Local Agriculture

VICTORIA — Avian flu is spreading rapidly through British Columbia poultry farms, including half a dozen diagnosed in commercial flocks this week alone. The fall migration of wild birds is considered the primary cause of infection for B.C.

MONTREAL — Business leaders continue to grapple with the economic uncertainty fostered by the rift between the Canadian and Indian governments, saying the suspension of free trade talks hurts both sides.

VANCOUVER — Mushrooms large and small, tasty and toxic, are popping up across British Columbia this year in what experts say is a bumper season for fungi. B.C.

TORONTO — The head of Maple Leaf Foods Inc. said he's confident the company has "all the building blocks in place" for success as markets normalize.

The unprecedented volatility in fertilizer markets that’s contributed to Nutrien Ltd.'s lower earnings so far this year is stabilizing, said chief executive Ken Seitz. "Much of that is behind us," said Seitz in an interview Thursday.

MONTREAL — Saputo Inc. says it is closing its facility in Lancaster, Wis., and plans to move production to another location in the state. The Montreal-based company says about 100 employees will be affected by the decision.

SASKATOON — Nutrien Ltd. says it earned US$82 million in the third quarter, down from US$1.6 billion a year earlier. The Saskatoon-based company, which is the world's largest fertilizer producer, says sales were US$5.

OTTAWA — The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council says labour shortages cost the agriculture sector $3.5 billion in sales in 2022. Research by the Conference Board of Canada on behalf of the council found the sector has a vacancy rate of 7.

FREDERICTON — Extreme weather caused by climate change — droughts followed by heavy rains — wreaked havoc with the pumpkin harvest across Canada this year. Nova Scotia pumpkin farmer Danny Dill said the spring planting season was extremely dry.

CALGARY — It could be a long, lean winter in cattle country as drought-ravaged western Canadian ranchers struggle to secure feed to get their livestock through the cold months.