Maple Leaf sales and profits up

Maple Leaf Foods has reported fourth quarter sales growth of 8.1 per cent derived from a  6.1 per cent increase in prepared foods sales and 13.1 per cent in poultry sales.

Its profit for the quarter rose by 8.3 per cent to $117 million.

The sales total was $991.2 million compared with $917.1 million for the same quarter the year before.

For the year, sales were $3,913 million compared with $3,633 million last year, an increase of 7.7 per cent and earnings were $542 million  compared with $97 million the year before.

During the year it spun off its hog production and pork slaughter business as Canada Packers.

Ted Arnott appointed to veterinary council

 

Ted Arnott who was the Conservative party representative for part of Wellington County for 35 years has been appointed to a three-year term on the Council of the College of Veterinarians.

The Council regulates the practice of veterinary medicine and establishes, maintains and develops standards of knowledge, skill and professional ethics among its members.

Arnott is active in a number of community organizations in Elora, Fergus and area.

Hormel wants tariff money returned

 

Hormel Foods has sued United States Customs and Border Protection and the federal government in the U.S. Court of International Trade, seeking refunds of tariffs it paid under trade measures imposed by President Donald Trump last year.

Hormel arguezs the tariffs were unlawfully imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, which the company said does not authorize presidents to levy import duties.

Hormel said it paid the duties as an importer of record on merchandise subject to the tariffs and sought a court order declaring the tariffs unlawful and requiring the government to refund all IEEPA duties it has already paid, along with interest.

The company based in Austin, Minnesota, said the lawsuit was necessary because it was unclear whether importers would automatically receive refunds even if higher courts ultimately agree the tariffs were unlawful. 

Hormel also said entries subject to the duties would soon begin to liquidate, potentially making the tariff payments final without judicial relief.

Broad coalition questions ag. research cuts

 A collation of 20 farm organizations, led by the National Farmers Union, is calling on the federal government to reconsider its recent announcement that it intends to close 17 research centres.

“We are calling for an immediate pause on closures and employee terminations for a minimum of 24 months so the government can take time to re-evaluate closures and cuts in areas that are crucial, protect irreplaceable components of the research system, or offer enhancements to Canada’s agriculture landscape that may have been overlooked;” said an NFU news release supported by the 20 farm groups.

It also asked for “full transparency regarding the decision-making process leading up to the cuts, including full disclosure of any impact analysis done; and meaningful engagement with farm organizations to develop a long-term strategy for Canada’s public agricultural research infrastructure.”

The 20 supporters are:

Alberta Federation of Agriculture

Alberta-British Columbia Seed Growers

Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network (ACORN)

British Columbia Fruit Growers Association

BC Organic

Canada Organic Trade Association

Canadian Organic Growers

Canadian Seed Growers Association

Centre d'expertise et de transfert en agriculture biologique et de proximité

Coop Agrobio du Québec

Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario

Farmers for Climate Solutions

Manitoba Forage Seed Association Inc.

Manitoba Organics

Manitoba Seed Growers Association

National Farmers Union

Ontario Organic

Saskatchewan Seed Growers' Association

SaskOrganics Association Inc.

SeedChange

 

PED in Wellington County

Swine Health Ontario reported an outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus at a finisher barn in Wellington County.

Seven appointed to animal care board

 

Seven people have been appointed to two-year terms on the Animal Care Review Board.

They are Tugba Karademir of Orillia, Brian Killick of Sarnia, Elizabeth Kirby or Orillia, Adrienne Curran of Ottawa, Karina Vilner of Thornhill, Sarah Colman of Stratford and Sara Brown of Haldimand.

They are all lawyers except Brown who is a paralegal.

The board hears appeals from people whose animals have been seized by inspectors or who face disciplines.

Sobey’s owner posts a loss

 

Sobey’s parent Empire Co. Ltd, reported increased sales in the third quarter, but one-time charges related to a major shift in its e-commerce Voilà operations resulted in a net loss.

Besides Sobey's,  Empire owns Safeway, IGA, Farm Boy and FreshCo stores.

It wrote off $746-million because the online business failed to meet financial expectations.

“While this impacted reported earnings, it resets the cost structure and sharpens our focus on profitable growth,” chief executive officer Pierre St-Laurent said during a conference call.

Its sales increased by 10 per cent to $79 billion, but the loss was $385 million compared with a profit of $146 million for the same quarter last year.