
Clean ag tech adoption fund open for applications
Intake open and ongoing for Agricultural Clean Technology Program
A federal program farmers can use to invest in “cleaner” on-farm equipment — including money specifically for more efficient grain dryers — is now taking applications. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Wednesday announced the $165.7 million Agricultural Clean Technology Program is “now open to applicants.” First launched in 2018 and earmarked for expansion under […] Read more

Second Cup owner to buy Milestones dining chain
Foodtastic plans to expand brand to Quebec
Future growth of the Milestones chain of grill-and-bar restaurants across Canada will take place under different ownership. Vaughan, Ont.-based Recipe Unlimited, owner of fast-casual and dining chains such as Swiss Chalet, The Keg, Harvey’s, St-Hubert and Montana’s, announced Monday it will sell the Milestones chain to Foodtastic, owner of the Second Cup and Nickels Deli […] Read more

AGI to buy into soil microbe breeding firm
Machinery maker to take minority stake in MyLand
A U.S. company ramping up a system to harvest, reproduce and restore beneficial microbes from a field’s own soils, as a way to restore peak fertility, expects to get backing soon from a Canadian farm equipment maker. Winnipeg-based Ag Growth International (AGI) said Monday it has signed a conditional letter of intent with Phoenix-based MyLand […] Read more

Richardson building new southwestern Saskatchewan elevator
On-site crop inputs facility to follow
Winnipeg grain firm Richardson International has started work on a new high-throughput grain elevator in southwestern Saskatchewan, to be bookended by smaller elevators it already operates in the region. The company said Monday it began construction work earlier this month at Carmichael, about 65 km southwest of Swift Current, about three km south of the […] Read more

Quebec names mediator in Exceldor poultry strike
Major chicken plant's workers off job since May 23
The Quebec government has brought in a mediator to try to restart labour talks that stalled ahead of a strike at one of the province’s biggest poultry plants. Provincial Labour Minister Jean Boulet on Friday named Helene Poulin as a special mediator on the labour dispute at the Exceldor poultry plant at Saint-Anselme, about 30 […] Read more

JBS Canada plant up and running after cyberattack
Brooks beef plant has 'resumed production'
Meat packer JBS’s major beef slaughter plant in Alberta went back to work Tuesday following a cyberattack reported to have downed several of the company’s operations in North America and Australia. JBS USA, the unit overseeing the Brazilian firm’s Canadian operations, and JBS-owned chicken unit Pilgrim’s Pride both reported “significant progress in resolving the cyberattack […] Read more

Feather sector’s on-farm upgrade program underway
Applications now being accepted for funding
The federal free trade compensation program to help Canada’s poultry and egg producers pay for on-farm upgrades, renovations and improvements is now taking applications. The $646.8 million, 10-year Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program (PEFIP) is now formally underway, Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced Monday. Each eligible Canadian producer is entitled to an amount proportional […] Read more

OIE ruling turns page on BSE in Canada
Canada's BSE status upgraded to 'negligible risk'
The international body overseeing countries’ animal disease control measures has assigned Canada the lowest level of risk for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) — a move which stands to help clear away lingering trade barriers against Canadian beef. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on Thursday announced it has delivered “negligible risk” status for BSE […] Read more

Ceres plans southern Saskatchewan canola crush plant
U.S. firm to build plant at border grain terminal
U.S. ag commodities firm Ceres Global Ag, which in recent years has built up a Prairie grain and oilseed origination hub near the North Dakota border in southeastern Saskatchewan, now plans to crush canola there also. The Minneapolis company said Tuesday it plans to spend US$350 million to build an integrated crush plant with capacity […] Read more

DOT, AutoCart autonomous equipment lines rebranded
Parent firm Raven Industries' products tied to new brand
U.S. precision agriculture equipment firm Raven Industries has set up a unifying brand for its acquired product lines, including the Canadian-born DOT autonomous field tool system. South Dakota-based Raven on May 12 launched the OMNi brand for its autonomous platform, rebranding DOT as OMNiPower and the AutoCart system as OMNiDrive. All of Raven’s intelligent autonomous […] Read more