By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Friday April 28, 2023

Apr 28, 2023 | 10:34 AM

There are just a few days left to take part in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) consultation survey on Canada’s Seed Regulatory Modernization.

Farmers and others in the seed sector have until Monday to take part in the discussion and submit any recommendations for the seed system.

CFIA is seeking comments on variety registration, harvesting, cleaning, and conditioning of seed to sampling, testing, and grading of seed.

The next consultation will focus on seed certification and labeling, the sale of seed to farmers, as well as seed import and export.

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The Canadian Transportation Agency is working on the parameters for the Maximum Revenue Entitlement (MRE) for the railways for 2023 to 2024.

The MRE limits the revenue CN Rail and CP Rail can receive for shipping grain. If the railways go over that cap they pay a penalty to the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF).

The Volume-Related Composite Price Index is an inflation factor based on the forecasted prices for railway labour, fuel, material, and capital purchases.

Much of this year’s price differential is directly linked to unexpectedly high fuel and related material costs in 2022. Last year, the CTA’s fuel model projected 30 per cent increases in railway fuel costs. In the end, the actual costs rose by more than 63 per cent. A major factor in the increase was the diesel fuel shortage in North America.

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Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre in Saskatoon, Sask. is expanding its operation.

The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan will provide $250,000 toward a $1.7 million project to increase small batch co-packing capacity.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said the sector thrives when entrepreneurs can take that first step to develop and commercialize a new product.

“This investment in the expansion of the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre will open the door wider to a new generation of innovators who will drive new growth in the Saskatchewan economy,” Bibeau said in a news release.

Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit said more expertise, capability and flexibility creates opportunities for agri-businesses to commercialize new products.

“Saskatchewan’s value-added agriculture sector is bursting with potential,” Marit said. “This investment taps into that potential for industry to turn their ideas into innovative, sustainable, marketable goods which keep them competitive and keep our economy growing.”

The co-packing project is comprised of a combination of new capital, in-kind and cash contributions from sources that include Prairie Economic Development Canada and industry stakeholders.

The Food Centre will purchase specialized canning, bottling, and packaging equipment to provide early-stage product and market development services needed to support clients from the meat, plant protein, ingredients, fruit and vegetable processing sectors.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW