Greenpeace scores big in Brazil Monday, October 5, 2009 If you don't think environmental advocacy group Greenpeace has clout south of the Equator, think again. In June, Brazilian meat and poultry processor Marfrig Alimentos S.A. said it would no longer buy cattle or sell beef from cattle raised in the deforested area of the Amazon region. Major Brazilian retailers quickly followed suit.The reason? Greenpeace published a three-year study charging that the cattle sector in the Brazilian Amazon is the largest cause of deforestation in the world.Shortly after the publication, Marfrig promised to develop a "Cattle Origin Guarantee Program" to ensure that the company and its suppliers fattening cattle don't buy animals from areas embargoed by IBAMA, Brazil's federal environmental agency, or from areas on the slave labour list of Brazil's Ministry of Labour and Employment.Furthermore, proprietors with multiple farms are off Marfrig's supplier list until all of their farms are in compliance.About the same time JBS S.A., reportedly the world's largest beef producer and exporter, announced it had signed a deal with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. ensuring that it won't supply beef from cattle from the embargoed area. BF What's organic and what's 'natural'? Ginseng a remedy for Type 2 diabetes?
Ontario Supports Farmers Through 4R Nutrient Program Thursday, January 22, 2026 Several key agricultural organizations and the provincial government have renewed the Memorandum of Cooperation for the 4R Nutrient Stewardship program for a third term. The agreement brings together the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, Fertilizer Canada, Grain Farmers of... Read this article online
Canada-Ontario Funding Aims to Expand Agri-Food Markets Wednesday, January 21, 2026 The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $20 million through the new Market Diversification and Trade Resiliency Initiative to help farmers, food processors, and agribusinesses expand sales of Ontario-grown products domestically and internationally. The initiative... Read this article online
Bushel Plus rebrands to BranValt for global harvest-tech growth Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Bushel Plus Ltd., a well‑known name in harvest optimization tools and training, is preparing for a major brand transformation as it shifts to a new global identity: BranValt. The company recently announced that the transition will officially take effect in July 2026, marking a... Read this article online
Canada Negotiates Tariff Reductions on Canola Seed by China Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Mark Carney has concluded his visit to Beijing for high-level meetings with Chinese leaders, including Xi Jinping. The visit marked the first trip to China by a Canadian prime minister since 2017 and resulted in a joint statement outlining a new strategic partnership between the two countries.... Read this article online
Ontario Pig Producer Disease Advisory -- PED and PDCoV Risks Rising This Winter Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) and Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) continue to pose significant risks to swine operations across the industry. Both viruses are highly infectious, spread easily through manure, contaminated equipment, transport vehicles, and human movement, and can have... Read this article online