a complex water distribution network anchored by two main […] Read more

The Ontario Food Terminal is the main hub for produce marketing in the province.

Ontario Food Terminal pushed to find more revenue, modernize

Food terminal review aims to find ways to improve its operations

The province has provided guidance to the Ontario Food Terminal after a review of its operations found it is missing some business opportunities and that its location limits its ability to expand and supply the rest of the province. The review was conducted by consulting firm MNP. Ernie Hardeman, the minister of Agriculture, Food and […] Read more