Reading Time: 2 minutes Cross-border travellers may again bring raw poultry meat, eggs and live birds into Canada from North Dakota and Missouri. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency last week shortened its list of U.S. states under avian influenza-related restrictions to just one. Indiana remains under limits imposed in January after highly pathogenic (“high-path”) H7N8 avian flu turned up at […] Read more
Two more states’ eggs, poultry allowed into Canada
Roundup Ready alfalfa primed for launch in East
Reading Time: 3 minutes The company with Roundup Ready alfalfa on its launchpad plans a limited rollout of commercial seed into Canada’s six eastern provinces this spring. In a move likely to face opposition from several farm groups across the country, Forage Genetics International (FGI) on Tuesday announced plans for a limited release of commercial HarvXtra alfalfa “in time for […] Read more
Premium Brands buys meat supplier C+C
Reading Time: 2 minutes Montreal meat distributor and processor C+C Packing is set to become a new eastern arm for Vancouver food firm Premium Brands. Premium Brands last Tuesday announced a $146 million cash-and-stock deal to buy C+C and its in-house processing arm Premier Meat Packers. The company supplies fresh and frozen meats to grocery chains, the hotel and […] Read more
B.C. pulls PST for farm telehandlers, skid steers
Reading Time: < 1 minute Qualifying farmers in British Columbia are now able to buy telehandlers, skid steers and polycarbonate greenhouse panels for farm use without paying the province’s seven per cent sales tax. The province on Thursday announced the additions, effective Feb. 17, to its list of goods, equipment and services for which eligible farmers are PST-exempt. Farmers wanting […] Read more
Mexico clears Canadian poultry meat for import
Reading Time: < 1 minute Duck and other poultry from Canada may again be exported to Mexico, for the first time since 2004. Canada’s Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland on Thursday announced Mexico had reopened its border to fresh poultry meat including chicken, turkey and, “most significant in terms of historical trade,” duck. Mexico had […] Read more
Alberta to pare slots cut for horse racing sector
Reading Time: 2 minutes A renewed 10-year funding agreement for Alberta’s horse racing industry body will see its take from racetrack slot machine revenue cut from almost 52 per cent down to 40 per cent by 2018. The provincial government, in a release March 19, said its new agreement “will help ensure the viability of Alberta’s horse racing industry […] Read more
Mastitis preventive gets joint Canada/U.S. approval
Reading Time: 2 minutes A new drug to help limit mastitis in dairy cows — and keep a lid on the use of antimicrobials to treat it — has picked up joint approval from Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The two agencies on Thursday announced “simultaneous” approvals for Elanco Animal Health’s injectable drug pegbovigrastim, to […] Read more
Saputo to shut three dairy plants in East
Reading Time: 2 minutes Quebec dairy giant Saputo hopes to eventually cut about $7 million in annual costs by closing three dairy plants in Eastern Canada before the end of next year. The Montreal company announced Tuesday it will close the former Scotsburn milk plant at Sydney, N.S. in June, the Fromagerie Madame Chevre specialty cheese plant at Princeville, […] Read more
Univar buys Prairie fertilizer distributor Nexus Ag
Reading Time: 2 minutes U.S. chemical distribution giant Univar has bought its way further into the Prairie crop input business by taking over Saskatoon-based fertilizer wholesaler Nexus Ag. Nexus Ag, in business in the West since 1997, deals in various North American companies’ specialty fertilizers, potash, phosphates, liquid and soluble nutrients and micronutrients such as copper, zinc and boron, […] Read more
Budget to boost ag research infrastructure, rural broadband
Reading Time: 3 minutes Funds to fix up Canada’s agricultural research stations and food safety labs and a new program to boost rural broadband coverage are among the nuggets for the farming sector in Tuesday’s federal budget. Overall, the Liberals’ first budget is based on $287.7 billion in revenues for 2016-17, against $291.4 billion in program expenses and $25.7 […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
