

Sollio books deeper loss for 2022
Olymel's fresh pork business takes biggest hit
Domestic and international market-moving events have dragged hard on the year-end bottom line for Sollio Cooperative Group, particularly in its fresh pork business. Quebec-based Sollio — which operates the ag input and farm service business Sollio Agriculture, meat packer Olymel and hardware retailer BMR — on Thursday reported full-year revenues of $8.876 billion for its […] Read more

More South American nations report bird flu cases
Brazil still remains free of contagion
Sao Paulo | Reuters — The confirmation of more bird flu cases in South America raised alarm bells in Brazil, which remains free of contagion even after its close neighbours Argentina and Uruguay confirmed cases there on Wednesday. In a press conference to discuss the global sanitary hazard, Brazilian Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro said Brazil, […] Read more

Bill to keep supply management off trade table moving forward
CCA, other groups oppose proposal as Bloc MP's private bill passes second reading
A federal private member’s bill that would codify the current government’s promise to leave supply-managed ag commodities out of any future free trade deals has advanced to the committee stage. Introduced last June 13 by Bloc Quebecois MP Luc Theriault, Bill C-282 came back last Wednesday to pass second reading in the House of Commons […] Read more

Alberta poultry sector gets late entry for AgriStability
Participation deadline extended to end of month
In the wake of avian influenza outbreaks in the region, Alberta poultry producers have been granted a late participation option to sign up for the federal/provincial AgriStability income stabilization program. Provincial Ag Minister Nate Horner on Wednesday announced the two levels of government have reached an agreement to allow poultry producers late participation in AgriStability […] Read more

Borderline city hosts interprovincial food trade pilot
Trade barrier on pause for two years for food businesses serving Lloydminster
The idea of loosening interprovincial trade in certain foods made by provincially-inspected processors will get a major test in one of Canada’s very few province-crossing municipalities. The Saskatchewan, Alberta and federal governments on Jan. 19 announced the start of a two-year pilot project within the limits of Lloydminster, a city of over 31,000 people straddling […] Read more

Prairies’ warmer spell to be usurped by arctic front
MarketsFarm — While the Prairies have so far this month experienced rather non-January-like temperatures, a cold front coming south from the Arctic will soon descend on the region, according to Scott Kehler, president and chief scientist of Weatherlogics in Winnipeg. “What we are seeing is a big change in the weather pattern. For most of […] Read more

Avian flu pops back up in New Brunswick
B.C. only other province with cases so far this month
Highly pathogenic avian influenza in domestic birds in Canada appears to be in check so far this month in most regions of the country outside southwestern B.C. — but for one recent case in Atlantic Canada. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed an outbreak of high-path avian flu in what it describes as […] Read more

Vet Advice: Viral storms endanger wildlife
Wildlife health is an indication of the health of the environment on which we rely
Listening for blue jays call in early mornings in need of peanuts is a favourite pastime. I sit with Addie, our golden doodle, within a foot or two of what’s offered, coffee in hand and watch my friends wrap a beak around whole peanuts, then squirrel them away in adjacent spruce. The routine stopped midsummer […] Read more

Demand for beef is key in 2023
Prime Cuts with Steve Kay
U.S. consumers in 2023 can anticipate greater availability of pork, broiler meat and turkey but less beef. Demand for all proteins will largely depend on consumer concerns about inflation and whether the U.S. economy has moved into a recession. Beef demand at retail and food service is robust. Beef currently has an advantage over pork […] Read more

Former Mission, B.C. mayor named province’s ag minister
Pam Alexis handling agriculture; Lana Popham moves to tourism file
A rookie MLA and former city mayor from British Columbia’s farming-rich Fraser Valley has been named as the province’s new minister of agriculture and food. Premier David Eby, who assumed the post last month following John Horgan’s resignation, on Wednesday shuffled the provincial cabinet and named Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis to handle the ag and […] Read more