Reading Time: < 1 minute A rookie MLA in the Saskatchewan Party caucus has been promoted to a legislative secretary post with responsibility for expansion of the province’s farm irrigation systems. Premier Brad Wall on Tuesday named Warren Kaeding, the MLA for Melville-Saltcoats since April, as legislative secretary to the minister of agriculture, for irrigation expansion. Kaeding was previously a […] Read more
Saskatchewan adds new secretary for farm irrigation
Couche-Tard to buy Corner Store owner in US$4.4B deal
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Canadian convenience store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard said on Monday it would buy U.S. convenience store chain CST Brands in a deal valued at about US$4.4 billion, boosting its presence in the southeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada. San Antonio, Texas-based CST is one of the largest publicly traded fuel retailers in North America and […] Read more
Organic seed growers split with OTA over U.S. label plan
Reading Time: 3 minutes A U.S. organic seed grower organization best known for its court case against Monsanto has parted ways with one of North America’s biggest organic sector bodies over a proposed nationwide GMO label law in the U.S. The Maine-based growers’ group, the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA), announced Thursday its board has voted to […] Read more
Sweet potato experts win World Food Prize
The foursome has worked to improve nutrition in sweet potatoes
Reading Time: < 1 minute Four scientists who specialized in sweet potatoes were named the winners of this year’s World Food Prize on June 28 for their work to make foods more nutritious. Maria Andrade of Cape Verde, Robert Mwanga of Uganda and American Jan Low, who all are from the Lima, Peru-based International Potato Center, and American Howarth Bouis […] Read more
Canada dilutes plan to limit temporary foreign workers
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s Liberal government on Thursday watered down measures to limit the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers firms can hire after complaints the restrictions would cause major labour shortages. Under rules introduced by the previous Conservative administration, the number of low-skilled foreign workers a firm could employ would have dropped to […] Read more
MP calls for mandatory GMO labels, echoes Vermont regulations
Reading Time: 3 minutes CNS Canada — A Quebec MP has tabled a new bill calling for mandatory labelling of genetically modified (GM) foods, following steps taken by lawmakers south of the border. Pierre-Luc Dusseault, the New Democrat MP for Sherbrooke, introduced Bill C-291 Tuesday morning, calling for the mandatory labelling of genetically engineered (GE) foods in Canada. Dusseault […] Read more
Bayer secures loan facility to fund Monsanto bid
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — German drugs and crop chemicals group Bayer, which has made a US$62 billion bid for U.S. seeds company Monsanto, has secured a 60 billion-euro (C$87.75 billion, or US$66.9 billion) loan facility, business journal Handelsblatt reported Thursday. The loan facility can be expanded up to 75 billion euros (C$109.68 billion, or US$83.62 billion), the German […] Read more
Proposals for irradiating ground beef back on table
Reading Time: 2 minutes Regulations to allow Canadian beef processors to irradiate fresh and/or frozen raw ground beef for food safety purposes will soon be up for public comment. Health Canada on Monday served notice it will soon propose amendments to its Food and Drug Regulations that would add fresh and frozen ground beef to its list of allowed […] Read more
Canadian firm to buy Taco Time, Cold Stone parent
Reading Time: 2 minutes A Montreal company known for mall food court and quick-service restaurant brands across Canada is set to buy a major U.S. player in the same sectors. MTY Food Group, which owns or holds franchises for 40 brands including Mr. Sub, Cultures, La Cremiere, Extreme Pita, Country Style, Yogen Fruz, TCBY and others, announced Wednesday it […] Read more
Fertilizer prices look to rise by late summer
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — A rise in prices for soybeans and other crops could make fertilizer more expensive in the coming months, according to a major player in the industry. In the May market report from the Mosaic Co., the company credited the rally in agricultural commodity prices, the strengthening of key currencies and various Indian […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
