Sunova appeal dates set

Three years after Sunova Implements Ltd. filed an appeal against CLAAS of America Inc., the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal struggled to find dates for a public hearing.

Lawyers said they estimated the hearing could take up to five days followed by written submissions which could take another month, then another hearing date to review those submissions and then a decision. They finally settled on dates in July and August.

The pre-hearing session did not get into the reasons for the appeal which was filed Sept. 1, 2022.

Tribunal chairman Glenn Walker, who is a veteran with the tribunal, said he has never seen it so busy.

The lawyers said they should be able to shorten the case by submitting an agreed statement of facts on a number of issues.

Walker said he wants to take care “because this is an important case”.

                  

PED un Middlesex

On Jan.12 Swine Health Ontario reported an outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus on a farrow-to-finish operation in Middlesex County.

Atlantic Beef given $2.26 million

The federal government is giving Atlantic Beef Products Inc. $2.26 million to upgrade its kosher and halal meat packing at its plant at Albany, Prince Edward Island.

Canadian markets have been significantly short of kosher-certified beef.

The government said the money will be used for advanced processing and packaging equipment designed to improve food safety, to increase yields and reduce waste.

 Upgrades include steam vacuum systems to enhance hygiene, more efficient cutting and meat recovery equipment, and new packaging technology aimed at producing retail-ready halal beef products. 

An in-line X-ray analyzer was also included to strengthen quality control and product safety.

CFIA reports 119 AI cases last year

 

The Canadian Food Inspection released a report that there were 119 outbreaks of avian influenza last year, 11 of equine infectious anemia, nine of chronic wasting disease, two of Newcastle disease and also two of Cysticerosis and one of bovine tuberculosis.

The CFIA has ordered the destruction of about 19 million chickens, turkey, ducks, geese, pigeons and ostriches to counter the spread of highly-pathogenic avian influenza.

Loblaws burgers under recall

 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has detected highly-poisonous E. coli 0157 food-poisoning bacteria in burgers sold under Loblaws’ no name label.

The CFIA said no illnesses have been reported by consumers.

E. coli 0757 is the bacteria that infected drinking water in Walkerton in 2000 resulting in the death of seven people; 2,300 were sickened, 22 of them with permanent kidney damage.

Global food prices decline

 

Global food prices declined for the fourth month in a row, reported the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

Dairy prices were down by 4.,4 per cent and meat prices by 1.3 per cent.

But on an annual basis, meat prices averaged 5.1 per cent higher than the previous year.

Vegetable oil prices declined by two-tenths of one per cent, but cereals prices increase by 1.7 per cent.

Ethanol production pushed corn prices up.

                           

Turkey fees to increase

 

The Ontario Regulatory Registry is inviting public comment on a proposal to increase fees collected by the Turkey Farmers of Ontario marketing board.

The amendments would give board authority to collect a 1.25 cents per kilogram from farmers and processors to be given to the Canadian Turkey Marketing Agency, also known as Turkey Farmers of Canada (TFC), until December 31, 2028.

 It would also increase the existing production levy from 1.8 cents per kilogram to 2.1 cents per kilogram.

The levy funds the "Think Turkey" campaign, a national marketing campaign established in 2020 with the intent to increase per capita consumption of turkey. 

The campaign uses advertising, digital media, and public relations to promote whole turkeys and value-added products. The proposed amendment supports industry efforts to sustain the domestic turkey sector amid growing import pressures.

Per capita consumption declined from 3.5 kilograms in 2022 to 5.3 in 2024.