For food manufacturers, 2009 was a banner year Friday, March 12, 2010 by PATRICIA GROTENHUISIncreased profits during a recession are uncommon, but Canada’s food manufacturing industry accomplished the feat in 2009.A report written by Kevin Grier, senior market analyst at the George Morris Centre, states food manufacturers saw profits increase by 13 per cent over 2008, but cautions the good times are likely already over.“Looking ahead to 2010, food manufacturers are going to face challenges on the commodity front, as well as on the finished goods side,” said Grier’s report.Contrary to popular belief, Grier’s report states, the food industry is not recession-proof. However, it is less vulnerable to economic downturns than the manufacturing industry as a whole. People must continue to buy food regardless of the economy; however in tough times they will stop buying the extras they may have enjoyed for years, and will look for less expensive alternatives.Those 2009 profit increases were due in part to the recession causing overall manufacturing cost decreases and reduced raw material costs. Grier says Statistics Canada reports indicate that during the past decade manufacturing in general enjoyed annual margins of seven per cent, while the food industry was experiencing margins of five per cent. Grier cites manufacturing margins dropping to six per cent through 2009 while food industry margins rose to seven per cent as reported by Statistics Canada. He writes that is in spite of a Statistics Canada report shows food industry wages increased on average by two per cent while manufacturing as a whole saw no change in wages.Now that the recession effect is easing, manufacturing costs will again be going up for the food industry. In addition, other factors will impact on the profits of the food industry during 2010.Commodity costs are starting to climb again, and retailers are expected to be more reluctant to absorb increased costs. Wal-Mart is expected to expand, which will further intensify the pricing competition according to Grier.Food price increases are expected North America wide. Grier’s report cited two articles in the Wall Street Journal. On Feb. 26, the newspaper’s analysts predicted that if food manufacturers passing on their costs, food prices will increase by 2.5-4 per cent.That might not be happening. On March 5 the newspaper said manufacturers are offering more coupons and promotions to draw consumers back from less expensive private label products. BF Ag tribunal rejects appeal request High dollar cited as process vegetable returns sink
Shell Rotella’s SuperTractors competition Friday, September 26, 2025 Farmers put in long hours and endless dedication to feed and support their communities, and Shell Rotella is proud to spotlight these farmers with the fifth annual competition. Coinciding with —Sunday, October 12, 2025—the virtual event invites farmers across North America to share... Read this article online
Save Time and Costs with the Portable MiniCombine Friday, September 26, 2025 MiniCombine Delivers Fast and Accurate Grain Sampling The MiniCombine is a portable, fully self-contained electric unit designed to simplify grain sampling with speed and precision. Suitable for a wide range of crops including wheat, barley, sorghum, oats, soybeans, peas, field beans,... Read this article online
Advanced aerial tools bring data driven farming solutions Friday, September 26, 2025 Modern agriculture is quickly embracing aerial technology to improve crop management and boost productivity. Terralynx (Formerly TerraNova UAV), a company once focused only on drones, now specializes in advanced data collection and analysis that supports farmers and researchers. The... Read this article online
What’s New at 2025 Advancing Women Conference--Movie Time on Sunday Night Friday, September 26, 2025 If you're one of the many loyal attendees of the, planning to join us in Niagara Falls this November, you are in for a special treat. This year, AWC EAST 2025 will feature a heartwarming and historically rich film screening that celebrates the resilience, courage, and contribution of young... Read this article online
IPM Plowing Match Winners Celebrated Friday, September 26, 2025 Congratulations to Robert Daniels, of Berwick, Nova Scotia on winning the IPM Champion Horse Plow Person Award with 459 points; Kim Hadwen, Belleville, was the reserve. Congratulation as well to Brian Davenport from Owen Soundwho is the winner of the IPM Champion Tractor Award with 570.5... Read this article online