Future of beef slaughter plant depends on company compliance Wednesday, February 13, 2013 by BETTER FARMING STAFFWhether the St. Ann’s Foods Inc. beef slaughter plant in West Lincoln near St. Catharines reopens is up to the company.The plant was closed earlier this month by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for the company’s failure “to fully and consistently implement corrective actions to address deficiencies related to sanitary practices and operational sanitation.”In an email response to questions from Better Farming, CFIA media relations manager Guy Gravelle said, “the CFIA has met with the company and has explained the deficiencies and required corrective actions. It is up to the company to determine how it will proceed next to comply with these requirements.”The company has not responded to requests from Better Farming for information about its future plans.The licence suspension was the third the CFIA has issued against beef-packing plants within the last six months, including the suspension at XL Foods of Brooks, Alta. last September because of concerns about E. coli contamination and deficiencies identified by the CFIA at the facility.Asked whether the licence suspensions are because the CFIA is stepping up inspections or taking a tougher approach to inspections, Gravelle wrote, “Food safety is the top priority for the CFIA and our approach to protecting Canada’s food supply has not changed.” BF Oxford MPP receives wind threat letter Durham County Cattlemen's proposes federally-inspected abattoir
Pilot project supports Ontario and Quebec ag Friday, July 24, 2026 A new two-year pilot project is designed to help livestock farmers in Quebec by giving them access to an Ontario abattoir. The project, a collaboration between the Quebec and Ontario governments, with additional support from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), would see a limited... Read this article online
Canada Opens Interprovincial Alcohol Sales Thursday, July 23, 2026 A major change to Canada's internal marketplace is set to create new opportunities for wineries, breweries and distilleries after nine provinces signed a landmark agreement allowing direct-to-consumer sales of alcoholic beverages across participating jurisdictions. The deal is being hailed... Read this article online
Heat and Rain have led to a challenging growing season for Cauliflower Growers in Ontario. Thursday, July 23, 2026 There are only 1,225 acres dedicated to growing cauliflower in Ontario, but they produce 14,545,000 lbs of the vegetable. Growers across key vegetable-producing regions are preparing for increased shipments of locally grown cauliflower to grocery stores, restaurants, wholesalers and... Read this article online
Who Knew so Much Canadian Watermelon is Grown in Ontario Thursday, July 23, 2026 Many consumers may think of watermelon as an exotic fruit, but Ontario grows about2,000 acresof watermelons each year, more than 35,084tonnesof watermelon.Watermelonharvest now is underway. Watermelon originated in northeastern Africa, particularly in the region that today includes Sudan... Read this article online
Ontario Farmers Harvest One of Canada’s Top Carrot Crops Wednesday, July 22, 2026 Carrots are among Ontario's most important vegetable crops, contributing significantly to local food production and year-round fresh produce availability. Ontario grows the most carrots of any Canadian province – 45% of the country’s carrots. According to Statistics Canada, Ontario... Read this article online