Confirming that a deal is as good as a fixed asset, a Prairie grain handler gets to keep using a lower-price rail route from Alberta into Montana, now that a Federal Court ruling has shot down an appeal from the railway taking grain down to the border. Writing on Jan. 2, Judge J.D. Denis Pelletier […] Read more
Court tosses CP’s appeal on U.S.-bound grain interswitching
Shuttered Que. beef plant’s equipment sold
The chance of a rescue for Quebec’s Levinoff-Colbex cull cow packing plant has passed, now that the facility’s equipment has been sold off piecemeal at auction. Provincial investment financing agency Investissement Quebec and other creditors still own the Colbex building and land at St-Cyrille-de-Wendover, in the Centre-du-Quebec region. But the plant’s receivers sold its equipment to a consortium of […] Read more
CWB takes pass on FNA’s proposal
Ag input buying group Farmers of North America (FNA) says its proposal to buy the grain firm formerly known as the Canadian Wheat Board has been rebuffed. Saskatoon-based FNA said Monday its proposal — which called for CWB’s assets to become part of an farmer-owned grain handling and fertilizer manufacturing and marketing organization dubbed Genesis […] Read more
Revised U.S. COOL law still breaks trade rules, WTO panel finds
A World Trade Organization compliance panel has ruled the U.S. government offside in its latest attempt at a trade-compliant country-of-origin labelling (COOL) law on meat. Following a long-awaited public release Monday, the ruling may give Canada and Mexico the ammunition to demand COOL be scrapped, on pain of retaliatory tariffs against a range of U.S.-made […] Read more
Chance remains for Que. beef plant before asset sale
The equipment at Quebec’s now-shuttered Levinoff-Colbex cull cow packing plant goes to auction in about eight weeks — but until then, its owners will entertain offers from buyers interested in rescuing the plant. The Colbex building and land at St-Cyrille-de-Wendover, in the Centre-du-Quebec region, are still owned by provincial investment financing agency Investissement Quebec and […] Read more
Canadian produce growers lose U.S. default protection
Canadian fruit and vegetable growers shipping produce to the U.S. have just lost a key piece of insurance against U.S. buyers who skip out on their bills. The Fresh Produce Alliance (FPA), representing the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) and Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation (DRC), announced Friday that Washington […] Read more
Neonic makers targeted in planned beekeeper class action
The major makers of neonicotinoid pesticides are the targets in a proposed class action suit on behalf of Canadian beekeepers and honey producers, alleging negligence and claiming over $450 million in damages. Siskinds, a London, Ont. law firm specializing in class actions, filed a statement of claim Tuesday in Ontario Superior Court in Windsor on […] Read more
Record-high pork values to cushion Russia’s sanctions
Russia’s retaliatory sanctions on Canadian agrifood, while disappointing from where Manitoba’s pork producers sit, aren’t expected to hurt the sector in the near term. Following a declaration from President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday confirmed the government has “completely banned the importation” of beef, pork, fruit and vegetables, poultry, […] Read more
Arbitrator sets out labour deal for CN conductors
Updated, June 23, 2014 — Binding terms are now in place for a few years’ labour peace between Canadian National Railway (CN) and its conductors and yardpeople. CN announced Friday it has received, and will “immediately” start carrying out, the decisions made by federally-appointed arbitrator Michel Picher. Picher’s rulings are binding on the company and on […] Read more
Sustainability, health, development hooked into NDP food plan
With about a year and a half to go before a federal election, the opposition New Democrats have mapped out a overarching food strategy roping in agriculture, rural affairs, environment and nutrition policy. NDP agriculture critic Malcolm Allen and deputy ag critic Ruth Ellen Brosseau on Wednesday launched their party’s “pan-Canadian” food strategy, under the […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
