‘Frustrating’: Veterinarians urge regulatory changes as medicine shortages mount

REGINA - Canadian veterinarians no longer have to access to 40 per cent of medications they once were able to use, a figure the head of the national association says is worrying. 

Tracy Fisher, president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, says drugs for animals — from cats and dogs to sheep and cattle — are becoming increasingly unavailable. 

She says Canadian regulations discourage drug manufacturers from going through the process to get their medications approved for distribution, even though the medicines are available in other countries. 

Animal welfare issues arise when veterinarians have fewer drugs at their disposal, she adds.

Rogers Sugar reports $13.7M Q4 profit, revenue down from year ago

VANCOUVER - Rogers Sugar Inc. reported a fourth-quarter profit of $13.7 million as its revenue fell compared with a year ago.

The company says its profit amounted to 10 cents per diluted share for the quarter compared with a profit of $18.6 million or 13 cents per diluted share a year ago.

On an adjusted basis, Rogers says it earned 16 cents per share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 14 cents per share a year ago.

Revenue totalled $322.7 million, down from $333.0 million in the same quarter last year.

Independent grocers federation not happy with farmers’ call for cap on profits

HALIFAX - The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers says it's disappointed and surprised that a farmers lobby group is calling for caps on the profits of major grocery chains. 

Gary Sands, senior vice-president of the federation, says his members are also unhappy with the National Farmers Union's push for publicly owned grocery stores. 

“I just find it disappointing that anybody in the Canadian food supply chain points fingers at anybody else in the food supply chain because they should know better," Sands said in an interview Wednesday.

"And I wouldn't point fingers at the suppliers. I wouldn't point fingers at the farmers."

Canadian farmers to lobby federal government to cap profits of major grocers

HALIFAX - Canadian farmers plan to lobby the federal government to implement a guaranteed annual income and a cap on the profits of the major grocery store chains in the country. 

The lobbying plans were adopted as a part of nine resolutions approved by members of the National Farmers Union who met at an annual conference in Moncton, N.B., last week.

A number of the farmers spoke at the conference about how it is becoming more difficult for them to conduct business in Canada every year. 

David Thompson, executive director of the union, says over the last two decades, profits for small and mid-scale farmers have sunk, costs for equipment and inputs have risen, and the price of land is now unattainable for many farmers. 

Video spreads fake story about John Deere exiting Canada

Rumours that farming equipment giant John Deere is leaving Canada spread this week on social media alongside a video claiming the company would be moving its factories to the United States.

In fact, John Deere hasn't manufactured farm equipment in Canada since 2009 and the company says the claims in the video are false. The video comes from a YouTube channel that appears to use artificial intelligence to produce spam news content.

THE CLAIM

"John Deere didn't quietly cut production. They packed up the future of Canadian manufacturing and moved it straight into the United States," said the narrator in a 17-minute-long video posted to YouTube, where it reached more than 200,000 views in two days.

Premier Moe says he’s supportive of pipeline to northern B.C., reallowing tankers

REGINA - Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says he's hopeful the federal government and Alberta can make progress on getting a pipeline built and allowing some tanker traffic on the northern B.C. coast.

Moe says the measures would support Saskatchewan's goal of exporting more potash, agricultural products and oil. 

The Globe and Mail newspaper is reporting Ottawa, which is in talks with Alberta on the prospect of building a new pipeline, is considering allowing some tanker traffic in the northern area where it's banned. 

Moe says he's been part of the discussions and is confident a private-sector proponent will come forward with a project if regulations are changed.

Food sovereignty on menu as farmers from across Canada gather in New Brunswick

Farmers from across Canada are gathering in New Brunswick this week for the annual National Farmers Union convention.

Food sovereignty and justice are themes this year at the gathering of the advocacy group.

Phil Mount, vice-president of policy at the union, says food sovereignty is a timely topic as the trade war with the U.S. has put Canadian food and food producers in the spotlight.

The convention will allow farmers and farm workers from across the county to debate national policies and listen to speakers.

‘Valid’ questions for CFIA but few simple answers in wake of B.C. ostrich cull

Infectious disease veterinarian Scott Weese says the hundreds of ostriches shot dead on a rainy night at a British Columbia farm this month "probably weren't infected" with avian influenza at the time of the cull by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The problem, says Weese, is that "we don't really know," and logistical challenges and conditions at the farm would have hindered rigorous testing of all of the birds.

The H5N1 avian flu virus — detected in the flock of more than 300 ostriches months earlier, prompting a battle by the farm to prevent the cull — cannot be controlled by hoping for the best, says Weese, a professor and infectious disease expert at the Ontario Veterinary College based at the University of Guelph.

"And that's what we would have been doing here."

‘Gas-for-wine’: South Africa seeks deal to boost trade, investment with Canada

OTTAWA - As Prime Minister Mark Carney heads to Johannesburg for the G20 summit, Canada and South Africa are talking about a deal to boost bilateral trade and investment that could see more South African wine on Canadian shelves in exchange for gas exports.

"We are pursuing a strategic partnership with Canada," South African High Commissioner Rieaz Shaik told The Canadian Press. "I'm calling it a gas-for-wine deal."

Shaik said the talks are focused on five sectors — agribusiness, infrastructure, mining, energy and advanced technologies — and the final deal likely would take the form of a foreign investment promotion and protection agreement.

The agreement, he said, would be one focused on expanding private sector engagement rather than a conventional trade deal focused on goods.

Five things to know about ostrich cull case, after court delivers blow to farmers

The cull of hundreds of ostriches at a British Columbia farm is set to begin after the Supreme Court of Canada announced it would not be hearing an appeal by the farm's owners.

Here are five things to know about the situation at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, B.C.

1. The court fight

The Supreme Court of Canada on Thursday declined to grant the farmers leave to appeal their case again, after they previously lost bids to save the birds in Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal. Thursday's decision lifts a stay on the cull, meaning there's no legal barrier to the cull beginning immediately.

Nutrien reviewing strategic alternatives for phosphate business, including sale

SASKATOON - Agricultural product provider Nutrien Ltd. says it's undertaking a strategic review of its phosphate business. 

That could result a reconfiguring of operations, strategic partnerships or a sale. 

The Saskatoon-based company says it intends to "solidify the optimal path" for the division next year. 

Nutrien is the second-largest producer of phosphate in North America, with two mines and four upgrade facilities in the United States. 

Canada Packers posts its first earnings report after spinoff from Maple Leaf

Canada Packers Inc. released its first earnings report since its split from Maple Leaf Foods became official, where it updated investors on improvements it's making to its farms and plans to expand the brand.

The company processed more than a million hogs during the third quarter, up 3.7 per cent year-over-year. 

"These gains were driven primarily by improvements within our company-owned hog operations, including better animal health, nutrition, and farm management," chief executive Dennis Organ said on a conference call with analysts.

Organ said consumers will soon find Canada Packers ribs and pork loins in western Canadian stores, as the company looks to expand.

Maple Leaf Foods to increase retail prices amid high meat costs

Consumers might notice price increases for Maple Leaf meat products at grocery stores in the new year as the company faces rising raw materials costs. 

"Beef inputs are at all-time highs. Turkey, in real time, is being impacted by the avian influenza implications in the North American markets," chief executive Curtis Frank told analysts during an earnings call on Wednesday.

"It's really the combination of those inflationary effects that impacted the third quarter," he said. 

While the company reported strong third-quarter results, the higher cost of raw materials dented its earnings on a quarter-over-quarter basis. 

OECD recommends Canada reform supply management policy

A report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development says Canada should gradually reduce the price support it provides to dairy, poultry and egg producers and focus on long-term climate adaptation for the agricultural sector. 

The "Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2025" document released last week looks at 54 countries around the world and offers specific recommendations.

In the chapter dedicated to Canada, the OECD notes government support for the agricultural sector made up 8.2 per cent of gross farm receipts, a measure of revenue, between 2022 and 2024 and that level has been stable over the past decade. That's less than half the level of two decades earlier and below the OECD average of 13.2 per cent.  

However, the report points to outsized support in a few sectors — dairy, poultry and eggs — that it argues distorts production and trade, and inflates domestic prices. 

China agrees to purchase 25 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans annually, treasury secretary says

WASHINGTON (AP) — China has agreed to purchase 25 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans annually as part of an agreement reached by its leaders, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday.

Bessent said China will start by purchasing 12 million metric tons of soybeans from the U.S. between now and January.

“So you know, our great soybean farmers, who the Chinese used as political pawns, that’s off the table, and they should prosper in the years to come,” Bessent said in an interview on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria.” He said the agreement lasts for three years.