December 7, 2007
StatsCan releases 2007 canola production report - Prairie farmers reported canola production of 8.7 million tonnes in 2007, a decline of 3.2%, according to Statistics Canada. This is the result of a drop in average yield to 26.4 bushels per acre. The dip in production occurred despite a record harvest area of 14.5 million acres. In all three prairie provinces, production was above the five-year average.
Louis Dreyfus and Mitsui enter canola partnership – Louis Dreyfus Commodities announced this week that it has joined forces with Mitsui and Co. Ltd. to process and market Canadian canola. The partnership will give Mitsui and Co. Ltd. a 40% share of the Louis Dreyfus crushing plant being built near Yorkton, SK.
Federal trans fat monitoring program results to be posted soon - Health Canada has announced it should be ready to post the first set of data from the Trans Fat Monitoring Program on its website within weeks. Check http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.html.
City of Calgary and Ontario schools to go trans fat-free – The Calgary Health Region approved a citywide ban on trans fat in food served or sold to the public. The unanimous vote means that restaurant cooking oils cannot contain more than 2% trans fat. Health inspections will begin in the spring.
Ontario’s Dalton McGuinty government is taking action to make schools in the province healthier places to learn by moving to drop trans fat from lunchroom menus. Legislation was introduced this week.
Canola oil featured in Health Check grocery store promos – CanolaInfo has partnered with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada’s Health Check program to spread the good word about the good for every body oil during a grocery store blitz across Canada in January.
Watch for colourful tear-off shelf talkers in over 3,300 grocery stores across the country. The talkers are well positioned in the cooking/salad oil sections of grocery retailers including Safeway, Superstore, Sobey’s and Valumart.
In the mmmood for a mmmuffin? – Did you know that MMMarvellous MMMuffins not only uses canola oil in its baked goods, but it is also very proud of it! The muffin and coffee chain touts its use of canola oil on its takeout boxes and at the counter. Check out the company website at: http://www.mmmuffins.com
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