Farm & Food Care launches blog

Farm & Food Care is launching a blog to polish the image of Ontario’s farmers who fund the organization that deals with animal welfare and cropping issues.

“Each week, blog posts will tackle issues that matter, both to consumers and to Canadian farmers,” the organization says in a news release today.

“Along the way, readers may even be impressed by stories about some of the cool and funky things happening in agriculture today.

“The blog will provide a forum for anyone involved in Canadian agriculture - real experts on food and farming - to tell their stories. “Bloggers will also profile the stories of real Canadian farmers and others that work in food and farming. 


Bruce Christie, chairman of the Farm & Food Care Foundation, said the blog is designed to “sort fact from fiction, and will dish up the ‘Real Dirt’ on what it takes to produce safe food for Canadians.”

The blog builds on the organization’s publication, The Real Dirt on Farming.

I doubt this will change many minds. Farmers don't want to change practices until they either have to or see a potential for profit. The critics are grounded in emotional attitudes and are unlikely to change those attitudes simply on the basis of facts and rational arguments.

Sodexco wants cage-free processed eggs

Sodexo has served notice to its Canadian suppliers that they must source their eggs for processing from cage-free facilities by the end of 2020.

Sodexo is one of the world’s largest companies and competes in Canada in the food services industry.

The two largest egg processors in Canada are also owners of the largest egg-production and egg-grading facilities – Burnbrae of Lyn, Ont., and Gray Ridge of Strathroy, Ont.

Sodexo already requires cage-free sourcing for its table-market eggs.

"With an annual spend of nearly $23 million on animal proteins in Canada, Sodexo has established sustainable purchasing practices with suppliers that drive humane treatment of animals throughout our supply chain," said Tracey Durand, senior vice president, Corporate Affairs, Sodexo Canada.

"We see animal welfare, including these new measures for cage-free eggs, as a key component of a sustainable supply chain alongside food safety, food security, nutrition and science-based environmental practices."

Sodexo currently sources about 800 thousand pounds of liquid eggs annually. It will now move to sourcing liquid eggs only from cage-free hens with a phased-in approach that will be complete by the end of 2020.

Sodexo is one of the largest companies in the world in its business, with 380,000 employees, representing 130 nationalities, present on 34,000 sites in 80 countries. It’s head office is near Paris, France.

U.S. farm groups push for trade with Cuba

The most important U.S. agricultural delegation to visit Cuba in more than a decade began three days of meetings this week, hoping to find potential business partners, while urging politicians to lift the U.S. trade embargo.

Two former agriculture secretaries, a number of state agriculture officials and representatives of various state farm bureaus are among the 95 people making the trip, which was organized by the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba. That group was formed after the Dec. 17 announcement the U,S. would restore diplomatic relations with Cuba.

"The message we hope will get back to Washington is that we are a unifying voice that would like to see Congress act in 2015 and end the embargo," Cargill executive Devry Boughner Vorwerk, chairwoman of the coalition, said in an interview.

The coalition says U.S. farmers are hungry for a $2 billion market so close to home and frustrated by U.S. restrictions.

The United States created an embargo exception in 2000 to allow food sales, but it still denies Cuba credit, forcing it to pay cash up front.

U.S. food sales to Cuba fell in 2014 to $291 million, from a peak of $710 million peak in 2008. The coalition wants U.S. exports to top $1 billion, about half the value of Cuba's food imports today.

U.S. farmers can renew corn, wheat and rice exports to Cuba, which have fallen sharply, while importers want to explore Cuban seafood, winter vegetables, citrus and tobacco, coalition members said. There was particular interest in high-margin organic products from Cuba.

The U.S. news reports say nothing about allowing Cuban sugar into the highly-subsidized and highlty-tariff-protected U.S. market.

Open U.S. trade with Cuba would impact Canada’s agriculture and food industry in a number of ways, such as competition for grain exports and a potential loss of U.S. markets for Canadian cookies that enjoy a competitive advantage because Canadians can buy sugar at much lower prices than their U.S. competitors.

While President Barack Obama has loosened some trade and travel restrictions, most of the embargo remains in place and can only be ended by Congress, now in Republican control.

The Republicans have been opposing anything Obama wants, almost regardless of the merits of the case.

Dickenson joins commission

Joseph Dickenson, a beef farmer from Oil Springs, has been appointed to a two-year term as a member of the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission.

He has previously served as the provincial president of the Junior Farmers' Association of Ontario, the Ontario/Quebec representative for three years on the Canadian Young Farmers' Forum and two three-year terms as director at Llarge for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from the University of Guelph.

The commission, which is chaired by former OFA president Geri Kamenz, oversees marketing boards and reports to the Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Three members’ terms expire this year – Thomas Richardson of Ottawa this month, Deborah Whale of Alma in June and Valerie Hobbs in December. There are eight members.

Europe raises bar for GMO crop varieties

It likely to soon become harder for European farmers to plant genetically-modified crops.

The European Union is giving member states the power to ban the cultivation of genetically-modified crops even if they have been approved  the EU’s  food safety authority.

The 28 EU has approved the rule that national governments can have the final say in the matter — a move that goes counter to many EU initiatives, which traditionally seek a common stance on EU policies.

Mute Schimpf of Friends of the Earth Europe says the new law "is a massive opportunity for national governments to shut the door on biotech crops in Europe."

Only one GM crop — corn — is planted in the EU so far, predominantly in Spain. Under the rules, governments would still have to consult biotech companies when banning a crop.

Saputo buys another Australian dairy

Saputo Inc. is paying $134.4 million cash to buy the everyday cheese business of Lion-Dairy & Drinks Pty Ltd. based in Victoria, Australia.

The deal includes $104.1 million for inventory net of a minimal amount of assumed liabilities.

Saputo did the deal via an Australian company it bought last year - Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Co. Holdings Ltd.

The deal, which is to close in May, providing it clears shareholder and regulatory approvals includes cutting and wrapping, distribution, sales and marketing and intellectual property associated with the Coon, Cracker Barrel, Mil Lel and Fred Walker brands.

The business has sales of $156 million a year and employs about 170 people.

Wind farm opponents face $340,000 bill

The four families that filed lawsuits against wind farms are facing court costs of $340,000.

The judge in the case awarded the companies costs and they submitted their lawyers’ bills and consulting fees to the judge.

Julian Falconer, lawyer for the families, said "It's not just a bar to justice, it's actually a terror tactic.

“This is not about money. The idea is to send a message: 'We will wipe you out if you challenge us'." Falconer said.

His bills are in addition to the $340,000; his billings have not been revealed.

Shawn Drennan, whose home is the closest to one of the 140 turbines K2 Wind wants to build near Goderich, is facing a bill of $240,000 to compensate the companies.

The other families are the Ryans, Dixons and Kroeplins.

They came together to fight three projects: the other two are Armow and St. Columban.

Usually the losers in these types of court cases can file an objection to the amount of court costs and have a review done.