Milk containers a factor in oil spills? Wednesday, June 1, 2011 In April, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States moved to exempt milk and milk product containers permanently from the Oil Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures rule, "potentially saving the milk and dairy industries more than USJ$140 million a year," according to an EPA new release.The rules, in place since the 1970s, require facilities storing more than 1,320 gallons of oil to create and implement plans to prevent and respond to oil spills. "The rule is intended to prevent damage to the inland waters and shorelines of the United States," says the release.The release says milk containers are regulated separately. Dairy farmers can give credit to Barack Obama for this. The release says: "This announcement is consistent with President Obama's executive order on regulatory reform, which requires federal agencies to design cost-effective, evidence-based regulations that are compatible with economic growth, job creation, and competitiveness." Not explained is how bulk milk tanks, which bear a passing resemblance to oil storages, got brought under this rule to govern oil spills to begin with. BF Farm Markets: Selling the experience as well as the product More contaminated milk in China
Saskatchewan Startup Unveils Portable Device to Detect Crop Diseases in the Field Friday, May 29, 2026 With global crop losses from pests and diseases reaching as high as 40 percent annually, a Saskatchewan-based startup is working to equip farmers with faster, more practical tools to protect their yields. PathoScan Technologies, founded in Saskatoon, has developed a portable... Read this article online
Falling Behind on Direct Alcohol Shipping Deadline Friday, May 29, 2026 Canada’s small alcohol producers are growing increasingly frustrated as a promised timeline for direct-to-consumer (DTC) alcohol shipping reforms approaches with little visible progress. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling out federal and provincial... Read this article online
Rural Canada Is Critical to Trade, Food Security and Economic Recovery Friday, May 29, 2026 Canada is facing global instability, affordability pressures and growing urgency to rebuild its economic foundations. Rural Canada is one of the country’s most important economic assets. Although only about 16% to 18% of Canadians live in rural communities, leaders say those regions... Read this article online
Feds say Provinces Need to Act on Interprovincial Alcohol Sales Friday, May 29, 2026 Canada’s federal government is intensifying pressure on provinces and territories to complete negotiations and implement direct-to-consumer alcohol sales, a move expected to benefit agricultural producers, small businesses, and consumers across the country. The statement comes out... Read this article online
$15.1M to Scale Whole-Cut Plant-Based Protein Wednesday, May 27, 2026 Protein Industries Canada has announced a $15.1 million co-investment in a multi-partner project aimed at scaling advanced manufacturing technology for whole-cut protein alternatives and strengthening Canada’s domestic agri-food value chain. The initiative brings together NS/TX... Read this article online