It has been a very difficult two months for beef producers in Canada due to the COVID-19 market disruption, but they are not alone. At the centre of the plant shutdowns has been the packing plant workers, hundreds of whom have fallen ill or not known if it was really safe to go to work…. Read More
Category: News
The Seed Variety Use Agreement (SVUA) pilot program launched earlier this year now includes five varieties, as DL Seeds in Manitoba has announced the registration of two new field pea varieties that will be part of the project. A Seed Variety Use Agreement allows plant breeders to set a royalty fee, referred to as a… Read More
With extreme cold temperatures continuing across Ontario, when should growers resume planting soybeans? Planting came to a halt late last week as Ontario finds itself in the grip of extended cold daytime and nighttime temperatures. Snow covered parts of the province during the weekend and into Monday. And there’s more to come — some areas… Read More
Winnipeg-based tractor and farm equipment manufacturer Buhler Industries is shutting down one of its production facilities in the northern U.S., citing “unpredictability in the agriculture commodities market” and fluctuations in the exchange rate as reasons for the closure. The company behind Versatile and Farm King equipment says it will cease operations in Fargo, North Dakota,… Read More
A recently announced wage top-up program could apply to farm and food industry workers, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the $3 billion in funding “to increase the wages of low-income essential workers” late last week, and a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) says that provinces and… Read More
Cargill’s Chambly, Que., processing facility is set to close later this week in an effort to stem a COVID-19 outbreak that has already seen over 60 employees test positive for the virus. With more than 550 employees, the positive cases represent about 13 per cent of employees at the plant. According to the union that… Read More
As the COVID-19 outbreak disrupts processing in Canada and the U.S., more consumers are looking to buy beef direct from ranchers. In response, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) is creating a directory of members offering direct sales of beef. “We know there’s absolutely no shortage of beef cattle,” says Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association president… Read More
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ag in Motion, which annually takes place at Langham, Sask., will be moved to an online format, dubbed “Ag in Motion Discovery Plus.” The online format will take place July 21-25, 2020, with free entry, allowing participants the ability to still see equipment and agricultural technology from the comfort and… Read More
The Canadian Beef Industry Conference (CBIC) board, compromised of the Beef Cattle Research Council, Canada Beef, Canadian Beef Breeds Council, Canadian Cattleman’s Association, and the National Cattle Feeders Association, has decided to postpone the in-person conference scheduled for August 11-13th, 2020, until August 17-19th 2021, in Penticton, B.C. The decision was made following uncertainty around… Read More
Manitoba-based pork producer and processor HyLife has announced the purchase of one of Canada’s largest independent hog farming operations. The company has acquired the majority of ProVista Agriculture’s hog production facilities and transportation equipment. The deal includes 37,000 sows and production facilities that employ 252 people in Manitoba and southeast Saskatchewan. It will boost HyLife’s… Read More
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used his daily 11 am national address to announce $252 million in various funding and credit programs aimed at agriculture. “Everyone working in the food industry is working harder than ever to fill the shelves of our grocery stores,” said Prime Minister Trudeau in French during the morning briefing. The Canadian… Read More
Cargill says it is resuming beef processing operations, with support from Alberta Health Services (AHS) and Occupational, Health and Safety (OHS), at High River on Monday morning (May 4). The company says it will be running two harvesting shifts, with fabrication resuming on May 6. The union representing 2,000 employees at the plant has taken… Read More
Update, as of 2pm MDT May 3: A Cargill spokesperson says the company has nothing new to report regarding plans to operate one shift beginning May 4. The union that represents approximately 2,000 workers at Cargill’s beef processing plant at High River, Alberta, has filed legal action in an attempt to block the reopening of… Read More
After a 14-day idle, Cargill’s beef processing plant at High River, Alta., will reopen with one shift, starting May 4. Alberta Health Services (AHS) and Occupational, Health and Safety (OHS), announced the plans on April 29th. All employees who are eligible to return to work in the harvest department are being asked to report to… Read More
Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) will make an additional donation of $100,000 and up to 200,000 litres of incremental milk, the producer group has announced. This is in addition to the over 1 million litres donated to food banks annually in partnership with the Ontario Dairy Council (ODC) and the Ontario Milk Transport Association (OMTA)… Read More