Five more rabid bats

 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency identified five more bats with rabies in Ontario during September.

That brings the total to 66 this year.

There were no other cases of rabies in Ontario so far this year.

Extra hens approved for vaccine production

 

The Farm Products Council has approved applications from the provinces of Quebec and Ontario for 423,690 vaccine quota layers for the Glaxo-Smith-Kine (GSK) production during the period of

December 27, 2026, to December 25, 2027. 

In July it approved a request for 492,000 Sanofi quota layers.

Grocery prices finally moderating

Grocery prices rose by 1.7 per cent over the previous year in September while overall inflation increased by 3.1 per cent.

It was a welcome change from more than a year when grocery prices increased more than overall inflation.

The September increase was the smallest since May 2024.

Prices for fresh vegetables declined by 2.9 per cent. 

Beef prices rose at a slower pace in September, up by 8.7 per cent compared with an 11 per cent increase in August.

Statistics Canada said prices for groceries have increased by 33 per cent since September 2020.

CFIA suspends Morales Food licence

 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has suspended the licence held by Morales Food Ltd. of Montreal.

The CFIA said Morales failed to identify and analyze food safety hazards and failed to develop and implement a food safety plan.

The company imports exotic foods.

U.S. subsidies issued

 

The United States Department of Agriculture is releasing $13.2 billion in crop subsidies for 2025 just days before the federal elections.

The payments will vary by state and county.

This is a record high farm subsidy under two federal crop programs, yet is less than th $13.9 billion estimated earlier.

Rice subsidies are the highest and are estimated at $120 per base acre for medium-grain and $344 for long-grain. Rice estimates could still shift because final prices for the three rice types have not been set.

Maud Murray heads Ontario ag. department

Maud Murray has been chosen acting deputy minister for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness.

She is also deputy minister of Red Tape Reduction.

“She brings extensive leadership experience to the role, including work supporting small businesses and economic growth across Ontario,” Michelle DiEmanuele, secretary of the cabinet, said Tuesday on social media.

Murray is a lawyer and served as the agriculture ministry’s deputy legal director from 2013 to 2015.

John Kelly is retiring after six years as deputy agriculture minister.

Agriculture now has two new people at the top. Sam Oosterhof, who was the youngest person elected to the Ontario legislature, was recently appointed agriculture minister.

Hoekstra named head of new UG position

 

Paul Hoekstra has been named executive director of Agri-Food Strategy and Partnerships, a new position at the University of  Guelph.

Hoekstra has been vice-president of  strategic development for Grain Farmers of Ontario since 2020.

His main job at University of Guelph will be advancing the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a province-wide platform for agri-food research, training and innovation.

Hoekstra holds a PhD in environmental biology from the University of Guelph and a bachelor of science (B.Sc.) from the University of Waterloo.