Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Scientists have gotten to the root of the carrot, genetically speaking. Researchers said Monday they have sequenced the genome of the carrot, an increasingly important root crop worldwide, identifying genes responsible for traits including the vegetable’s abundance of vitamin A, an important nutrient for vision. The genome may point to ways to improve […] Read more
Scientists peel back carrot’s genetic secrets
Italy’s Ferragamo suing ex-Als QB over same-name winery
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Salvatore Ferragamo SpA, the Italian luxury goods maker, on Wednesday sued former Montreal Alouettes and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo, saying he infringed its trademarks by operating his namesake winery in southern California. Consumers are likely to be confused into thinking the Ferragamo Winery and Ferragamo SpA are related, the Italian company […] Read more
U.S. top court rejects POM Wonderful appeal over ads
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — Businesses better have good evidence to back up claims of health benefits from their products, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Monday after the Supreme Court rejected POM Wonderful’s challenge to FTC findings that the juice maker’s advertising was misleading. The U.S. Supreme Court left in place a lower-court ruling […] Read more
Dole under U.S. probe after deadly listeria outbreak
Reading Time: 2 minutes Los Angeles | Reuters — Dole Food Co. Inc. said on Friday the U.S. Department of Justice was investigating a deadly listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to packaged salad products from its processing plant in Springfield, Ohio. Dole, the world’s largest fruit and vegetable producer, said in a statement the agency recently contacted the company and […] Read more
Nova Scotia pledges food donation tax credit in budget
Reading Time: 2 minutes A tax credit for Nova Scotia farmers who donate produce to local food banks is among the policy plans laid out in the province’s latest budget. Finance Minister Randy Delorey’s budget on Tuesday showed an overall $17.1 million net surplus position on $10.15 billion in total expenses and $10.26 billion in total revenues (minus $110.3 […] Read more
World wine trade buoyed by rebound in China demand
Reading Time: 2 minutes Paris | Reuters –– Wine exporters toasted an upturn in Chinese wine consumption in 2015 after a two-year decline, as a growing taste there for reds helped global wine trade expand, the International Vine and Wine organization (OIV) said Monday. Chinese imports jumped 44 per cent to 5.5 million hectolitres, while overall consumption in the […] Read more
Wine, foreign content now covered in organic pact with EU
Reading Time: 2 minutes The deal that clears Canadian-certified organic food for sale as organic in the European Union is now expanded to cover Canadian-processed products with some imported ingredients — and to include organic wine. Canada’s Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan on Thursday confirmed the expansion of scope for the EU-Canada Organic Equivalence […] Read more
Constellation considering Canadian wine IPO
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Constellation Brands said on Wednesday it was considering taking a part of its Canadian wine business public and reported better-than-expected quarterly net sales, helped by strong demand for its premium Corona and Modelo beers. Shares of the New York-based wine, beer and spirits company, which forecast full-year profit largely above estimates, rose as […] Read more
Canada clears Simplot’s spot-resistant GM potato
Reading Time: 2 minutes Potatoes modified for reduced bruising and black spots, and for lower levels of a chemical linked to health risks in baked spuds or fries, have picked up federal approvals. The plant science arm of U.S. potato giant J.R. Simplot announced Monday its first-generation Innate Gen. 1 potato varieties have passed food and feed safety assessments […] Read more
Australia dumps ‘backpacker tax’ over farm, export concerns
Reading Time: 2 minutes Sydney | Reuters — Australia on Wednesday walked back from a planned tax hike on foreign travellers who work in the country, following concerns from farmers that their supply of “backpacker labour” at harvest times may dry up and undermine Australia’s ambitions of being Asia’s delicatessen. Australian fruit exports are set to hit a record […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
