Special egg production approved

 

The Farm Products Council of Canada has approved a marketing board program to reduce reliance on imports for the egg-processing industry.

Burnbrae Holdings and GrayRidge are the dominant egg 

processing companies in Canada and have in the past used supplementary import permits to meet their needs.

However, avian influenza has hit United States egg production hard resulting in much higher prices for U.S. eggs.

The Egg Farmers of Canada national agency wrote to Farm Products Canada that “the STMRQ ((Special Temporary Market Requirement Quota) 

 category was created as a fiscally prudent risk mitigation tool to increase domestic supply for the processing industry, lessening reliance on imports, specifically supplementary requests.

“STMRQ focuses on identifying eligible flocks to produce beyond the

typical flock cycle where facility and other conditions have been met.

“Flocks participating in STMRQ do so on a temporary basis in response to urgent requirements in the processing

marketplace.

“As such, STMRQ production is dedicated to processors and subject to the prevailing pricing under the Industrial Products (IP) Program; no eggs produced under STMRQ are destined to the table market.”

The quotas are administered by provincial egg marketing boards.

Hensall Co-op part of new soybean research

 

Hensall Co-op is part of a consortium led by Protein Industries that is pursuing development of non-GMO edible soybeans that can be grown further north.

Protein Industries Canada is the leader and has received $2.4 million from the federal government. The consortium is investing $1.9 million.

“This project will expand soybean production across our country, helping to not only create new economic opportunities and a competitive edge for Canadian farmers and producers but also meet the increasing global demand for quality plant-based products,” Canadian Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly said in a news release.

The lead researcher is genomics firm NRGene Canada; the industry partners include plant genetics lab Pulse Genetics, Hensall Co-op and soy-based foods maker Yumasoy Foods.

Scientists will work to breed early-maturing, high-protein, non-GMO soybean varieties suited to Canada’s northern climates. 

These new varieties will be specifically bred for improved yield and better adaptation to environmental conditions, helping producers reduce the yield gap between GMO and non-GMO crops, the news release said.