Latest news with #AgricultureandAgri-FoodCanada
Cision Canada
30-04-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Alizés Awards 2025: Market Diversification on the Menu Français
Four agri-food companies won export awards for their achievements in Canadian and international markets. , April 29, 2025 /CNW/ - On April 29, Group Export Agri-Food hosted the Alizés Evening, presented by FCC, in the enchanting setting of Steam Whistle Brewery in Toronto. Bringing together 275 participants, the event celebrated the achievements of four outstanding Canadian agri-food export companies. "When Canadian agri-food shines on the international stage, the entire ecosystem moves forward. The Alizés Evening is the perfect opportunity to celebrate those who showcase our expertise. Tonight, agri-food businesses, international buyers, political decision-makers, and industry partners are here to honor the best of the best in food export. This event continues to grow with every edition, and this year, it is more relevant than ever," said Martin Lavoie, CEO of Group Export Agri-Food, during the event. The jury selected four winners for the 2025 edition of the Alizés Awards. In addition, three companies were awarded a booth at SIAL Paris 2026, courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Large Company FCC Russet House Canadian Market Award National Bank Aliments Ouimet – Cordon Bleu Boulart Booth @ SIAL Paris 2026, courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Aliments Ouimet – Cordon Bleu NOA – Monsieur Cocktail Oliméga – Signé Caméline "The companies selected by the jury truly stood out for their success in market diversification and their consistent year-over-year sales growth. Tonight, we are proud to celebrate their achievements on both international and interprovincial markets," proudly stated Louis Turcotte, Chair of the Alizés Awards Jury and Vice-President, Corporate Financing and Major Accounts at FCC. Five other members of the agri-food industry also participated in the jury deliberations: Benoit Tétrault, Director, Private Equity and Impact Investing, Agri-food, Consumer Goods and Health at Fonds de solidarité FTQ, Karen Trujillo, Commercial Account Director, Agrifood Sector at Export Development Canada, Michel Sirois, Vice-President of Agri-Food at National Bank of Canada, Eric Waterman, VP Agri-Food at Inno-centre and Martin Lemire, Vice-President at Edikom. The Group Export Agri-Food would like to thank FCC, presenter of the Alizés Awards, the ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAC), Inno-centre, Fonds de solidarité FTQ, National Bank, Export Development Canada (EDC), L'actualité ALIMENTAIRE, Agro Québec, and SIAL Canada for their support in the success of the Alizés Awards and the Alizés Evening. About the Group Export Agri-Food With over 450 members, the Group Export Agri-Food offers a variety of services to support Quebec-based agri-food export companies and facilitate their access to Canadian and international markets. The initiator of the Alizés Awards and the Agri-Food Export Summit, as well as one of the shareholders of SIAL Canada, the association is a key player in the industry.
Cision Canada
25-04-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Governments extend AgriStability enrolment deadline for 2025 program year
OTTAWA, ON, April 25, 2025 /CNW/ - Given the pressures and uncertainties facing the agricultural sector, federal, provincial and territorial governments have agreed to extend the AgriStability enrolment deadline from April 30, 2025, to July 31, 2025, for the 2025 program year. AgriStability is a margin-based program designed to help producers manage large income declines. This extension gives producers additional time to consider their needs and manage the impact of challenges faced by many farm operations, such as production loss, increased costs and changing market conditions. Farmers experiencing losses are encouraged to apply for interim payments under AgriStability for more rapid support. Producers have access to a comprehensive suite of business risk management (BRM) programs, including AgriStability, to help manage significant risks that threaten the viability of their farms and are beyond their capacity to manage. BRM programs are often the first line of support for producers facing disasters. Farmers are encouraged to make use of these programs to protect their farming operation and contribute to a more resilient Canadian agriculture sector. AgriStability web page. SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Don't just decorate eggs this Easter weekend — try a new dish, says B.C. chef
As Easter approaches, kids and adults alike will get crafty, decorating eggs with spring-time colours and hunting for egg-shaped goodies in the yard (weather-permitting). B.C.'s Chef Dez is encouraging British Columbians to take this egg-cellent opportunity to add eggs to meals in ways that may not seem obvious, and consider using them more often as an affordable, highly nutritious protein. "They're just so well balanced," he said. B.C. Egg, a non-profit that manages the province's egg farming industry, estimates an average egg has about 80 calories, 6.5 grams of protein and nine amino acids. Amanda Brittain of B.C. Egg told CBC News earlier this month that increases in the price of eggs in the province have been much smaller than in the U.S. due to Canada's supply management system. Since the beginning of 2024, more than 70 million laying hens were affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI, or bird flu) in the U.S., working out to about 19 per cent of U.S. production, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. While avian flu has been reported in B.C. flocks, it hasn't had quite as great an impact in the province, Brittain said. Eggs are an affordable, healthy protein, according to Abbotsford's Chef Dez. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press) Dez, a Red Seal chef and corporate chef for B.C. Egg, said there are about 149 egg farms in B.C. producing millions of eggs each year. "Every single one of those is family owned and operated, so elbows up, we're all about supporting Canadian," he said. "We can take this one step further by reading the label on your carton of eggs and make sure you're supporting local farmers here in British Columbia." Chef Dez said he incorporates eggs into a lot of meals, adding fried eggs to burgers and sandwiches and on top of pizza and pasta, boiled eggs on salads, and poached eggs with vegetables, among other things. "They are so versatile," he said. "You can use them in almost any application, you know you can find them anywhere." Dez shared some of his favourite egg recipes with CBC News: Ramen in a Hurry 4 cups beef broth 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp grated or minced ginger 1 to 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp sambal oelek 2 100-gram packs of noodles (discard the seasoning packets) 2 tbsp canola oil 8 to 10 thin slices of pork tenderloin 2 large eggs ¾ cup bean sprouts 2 green onions, thinly sliced at a 45-degree angle 1 small sweet red pepper, thinly sliced into rings Nori, cut into a handful of small strips In a medium pot, add the broth, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sambal oelek. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, then increase the heat to bring to a boil and add the noodles. Cook for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a medium pan over medium/high heat until hot. Add the oil to the pan and fry the pork slices until cooked and crispy. Remove the pork from the pan, but leave the residual oil, and set aside. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry without flipping them. Once they are half-set, poke the yolk and continue to cook until the bottoms of the eggs are crispy. Remove the eggs from the pan and set aside. Divide the noodles and broth equally between two large bowls. Top with the crispy pork slices, crispy eggs, bean sprouts, green onions, red pepper, and nori. Ramen in a hurry by Chef Dez. (Submitted by Chef Dez) Lemon Zabaglione 4 large egg yolks ¼ cup white sugar Pinch of salt ¼ cup limoncello liqueur 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice Fresh berries Bring 2 to 3 inches of water to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Place the egg yolks in a medium-sized stainless steel mixing bowl along with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisk vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is thick and pale yellow in colour. Then vigorously whisk in the lemon liqueur and the lemon juice until thoroughly combined. Reduce the heat to bring the water to a simmer and place the bowl on top of this pot while making sure that the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk constantly over the simmering water until the mixture reaches a temperature of 145 F to 150 F and becomes thick and frothy. Remove from the heat and spoon into small dessert dishes and serve warm, or cool slightly to room temperature and serve with fresh berries. Lemon Zabaglione by Chef Dez. (Submitted by Chef Dez) Cajun Shrimp Egg Salad Sandwiches 300 g raw prawns (16/20 size or smaller), peeled and deveined ⅓ cup minced onion 1 tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp dried oregano ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground black pepper ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper 2 tsp canola oil, divided ¾ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup small diced celery ¼ cup small diced red bell pepper 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives 2 tbsp sweet green relish 1 tbsp dill pickle juice 1 tsp lemon juice 3 to 4 dashes Tabasco brand hot sauce 6 large hard-boiled eggs, chilled, peeled and roughly chopped Salt and pepper to taste 4 4-inch brioche buns, cut in half horizontally Cut the prawns into small pieces, if desired. Combine the prawns in a small bowl with the minced onion, paprika, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon of canola oil. Heat a 10-inch non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining teaspoon of canola oil, and then the prawn mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the prawns are cooked through, for approximately two minutes. Transfer cooked prawn mixture to a shallow tray and refrigerate immediately to chill. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, celery, bell pepper, chives, relish, pickle juice, lemon juice, and Tabasco together. Stir in the chilled chopped hard-boiled eggs and the chilled prawn mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Portion mixture equally onto the 4 prepared buns and serve. Cajun shrimp egg salad sandwiches by Chef Dez. (Submitted by Chef Dez) Egg and Quinoa Power Bowls 2 cups vegetable broth 1 cup dry quinoa ½ tsp salt 4 baby sweet red peppers, sliced (or 2 cups chopped red bell peppers) 540 ml can chickpeas, drained, and rinsed 2 cups shredded cabbage 40 grape tomatoes 4 mini cucumbers, sliced (or 2 cups sliced cucumbers) 4 large, hard-boiled eggs, peeled (sliced in halves or chopped) Handful of fresh baby spinach leaves, sliced thin ½ small red onion, sliced thin 1 cup walnut halves 2 cups fresh blueberries (or thawed, drained from frozen) Kosher salt or other pure finishing salt, to season Fresh cracked pepper, to season Dressing 6 tbsp extra virgin avocado oil ¼ cup raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp whole grain mustard (seed mustard) Combine 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 cup quinoa, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down to medium-low heat and cook uncovered until all the broth is gone, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and chill or keep at room temperature. In 4 large-diameter, shallow bowls, arrange equal amounts of the following in each bowl, working clockwise: cooked quinoa, sweet red peppers, chickpeas, cabbage, grape tomatoes, and cucumbers. The bottom of the bowl should be completely covered with these ingredients. Arrange the following ingredients in equal amounts on top of the bottom ingredients: eggs, spinach, red onion, walnuts, blueberries, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Combine the dressing ingredients together thoroughly. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the dressing on each bowl.
CBC
18-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Don't just decorate eggs this Easter weekend — try a new dish, says B.C. chef
As Easter approaches, kids and adults alike will get crafty, decorating eggs with spring-time colours and hunting for egg-shaped goodies in the yard (weather-permitting). B.C.'s Chef Dez is encouraging British Columbians to take this egg-cellent opportunity to add eggs to meals in ways that may not seem obvious, and consider using them more often as an affordable, highly nutritious protein. "They're just so well balanced," he said. B.C. Egg, a non-profit that manages the province's egg farming industry, estimates an average egg has about 80 calories, 6.5 grams of protein and nine amino acids. Amanda Brittain of B.C. Egg told CBC News earlier this month that increases in the price of eggs in the province have been much smaller than in the U.S. due to Canada's supply management system. Since the beginning of 2024, more than 70 million laying hens were affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI, or bird flu) in the U.S., working out to about 19 per cent of U.S. production, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. While avian flu has been reported in B.C. flocks, it hasn't had quite as great an impact in the province, Brittain said. Dez, a Red Seal chef and corporate chef for B.C. Egg, said there are about 149 egg farms in B.C. producing millions of eggs each year. "Every single one of those is family owned and operated, so elbows up, we're all about supporting Canadian," he said. "We can take this one step further by reading the label on your carton of eggs and make sure you're supporting local farmers here in British Columbia." Chef Dez said he incorporates eggs into a lot of meals, adding fried eggs to burgers and sandwiches and on top of pizza and pasta, boiled eggs on salads, and poached eggs with vegetables, among other things. "They are so versatile," he said. "You can use them in almost any application, you know you can find them anywhere." Dez shared some of his favourite egg recipes with CBC News: Ramen in a Hurry 4 cups beef broth 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp grated or minced ginger 1 to 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp sambal oelek 2 100-gram packs of noodles (discard the seasoning packets) 2 tbsp canola oil 8 to 10 thin slices of pork tenderloin 2 large eggs ¾ cup bean sprouts 2 green onions, thinly sliced at a 45-degree angle 1 small sweet red pepper, thinly sliced into rings Nori, cut into a handful of small strips In a medium pot, add the broth, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sambal oelek. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, then increase the heat to bring to a boil and add the noodles. Cook for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a medium pan over medium/high heat until hot. Add the oil to the pan and fry the pork slices until cooked and crispy. Remove the pork from the pan, but leave the residual oil, and set aside. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry without flipping them. Once they are half-set, poke the yolk and continue to cook until the bottoms of the eggs are crispy. Remove the eggs from the pan and set aside. Divide the noodles and broth equally between two large bowls. Top with the crispy pork slices, crispy eggs, bean sprouts, green onions, red pepper, and nori. Lemon Zabaglione 4 large egg yolks ¼ cup white sugar Pinch of salt ¼ cup limoncello liqueur 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice Fresh berries Bring 2 to 3 inches of water to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Place the egg yolks in a medium-sized stainless steel mixing bowl along with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisk vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is thick and pale yellow in colour. Then vigorously whisk in the lemon liqueur and the lemon juice until thoroughly combined. Reduce the heat to bring the water to a simmer and place the bowl on top of this pot while making sure that the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk constantly over the simmering water until the mixture reaches a temperature of 145 F to 150 F and becomes thick and frothy. Remove from the heat and spoon into small dessert dishes and serve warm, or cool slightly to room temperature and serve with fresh berries. Cajun Shrimp Egg Salad Sandwiches 300 g raw prawns (16/20 size or smaller), peeled and deveined ⅓ cup minced onion 1 tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp dried oregano ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground black pepper ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper 2 tsp canola oil, divided ¾ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup small diced celery ¼ cup small diced red bell pepper 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives 2 tbsp sweet green relish 1 tbsp dill pickle juice 1 tsp lemon juice 3 to 4 dashes Tabasco brand hot sauce 6 large hard-boiled eggs, chilled, peeled and roughly chopped Salt and pepper to taste 4 4-inch brioche buns, cut in half horizontally Cut the prawns into small pieces, if desired. Combine the prawns in a small bowl with the minced onion, paprika, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon of canola oil. Heat a 10-inch non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining teaspoon of canola oil, and then the prawn mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the prawns are cooked through, for approximately two minutes. Transfer cooked prawn mixture to a shallow tray and refrigerate immediately to chill. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, celery, bell pepper, chives, relish, pickle juice, lemon juice, and Tabasco together. Stir in the chilled chopped hard-boiled eggs and the chilled prawn mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Portion mixture equally onto the 4 prepared buns and serve. Egg and Quinoa Power Bowls 2 cups vegetable broth 1 cup dry quinoa ½ tsp salt 4 baby sweet red peppers, sliced (or 2 cups chopped red bell peppers) 540 ml can chickpeas, drained, and rinsed 2 cups shredded cabbage 40 grape tomatoes 4 mini cucumbers, sliced (or 2 cups sliced cucumbers) 4 large, hard-boiled eggs, peeled (sliced in halves or chopped) Handful of fresh baby spinach leaves, sliced thin ½ small red onion, sliced thin 1 cup walnut halves 2 cups fresh blueberries (or thawed, drained from frozen) Kosher salt or other pure finishing salt, to season Fresh cracked pepper, to season Dressing 6 tbsp extra virgin avocado oil ¼ cup raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp whole grain mustard (seed mustard) Combine 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 cup quinoa, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down to medium-low heat and cook uncovered until all the broth is gone, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and chill or keep at room temperature. In 4 large-diameter, shallow bowls, arrange equal amounts of the following in each bowl, working clockwise: cooked quinoa, sweet red peppers, chickpeas, cabbage, grape tomatoes, and cucumbers. The bottom of the bowl should be completely covered with these ingredients. Arrange the following ingredients in equal amounts on top of the bottom ingredients: eggs, spinach, red onion, walnuts, blueberries, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper.
CBC
09-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Sask. beekeepers hope to avoid sting of killer parasite, tariffs on honey production
Simon Lalonde warns the guests touring his apiary that the yellowish goo his bees are depositing on their clothes isn't honey. It's basically bee poop, Lalonde says. It's a sunny spring day at From Hives to Honey, an apiary a short drive from Clavet, Sask., and the bees are leaving their hives for the first time since hibernation. "They're doing their cleansing flights, which is … they haven't been able to go to the bathroom since November of last year," Lalonde said. "They're stretching their wings again. They'll start drinking some water, they'll start working different protein sources just to get the hive up and running. So these first few days are going to be huge to get the hive working to increase their population." Geoff Wilson is the agriculture ministry's apiculture specialist — the province's chief bee inspector. He said early reports from Saskatchewan hives suggest winter was one of the worst on record for the bee population. "We're anticipating losses somewhere around 35 per cent on average," Wilson said in an interview. "That would put us right in the highest we've ever had in the province. This is just guessing at the moment. We don't know for sure.… We'll have beekeepers that have done well and we'll have beekeepers that have lost more than they'd like to." Population decline isn't the only concern among apiaries. The hives are under attack from a bee-killing parasite and now honey producers are bracing for impacts of a tariff trade war. Natural honey is on Canada's list of U.S. imports subject to a 25 per cent tariff. There is not currently a U.S. tariff on Canadian honey. In 2023, Canadian hives produced 91.8 million pounds of honey with a production value of $277 million, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Saskatchewan's share of that was just over 20 million pounds. Saskatchewan exported about $4 million of honey in 2023, down from $6.6 million the previous year, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The Prairie provinces accounted for 73 per cent of all honey exports in 2023. Tariffs could affect beekeepers by raising prices on equipment, supplies and even queen bees, said Lalonde, who is also the president of the Saskatchewan Beekeepers Development Commission. New queen bees are developed by hives every year, but in Saskatchewan that doesn't typically happen until June. Lalonde said apiaries here import queen bees from the U.S. to insert them into new hives so honey production starts sooner. "[There are] about 800,000 hives in Canada and we brought in about 260,000 queens from the U.S. last year," Lalonde said. "So value-wise that's probably somewhere around two to three million [dollars] out of beekeepers' pockets if a tariff happens to go on to the queen bees." A honeybee parasite called the Varroa mite continues to ravage Saskatchewan hives. In 2022 the mites, which feed on honey bees, proliferated during winter hibernation and the bee mortality rate spiked. That was the same fear heading into this past winter, Wilson said. Summer drought conditions left honeybees less prepared for winter and more vulnerable to the killer pest, he said. "Bee health is getting harder and harder because there's getting to be resistance to those control products that we use for the Varroa mite," Wilson said. "It's getting harder and harder to control the pest." From Hives to Honey only lost about 15 per cent of its bees over winter, Lalonde said. Even amid the uncertainty, he's feeling upbeat. "At this time of year, you're always as optimistic as you can be and hoping to produce the best hives that you can for the honey crop coming up." Low bee populations cause concern for Canadian farmers 3 years ago Duration 2:06 Canadian farmers are worried that bee populations harmed by mites, climate change and pesticides will mean poor harvests this season.
