Reading Time: 2 minutes A bump in gross revenue from grain handling helped to improve first-quarter results for both of Canada’s big two railways. Canadian National Railway (CN) on Monday reported overall net income of $704 million on $3.098 billion in revenue for the quarter ending March 31, up from $623 million on $2.693 billion in the year-earlier period. […] Read more
CN, CP book higher grain revenues in Q1
Second avian flu control zone set up in SW Ontario
Reading Time: 3 minutes A federal control zone has been officially set up for a 10-kilometre radius around the Oxford County chicken farm that’s home to Ontario’s second outbreak of H5N2 avian flu. This control zone, which covers ground in both Oxford County and Waterloo County, is an “internationally accepted practice,” meant to allow export business to continue from non-infected […] Read more
Oliver budget boosts capital gains exemption, trade funds
Reading Time: 3 minutes A higher lifetime capital gains exemption on sales of farm property, accelerated capital cost allowance for food processing equipment and, further out, more money to boost agrifood exports are among the offerings for farmers in Tuesday’s federal budget. Federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver on Tuesday described his 2015 Economic Action Plan as “a balanced budget, just […] Read more
No emergency debate on CWB sale
Reading Time: 2 minutes Members of Parliament won’t be having a debate on the sale of the former Canadian Wheat Board anytime soon. Andrew Scheer, speaker of the House of Commons, on Monday rejected the request from Pat Martin, the New Democrats’ MP for Winnipeg Centre, for an emergency debate on CWB’s planned sale of a 50.1 per cent […] Read more
Ont. chicken farm’s avian flu confirmed as high-path H5N2
Reading Time: < 1 minute The avian flu that swept a broiler breeder chicken operation in southwestern Ontario’s Oxford County has been confirmed as highly pathogenic H5N2. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Sunday its lab tests in Winnipeg have confirmed the virus’ pathogenicity and subtype. The farm, southwest of Kitchener, was quarantined Saturday after preliminary tests confirmed a […] Read more
SW Ont. broiler farm quarantined with avian flu
Reading Time: 2 minutes A second poultry farm in southwestern Ontario’s Oxford County is now under federal quarantine with what tests show to be avian flu. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Saturday it had placed the farm — a broiler breeder chicken operation west of Ayr, Ont., south of Kitchener — under quarantine after preliminary tests Friday at […] Read more
Opposition seeks Commons debate on CWB sale
Reading Time: 2 minutes The federal opposition New Democrats are asking for an emergency debate in the House of Commons on the pending sale of majority control in CWB, the former Canadian Wheat Board. Winnipeg Centre MP Pat Martin, the party’s critic for public works and government services, announced Friday he has written to Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer requesting […] Read more
More acres this spring for nearly all crops: AAFC
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canadian farmers are expected to take area out of summerfallow this spring for more acres of almost all major grains, oilseeds, pulses and special crops, the federal agriculture department said Friday. Canada’s total 2015-16 crop production is forecast to rise, due mainly to higher seeded area, due in turn to lower area in summerfallow and […] Read more
Rules planned to rein in antibiotic use for livestock
Reading Time: 3 minutes Health Canada is making its first move on new regulations to limit livestock producers’ own-use imports of veterinary drugs, and to tighten veterinary oversight of medicated livestock feed and water. Proposed changes to the federal Food and Drug Regulations and Feeds Regulations, announced Friday, tie into Health Minister Rona Ambrose’s federal action plan on antimicrobial […] Read more
Leafy greens eyed in E. coli outbreak
Reading Time: 2 minutes Federal health officials suspect leafy greens as a possible culprit in sickening 12 people in Canada, mainly in Alberta, with E. coli poisoning. The Public Health Agency of Canada on Wednesday said it’s considering a “possible link” to greens, such as lettuce, spinach, chard, kale or arugula, in 12 cases of E. coli O157:H7 poisoning […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
