Canada’s domestic food and agriculture supply chains have been put to the test and — the hoarding of toilet paper, flour, and meat notwithstanding — held up exceptionally well under the sudden panic-buying ahead of the COVID-19 self-isolation directive. Al Mussell, research lead with Agri-Food Economic Systems, says that these supply chains have proven to… Read More
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it’s prioritizing critical services to preserve the integrity of Canada’s food safety system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with that, the agency says it has temporarily suspended “low-risk activities that do not immediately impact the production of safe food for Canadians.” The list of critical activities includes the following:… Read More
Update, as of 11pm EDT Friday, March 20: The Canadian government confirmed late Friday that it will be exempting seasonal agricultural workers from the travel restrictions put in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. “The participation of temporary foreign workers on our farms and our food businesses is absolutely necessary,” says Minister of… Read More
While we are in the midst of a huge unknown as the world hunkers down to fight a common enemy in COVID-19, significant questions are being raised about food supply chains and economic resiliency. An event like this is known as a “black swan.” It’s an unpredictable, large-scale, huge impact event that fundamentally shifts how… Read More
For a company that proclaims its loyalty to Canadian ranchers on the back and sides of its transport trucks, navigating a foray into the plant-based market is going to be somewhat tricky. McDonald’s marketing director Jean-Guillaume Bertola fully understands that the company has to strike a balance between adapting menus based on changing consumer preferences,… Read More
If 2019 was the year of plant-based protein, perhaps 2020 can be the year of celebrating choice. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, with Dalhousie University, recently spoke at the CropSphere conference at Saskatoon, Sask., about food choices, plant-based protein, and consumer trends. Overall, he says, plant protein made a huge splash in 2019 as evidenced by several… Read More
If you’ve driven the open stretch of Trans-Canada highway between Winnipeg and Brandon, you may have noticed a new build project not far from Portage la Prairie. French company Roquette is set to open its pea processing plant by the end of 2020, which means it’s gearing up to start purchasing yellow peas this fall…. Read More
Protein Industries Canada (PIC) is providing its second investment into a $19.1 million project with the aim of commercializing high quality plant-based proteins. The project will focus on proprietary pea protein and canola protein isolates — including introducing the world’s first highly soluble, highly functional canola protein isolate. “This project is a great example of… Read More
At some point, likely every farmer has been frustrated with markets and pricing, and thought about moving past commodity production and up the value chain. But as many quickly learn, direct marketing, dealing with processors, or even becoming a processor is not for everyone. In this episode of Mind Your Farm Business, Jeff Nonay, a… Read More
Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Limited has confirmed its acquisition of Thornloe Cheese from EastGen. Located in Northern Ontario, Thornloe Cheese has been a local producer of cheese and cheese curds near Thornloe, Ont., for over 75 years. Employing about 30 people, Thornloe is known for its speciality cheese and recently introduced the first butter and… Read More
Before companies can sell Canadian wheat and durum to global customers, they first need to get a handle on crop grade and overall quality. The Harvest Sample program is a big part of getting this early data. From that program, CIGI and the Canadian Grain Commission run a test on not just grade and grade… Read More
In less than two weeks, Ontario food processors along with other businesses can apply for money under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). Application intake begins November 4th, and is geared towards agri-food businesses looking to increase food safety, develop new markets and expand their operations. “Our government is committed to helping food processors and other… Read More
There’s no doubt that the world of international trade has been rough and tumble the last while, but that doesn’t mean Canada shouldn’t continue to participate. Beyond just participating, Canada should be actively investing in agriculture’s major potential on the world stage now, and in the decades to come. It’s no secret to those in… Read More
Paterson GlobalFoods (PGF) will be building a $94 million oat processing facility in northwest Winnipeg. The company says it will be located on roughly 600 acres adjacent to its existing inland grain terminal and ancillary businesses. Annually the new build will process up to 250,000 metric tonnes (MT) of raw oats from western Canadian farmers…. Read More
McDonald’s Canada is just days away from rolling out a pilot project in Ontario that involves the Beyond Meat plant-based meat replacement product. On Monday, September 30, 28 restaurants in the southwestern region will offer the P.L.T. for a limited time. The acronym stands for plant, lettuce, and tomato, and the patty itself was crafted… Read More