Reading Time: 2 minutes While rising costs, the rising dollar and slowing economies such as the U.S. put pressure on Canadian food processors, they should look to other export markets as well as their own “underserved” ethnic populations, according to a new report from Rabobank. The Dutch firm, which bills itself as the “premier” bank to the global food […] Read more
New markets beckon to Canadian food firms: report
N.B. antes up for local food marketing
Reading Time: < 1 minute New Brunswick farmers who want to market products locally will get about 40 per cent more help from the province this year to do so. Agriculture Minister Ronald Ouelette on Thursday pledged $210,000 for such efforts this year through the New Brunswick Agri-Food Market Development Program, up from over $150,000 in 2007. Last year’s funds, […] Read more
Fertilizer demand catapults PotashCorp’s Q1
Reading Time: 2 minutes Demand for fertilizer, driven by pressure to improve global food production, has more than doubled PotashCorp’s first-quarter bottom line. The Saskatoon fertilizer producer posted net income of $566 million (all figures US$) on sales of $1.89 billion) in its Q1 ending March 31, compared to $198 million on $1.15 billion in the year-earlier period. “It […] Read more
Sask. organic farmers earn international honour
Reading Time: < 1 minute Saskatchewan organic farmers Eric and Betty Leicht have earned an honourable mention from an international certifying body as its organic farmers of the year. The Leichts, who farm at Spalding, about 160 km southeast of Prince Albert, were named at the Organic Crop Improvement Association’s (OCIA International) recent annual general meeting in Huatulco, Mexico. The […] Read more
Man. to process cull pork for food banks
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Manitoba government will put up $500,000 to process ground pork from animals slaughtered through the new federal cull breeding swine program, for use by the province’s food banks. The pork will be distributed to Manitoba food banks through Winnipeg Harvest, the city food bank which also distributes to 50 rural food banks and two […] Read more
Maple products named national “historic event”
Reading Time: 3 minutes Tapping into a maple tree in Canada has been sweetened by a new designation as a nationally significant historic event. Federal Environment Minister John Baird on Tuesday announced the official designation of maple products as “an event of national historical significance,” which gives the products an added profile through the national commemoration program. “Maple products […] Read more
Alberta pumps up ag budget for 2008
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta’s agriculture and rural development programming returns to “normal levels” of spending in the province’s 2008 budget, released Tuesday. Finance Minister Iris Evans’ budget brings ag department program spending to just over $1 billion for 2008-09 and for each of the next three years, a 16.9 per cent increase over forecast spending for 2007-08. “The […] Read more
CPR’s Q1 profit down, grain handle up
Reading Time: < 1 minute A six per cent jump in grain handling revenue helped offset dips in forestry and automotive freight that bit into Canadian Pacific Railway’s (CPR) first-quarter net income. The railway on Tuesday posted overall net income of $90.8 million on $1.12 billion in revenue during its Q1 ending March 31, down from $128.6 million on $1.09 […] Read more
Declaration forms online for wheat growers
Reading Time: < 1 minute The new declaration forms that Prairie wheat growers will need to fill out each year starting August 1 are now available online. The Declaration of Eligibility for the Class form is part of the new declaration system to be introduced by the Canadian grain industry on August 1. That’s when Prairie farmers will be required […] Read more
Ont. ag leadership training funded
Reading Time: < 1 minute Training programs will soon be offered to help Ontario farmers mentor the next generation of agricultural leaders. The federal government on Tuesday announced $1.1 million for development of leadership programs, to be delivered by a partnership between the Centre for Rural Leadership, 4-H Ontario, the Ontario Rural Council and the Foundation for Rural Living. Funding […] Read more