Fuel pellet maker to supply Italian market Tuesday, July 3, 2012 by BETTER FARMING STAFFAn Ontario fuel pellet manufacturer has inked a $36 million agreement to supply homes and institutions in northern Italy with biofuel.Ian Moncrieff, president and CEO of Canadian Biofuel, based in Chatham, says the contract is for five years and has been brokered by U.S.-based Greene’s Energy Group LLC. Moncrieff says he cannot reveal the name of the purchaser because of a confidentiality agreement. Other news reports have identified the company as Toronto-based Green Dot Biomass Energy Company Inc. According to its website, Green Dot’s Italian-based parent company is Helios S.R.L.A Green Dot representative did not respond to an emailed request for an interview but did acknowledge during a brief telephone conversation that she was familiar with Canadian Biofuel.Moncrieff says the pellets will be burned in central heating plants serving apartments and institutional residences.“The demand for pellets in Europe is going up exponentially,” he says, noting the demand for pellets in Italy is expected to reach three million tonnes this winter and the country has the capacity to produce only 600,000 tonnes. Previously, Italy turned to northern European countries to make up the difference “however those countries are beginning to use more domestically, which means there’s less to export.”The agreement will mean increasing Canadian Biofuel’s Springford facility’s production capacity to 48,000 tonnes a year. The plant’s current capacity is 27,000 tonnes annually based on operating 24 hours, six days a week. The facility is located in a former Cargill grain elevator and began production in February.Moncrieff says the facility makes the pellets from clean, recycled wood.He’s keen to eventually add pellets made out of energy crops such as miscanthus and switchgrass.The facility currently employs seven people and the contract will require 15 new hires as well as the addition of another pellet machine, he says. “We have to start delivering 1,200 tonnes of pellets by July 15 bulk in shipping containers and, by October 1, 4,000 tonnes per month.” BF Laval prof challenges former MP's supply management report Kitchener dairy farm among finalists for sustainability prize
2025 Election Results Prompt Concern and Reflection Among Prairie Farmers Tuesday, April 29, 2025 Users on Agriville.com weigh-in on the 2025 federal election outcome As news broke on April 28 that Mark Carney’s Liberals had won the 2025 federal election, many western Canadian farmers on Agriville.com shared their reactions. The mood was largely one of disappointment, with... Read this article online
Support IPM With a Bench Sponsorship Tuesday, April 29, 2025 The International Plowing Match & Rural Expo (IPM) Local Committee has launched the Bench Sponsorship Project for the upcoming 2025 event in West Niagara. This initiative invites individuals and businesses to sponsor commemorative benches for $500 each, helping enhance the visitor... Read this article online
New board members for Ontario Pork Friday, April 25, 2025 Ontario Pork, an association representing the 1,898 pork farms that market 5.9 million hogs in the province, has announced its new board lineup for 2025. As a Guelph, Ontario-headquartered organization, Ontario Pork is engaged in the areas of research, government representation,... Read this article online
A Chicken’s Dream: The Perfect Home for Our Feathery Friends! Friday, April 25, 2025 BY: Zahra Sadiq Do you raise chickens on your farm for personal, friends and family use? Don’t you think your feathery friends deserve to live in style? If so, look no further, Roost & Root have plenty of chicken coop models to choose from that you and your chickens will... Read this article online
Ontario ag connections in the NHL playoffs Tuesday, April 22, 2025 The 2025 NHL playoffs are underway, and some of hockey’s biggest names got their start on an Ontario farm or have invested in agriculture since becoming professional athletes. Farms.com went through each of the 16 playoff team rosters to uncover which players have a connection to... Read this article online