Ontario’s provincial government will make a $10 million investment in Bioniche Life Sciences’ expansion plans for commercial-scale production of its E. coli vaccine for cattle. The company owns the rights to worldwide commercialization of the vaccine, which Bioniche said can prevent E. coli O157:H7 from colonizing in cattle’s digestive systems and can reduce the amount […] Read more
Ont. to invest $10M in E. coli vaccine maker
Sask. repeals potash expropriation powers
The Saskatchewan government plans to officially dump a 32-year-old law that granted it powers to expropriate private potash assets. Premier Brad Wall’s government, which took office from the previous NDP administration last month, on Monday introduced legislation to repeal the provincial Potash Development Act. The repeal will take away the government’s ability to nationalize the […] Read more
P.E.I. cattlemen name new commodity board
Six Prince Edward Island cattlemen have been named by acclamation to sit on the province’s new cattle commodity board. The Prince Edward Island Cattle Producers Board, created as a commodity board in January this year, was initially led by the directors of the P.E.I. Cattlemen’s Association on the date that the regulation for the new […] Read more
WTO panel investigating U.S. subsidies
Complaints from Canada and Brazil against the United States’ domestic farm support programs are now under formal investigation by a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement body. News services and stakeholders reported Monday that the WTO panel had officially launched its investigation into the multi-billion-dollar U.S. subsidy regime. Canada’s federal government announced in November that […] Read more
CFIA finds Canada’s 11th mad cow
A 13-year-old beef cow from Alberta was confirmed Tuesday as Canada’s latest case of mad cow disease (BSE). The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reported that the animal’s carcass is under CFIA control and no part of it entered the food or feed system. The agency also assured in a press release that this case […] Read more
Feds to toughen food safety penalties
Heavier fines for food safety violations and stronger recall powers are among the new measures for food, health and consumer product safety that the federal government plans to legislate in the new year. Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the government’s plans Monday in Ottawa, starting with a dialogue with consumer and industry stakeholders in early […] Read more
B.C. taxman to review “farm” status
British Columbia’s revenue minister has launched a review of what qualifies as a farm for local tax purposes. Rick Thorpe announced Monday that a review panel, including representatives from local governments, farmers, BC Assessment and the agriculture, revenue, finance and community services departments, will perform a “comprehensive consultation” with local government and a cross-section of […] Read more
Seed Manitoba goes online
Manitoba farmers this year can get their annual seed variety guidebook not only in print but in a new searchable online format. Seed Manitoba 2008, which was mailed last week as an insert to the Dec. 13 issue of the Manitoba Co-operator, is online at www.seedmb.ca, in the same digital format in which readers may […] Read more
Quebec ag dept. subpar on sustainability: audit
Quebec’s ministry of agriculture, food and fisheries isn’t in a position to “adequately contribute” to a coherent sustainable development policy for the province, according to a report filed last week by the provincial sustainable development commissioner. Harvey Mead’s report, released Thursday by the provincial auditor general’s office, observes that while the ag ministry (MAPAQ) is […] Read more
CWB sets ’06-07 final payments
The Canadian Wheat Board on Friday announced its final payments for wheat, durum, feed and designated barley for the 2006-07 crop year, ranging from $7.04 per tonne for No. 2 CWRW winter wheat to $26.64 per tonne for all grades of pool B barley. The federal government approved the final payments Thursday. Direct deposits that […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
