Top of the mornin’ to you all and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! For those of you wishing to reconnect with your Irish roots – here’s a few recipes worth pairing with your pint of green beer or Guiness.
Now, here is today’s agriculture news.
The Lead:
The federal government has quietly made an exemption allowing fish packers to bring in an unlimited supply of low-skilled temporary foreign workers to fill seasonal jobs. As The Globe and Mail reports, the exemption is being justified by the Liberals as a short-term measure to buy time until a full review of the foreign worker program can be conducted later this year.
The Liberals, who swept all 32 seats in the Atlantic provinces in the last election, have been under intense lobbying from Atlantic seafood processors and MPs about the labour shortages at fish plants.
In Canada:
The head of Canada’s largest pulse company says the CTA review’s recommendation to eliminate the maximum revenue entitlement would benefit the agriculture industry. As The Saskatoon StarPheonix reports, AGT Food & Ingredients Inc’s Murad Al-Katib, who served as an advisor during the Canada Transportation Act review, said future prosperity is very much tied to a functioning and competitive transportation system.
Chicken Farmers of Ontario have approved a new kosher processing plant. Premier Kosher Inc, the first kosher plant to be approved since 2013, will be located in Abingdon, in Ontario’s Niagara region, CFO said in a press release Thursday. The plant is expected to be operational by January 2017 and will have an initial capacity of 50,000 chickens each week while employing some 80 employees.
Internationally:
In the U.S., efforts by Republican Senators to halt mandatory GMO labelling have stalled. In a nail biter of a 48-49 vote, the Senate fell short of the necessary numbers to move ahead on legislation that would have barred states from requiring the labelling. The move comes as Vermont is set to require such labels this summer, and other states are considering similar laws. The Associated Press has the details.
Ethiopian officials have become the latest African nation to request increased food aid because of drought. As The Washington Post reports, aid agencies and the Ethiopian government say more than 10 million Ethiopians need urgent food aid and more than $1.4 billion is needed to deal with the crisis, with only half of that secured so far.
Australia and Indonesia have revamped efforts to secure a bilateral trade deal. Talks between the two countries, officials said, will resume within 18 months. It’s been suggested live cattle exports – a source of tension between the neighbouring countries – may be set aside in order to try and secure a deal faster. Reuters has the details.
Also from Reuters: Cuban export opportunities are being eyed by U.S. farmers.
The British government is imposing a tax on sugary drinks. As Bloomberg explains, the new tax was included as part of the federal government’s budget – released Wednesday.
And, Politico takes a closer look at the great FLOTUS food fight.
Noteworthy:
- Leaked memo suggests Loblaw dumped French’s to save PC ketchup (The Canadian Press)
- Elder statesman: New agriculture minister merges rural roots and three-piece suits (GrainsWest)
- Listening to yourself chew could help you eat less: study (RelaxNews)
- How Coke is trying to turn ‘premium’ milk into a billion-dollar brand (Fortune)
- Cumbrian sheep, Veronese pasta – the protection of food culture can go too far (The Guardian)
The Kicker:
What would you do for a chicken sandwich? In the latest free-throw contest, NBA fans are harassing shooters in order to try and win free chicken sandwiches. And, as the Wall Street Journal reports, sports analysts are now wondering if the contest is handicapping some teams momentum heading into the playoffs.
Until tomorrow.