An Argentinean biotech company wants to see if it can get viable amounts of a key cheesemaking enzyme out of a Calgary company’s genetically modified safflowers. Argentina’s Institutio de Agrobiotecnologia Rosario (Indear) has signed an option agreement for SemBioSys’ processes to produce chymosin, also known as rennet, in safflower plants and to extract it from […] Read more
Safflowers may make rennet for cheese
Canada, Peru seal free trade deal
Canada and Peru on Saturday concluded talks on a new free trade agreement that will help maintain Canadian ag exports to that country, the Canadian Wheat Board said Monday. CWB CEO Greg Arason on Monday congratulated International Trade Minister David Emerson for sealing the deal. Emerson also announced the signing of a trade deal with […] Read more
Grains fund repays CPR out of new penalty
The Western Grains Research Foundation won’t have to pay withdrawal penalties to come up with cash it owed to Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The fund, which endows research on cereal grains, is the beneficiary of penalties paid by the two national railways, CPR and Canadian National (CN), whenever they exceed their regulatory caps for revenue […] Read more
Institute to “green” Alberta’s ag sector
How Alberta’s farming sector can adapt to tap into growing demand for environment-friendly goods, services and processes is expected to be one of the key fields of study for a new provincially-funded institute. Premier Ed Stelmach launched the “virtual” Alberta Institute for Agriculture, Forestry and the Environment on Monday with $800,000 and a budget for […] Read more
Barley meeting shuts out farmer groups: NFU
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz’s planned meeting tomorrow on the future of the Prairie barley industry is rather too exclusive from where some farm groups sit. Ritz on Jan. 17 called a Jan. 29 meeting in Ottawa with officials from the Canadian Wheat Board and representatives from “industry groups, producers, grain handlers and malting companies.” Alberta […] Read more
No TB found yet in B.C. bull’s wake
Tests on animals with connections to a British Columbia bull that had bovine tuberculosis have so far turned up no new confirmed cases, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency reported Monday. CFIA said it’s identified over 1,000 animals that might have been exposed to bovine TB in relation to the lone case in northern B.C., and […] Read more
Aid offer extended for small Ont. meat plants
Small, freestanding meat plants in Ontario have more time to apply for funds to help upgrade their facilities to new food safety standards. The funding comes from the provincial meat plant assistance program, which was first announced in January 2006 with original deadlines of Feb. 15, 2008 and 2009 for small Category 2 and 1 […] Read more
CWB announces IP contract programs
The Canadian Wheat Board has announced its identity-preserved contract programs (IPCPs) for the 2008-09 crop year. The programs are aimed either at new varieties for market development purposes or varieties that require ongoing segregation to meet customer requirements. Farmers who take part can receive incentives such as contract and storage payements and guaranteed delivery. For […] Read more
Education campaign aimed at backyard flocks
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is spearheading an effort to educate hobbyists and other owners of backyard bird flocks on how to prevent and detect disease outbreaks. The national campaign — dubbed Bird Health Basics — promotes steps flock owners and those with pet birds can take to protect against dangerous diseases such as […] Read more
N.B., P.E.I. raise milk prices Feb. 1
Dairy farmers in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island will receive price increases of about 2.95 cents per litre on the milk they produce starting next month. The New Brunswick Farm Products Commission on Monday announced an average increase of 2.95 cents for producers, with no increase at the processor level. The standard mark-up at […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
