Butch Clare escapes fee

 

Walter Richard (Butch) Clare and his Aylmer Meats Ltd. stuck Harrison Pensa law firm of London, Ont., with a $1.7 bill for legal fees related to the closure of his meat-packing business for breaking Canadian Food Inspection regulations.

He was fined a total of $15,000 and Aylmer Meats $110,000.

But then he won a lawsuit against the province and was awarded $3,5 million.

When Harrison Pensa sued for its money, the court ruled it couldn’t tap into the $3.5 million because that lawsuit was filed by other lawyers Clare hired.

Sweda egg case still active

 

Fifteen years after Svante Lind and his Sweda Farms Ltd. business filed suit against Burnbrae Farms, L.H. Gray and Sons Ltd. and the Ontario egg marketing board, the courts have yet to set a trial date.

But the lawyers are getting closer; the court might set a trial date when it meets in December. The estimate is that a trial would involve 44 witnesses and take 75 days.

The most recent court action is around how much money those involved need to post in case they lose.

Lind is already on the hook for $250,000 and now a judge is requiring another $950,000.

Lind had to pay Burnbrae Farms Ltd. $520,000 in legal costs when Burnbrae succeeded in being dismissed from the case.

Lind’s claims against L.H. Gray and Sons Ltd. and the egg board now total $45 million.

Lind’s lawyers asked the court to ensure that L.H. Gray and Sons Ltd. and the egg board to post security in case they lose.

Mazzarolo wins butcher award

Marco Mazzarolo of Herrington’s Quality Butchers in Port Perry has been named Ontario’s Finest Butcher .

Hosted by Meat & Poultry Ontario, the competition brought together 11 butchers from across the province, showcasing the technical skill, craftsmanship and merchandising expertise behind Ontario’s meat industry.

The three finalists were Connor Stewart of J&G Quality Meats, Nick Projkovski of Metro and Mazzarolo.

Ground broken for poultry centre

 

 

There was a ground-breaking ceremony recently for a $30-million poultry research centre at the Elora Research Centre run by the University of Guelph.

The Ontario government is putting up $24 million and the poultry marketing boards $6 million.

Hunger persists amidst food waste

 

New findings from The State of Food Charity in Canada survey show that 89 per cent food banks and similar organizations saw an increase in demand over the past year. 

Thirty-three per cent have a wait list and 35 per cent have had to turn people away due to limited food or resources.  

Yet good food continues to go to waste, said Lori Nikkel, chief executive officer for Second Harvest.

, she said. “Connecting surplus food with communities is one practical way we can help the organizations that are already doing this essential work.”

"Every week, organizations like ours are seeing more families reach out for food support, including working families who never imagined they would need help," said Vivian N. Etuka, founder and executive director of Bethel Outreach Community Services. 

"When programs are full or there's a waitlist, hunger doesn't wait. It means parents going without so their children can eat, seniors struggling to stretch what little they have and families choosing between groceries and rent, utilities or other essential bills," she said.  

 

 On average, 36 per cent of the food available at responding organizations comes from Second Harvest. Among respondents, 91 per cent said Second Harvest enables them to access more food, while 85 per cebnt said it helps them save money.  

Weston family buying Boots

 

 

The Weston family’s holding company Wittington Investments Ltd. is buying the 1,800-store Boots pharmacy chain from U.S. private equity fund Sycamore Partners. The price is $8.9 billion.

The Weston family owns control of Loblaws and its associated supermarket chains such as Zehrs.

Wittington is also buying out another billionaire family headed by Stefano Pessina, who is the former chairman of Boots. He acquired the chain in 2007, then sold the majority of the company to Sycamore, while retaining an ownership stake. 

Toronto-based asset manager Fairfax, led by investor Prem Watsa, is backing Wittington’s investment by paying US$2.3-billon for a 50-per-cent stake in Boots. Wittington will have operating control of the chain.

Milk buyers sue 14 dairy co-operatives

 

Dairy buyers are suing 14 dairy co-operatives for using an export program that reduces milk supplies for United States customers.

The lawsuit claims the exports allowed commercial processing facilities to avoid domestic market gluts, tightening raw milk and component balances across regional federal milk marketing orders.

The lawsuit alleges that horizontal export subsidies short-circuited these basic supply-and-demand corrections by removing commercial inventory that would have otherwise triggered domestic price reductions. 

While export-oriented processing federations successfully grew overseas market footprints in Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East, domestic commercial buyers and retail consumers paid elevated prices for essential dairy staples. 

Trade economists said the lawsuit represents a fundamental legal test of whether collective agricultural export assistance programs function as legitimate trade development platforms or as unlawful domestic supply control cartels.