Reading Time: 2 minutes A national survey finding no potato wart in any “unregulated” Canadian fields should offer the reassurance on Prince Edward Island potatoes that trading partners such as the U.S. are now looking for, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says. CFIA on Thursday reported it has completed this fall’s national survey for the soil-borne fungal potato disease […] Read more
‘Expedited’ potato wart survey helps make case for P.E.I., CFIA says
National survey done 'ahead of schedule'
Feds put up funds toward managing P.E.I. potato surplus
Ottawa budgets $28 million for distribution and disposal
Reading Time: 4 minutes Prince Edward Island potatoes locked out of the U.S. export market will go either to food banks or “environmentally-sound” disposal with new federal funding. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Monday announced $28 million “to support the diversion of surplus potatoes, including help to redirect surplus potatoes to organizations addressing food insecurity and support for […] Read more
Skill share
Farmers like Cheryl and Marc Norleen are giving time where it’s needed
Reading Time: 9 minutes Farmers raising livestock and growing crops in developing countries often lack access to modern equipment and the capital needed to make improvements on their farms. They face other hurdles too. Without computers or the internet, it’s impossible to watch YouTube videos for step-by-step instructions to repair equipment or to learn new farming techniques, and there […] Read more
End date sought for P.E.I. potato export ban
A ban from Washington would be harder to reverse, Liberals say
Reading Time: 4 minutes The federal Conservatives want to see a clearly defined end zone for the Canadian government’s suspension of Prince Edward Island potato exports to the U.S. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Monday announced the suspension of certification for P.E.I. potato exports to the U.S., — a move which, according to federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, […] Read more
P.E.I. potato exports to U.S. halted
Canada imposes new rules after potato wart findings
Reading Time: 4 minutes Canada has moved to halt exports of Prince Edward Island potatoes to the United States after findings of potato wart in the province last month — on what federal officials describe as the threat of a U.S. ban. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Monday it has “temporarily suspended” exports of fresh potatoes from P.E.I. […] Read more
U.S. to ban use of chlorpyrifos on food crops
Cancellation already scheduled for most outdoor use in Canada
Reading Time: 3 minutes UPDATED, Aug. 25 –– Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday said it will ban the use on food crops of chlorpyrifos insecticide, which has been linked to health problems in children. The decision is a victory for environmental activists who have fought to stop the use of the chemical that […] Read more
Nova Scotia Tories’ ag critic returns as party wins election
PCs oust incumbent Liberals, form majority
Reading Time: 2 minutes The agriculture critic for Nova Scotia’s opposition Progressive Conservatives is set to return to the legislature, this time as part of a majority government, following Tuesday’s provincial election. As of about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Tim Houston’s PCs were elected or leading in 31 of 55 ridings, followed by Iain Rankin’s incumbent Liberals with 17 and […] Read more
U.S. confirms will boost food stamps by record amount
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters –– The U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) on Monday will announce revised nutrition standards dramatically boosting average food stamp benefits, the agency confirmed Sunday. The New York Times first reported the plan to unveil the largest permanent benefits increase in the history of the government’s primary anti-hunger program, saying the change would result […] Read more
Nutrien to further bump up potash output
'Continued tightening' in market cited as potash producer Belarus sanctioned
Reading Time: < 1 minute Winnipeg | Reuters — Canadian fertilizer producer Nutrien said Monday it would boost its 2021 potash output by 500,000 tonnes, after the European Union and others imposed new trade sanctions on Belarus. Nutrien’s increase takes its potash sales outlook this year to a record-high range of 13.3 million to 13.8 million tonnes, and follows a […] Read more
Cheers! Raise a glass to the farm-to-bottle trend
No one knows grain quality quite like a farmer
Reading Time: 6 minutes When sixth-generation potato grower Devon Strang had potatoes that were too small for retail sales, he used to ship them to a dehydrator to be turned into potato flakes. It didn’t exactly pay. “There are a lot of farms in the area growing potatoes,” Strang explains. “There’s an abundance of smalls and the (dehydrators) won’t […] Read more