By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Mar 21, 2023 | 10:18 AM

MELFORT, Sask. – Unifor has reached tentative collective agreements with CN Rail, averting strike action.

Unifor National President Lana Payne said there were many challenges in getting to the deal done.

“With the solid support of the membership, the bargaining committees were able to stand up to this large profitable company and persevere to secure the tentative agreement,” Payne said.

The four tentative collective agreements cover Local 100 and Council 4000 members across the country. Unifor Local 100 represents skilled trades in mechanical shops and Unifor Council 4000 represents intermodal, clerical, mechanics and excavator operators.

Details of the collective agreement will not be released until after ratification. The vote will be held soon.

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Eight skunks found dead last month in Vancouver and nearby Richmond, B.C., tested positive for avian flu.

British Columbia’s Ministry of Agriculture said the skunks were infected with the same H5N1 strain that has caused the deaths of millions of domestic poultry since the outbreak began in April last year.

The skunks were found in residential areas in both cities and were taken to B.C.’s Animal Health Centre over concerns they may have been deliberately poisoned.

The ministry said in a statement the skunks may have contracted H5N1 by scavenging on infected wild birds.

While avian flu in skunks is a low risk to human health; there are always risks when people or pets come into contact with sick or dead wild animals.

Since last April, wildlife infected by avian flu included more than 20 species of wild birds, two skunks and a fox found in rural areas of the province.

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Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) have released its strategy to reduce emissions.

The Net Zero by 2050 Best Management Practices Guide will help Canadian dairy farmers contribute to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, a goal set by DFC last year.

Dairy Farmers of Canada president Pierre Lampron said working toward the target confirms the dairy sector is part of the effort to tackle climate change and ensures consumers can continue to enjoy dairy products made with 100 per cent Canadian milk for years to come.

Lampron said while net zero is an important commitment, generations of Canadian dairy farmers have already shown their commitment to new practices.

“The leadership of Canadian dairy farmers in sustainability is bearing fruit. For instance, the carbon footprint of our dairy production is one of the lowest in the world,” Lampron said.

DFC’s Best Practices Guide has been developed in consultation with experts to help farmers identify and implement best management practices (BMPs) on their farm, including an overview of 30 BMP opportunities for reducing emissions, increasing carbon sequestration, and improving overall environmental sustainability.

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Maple Leaf Foods raised its dividend as it reported a loss of $41.5 million in its latest quarter due in part to weaker pork markets and a cyber attack.

The food processing company said it will now pay a quarterly dividend of 21 cents per share, up from 20 cents per share.

The increased payment to shareholders came as Maple Leaf said its loss for the quarter ended Dec. 31 amounted to 34 cents per share compared with a profit of $1.9 million or two cents per share in the last three months of 2021.

Sales totalled $1.19 billion, up from $1.12 billion a year earlier.

The company said its most recent quarter included a $23 million hit related to what it called a cybersecurity incident in November and $25.8 million in startup expenses related to construction projects.

On an adjusted basis, Maple Leaf said it lost 28 cents per share in its fourth quarter compared with an adjusted profit of nine cents per share a year earlier.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW