The 'bacon bubble' that didn't burst Sunday, April 3, 2011 Last October, the Wall Street Journal announced that the "bacon bubble" was set to burst. Pork industry executives braced themselves for the worst, according to MeatingPlace Magazine, and it didn't come. Well, maybe on the "fine dining" side. High end restaurateurs had been putting bacon into everything, including cocktails.Otherwise, sales to middle and working class consumers continued upward, rather than dying off as expected after Labour Day.The Consumer Price Index for bacon was up 32.5 per cent from the previous October.Wendy's quick-serve restaurant ("fast food" is apparently now a pejorative term) expanded the use of smoked bacon from one to all of its sandwiches sold in the United States. Meat industry reports indicate that supermarket sales were up nearly three per cent measured in terms of dollars, while the volume of bacon sold was down by 1.7 per cent. (Wal-Mart does not submit sales figures and was not included.) BP Uncollectible loans and unsustainable agriculture Moving towards a national biosecurity standard
New Canola Processing Could Boost Protein and Oil Profits Wednesday, December 17, 2025 While canola oil remains the crop’s main commercial product, researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) are working to unlock additional value from the plant, which was first developed in the 1970s. Canada’s canola sector contributes an estimated $43.7 billion annually to the... Read this article online
Trade deals 101 Wednesday, December 17, 2025 It’s difficult to go a day without hearing something about a trade deal. The Canadian government, for example, is involved in trade talks with at least four partners. Until Jan. 26, Canadians can weigh in on potential partnerships with India, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, and... Read this article online
Plants flip genetic switch to survive sudden cold, study finds Wednesday, December 17, 2025 One things for sure—weather happens. When a sudden cold snap hits a farm, it can destroy seedlings slow growth. It can make the season's growth 'iffy' going forward. But like a ray of sunshine, results from a new study offer farmers hope. Scientists have discovered how plants... Read this article online
Ham for Christmas? Tuesday, December 16, 2025 As many pork producers will know, ham is a strong preference for Americans for their Christmas meal. Americans purchase approximately 318 million pounds of ham during the Christmas season. By comparison, about 22 million turkeys are consumed during the same period. If we assume the... Read this article online
P.E.I.’s ag minister is the new premier Tuesday, December 16, 2025 Prince Edward Island’s minister of agriculture is also the province’s newest premier. Bloyce Thompson, who also held the justice file and was the deputy premier, was sworn in as the province’s 35th premier on Dec. 12 after former premier Rob Lantz resigned to seek the leadership of the... Read this article online