Months-long saga of runaway cattle in Quebec comes to an end with weekend capture

MONTREAL - The remaining fugitive cattle that had been on the lam in central Quebec since July were finally recaptured over the weekend, bringing an end to an unusual saga that has involved cowboys and covert nighttime operations.

The last three cattle that escaped from a farm last summer were rounded up Saturday night and returned the next day to their owner in St-Sévère, Que., about 130 kilometres northeast of Montreal, Quebec's farmers union said Monday.

"I don't think we'll soon see 24 cows gone for nearly six months," Jean-Sébastien Dubé, a spokesman for the Union des producteurs agricoles, said in an interview.

The saga began in July, when 24 cows escaped from a farm in Quebec's Mauricie region. About half returned on their own while others crossed a stream and hid in the woods, coming out at night to eat the crops of nearby farms. By late November, the animals had caused up to $25,000 in damage to crops, mostly by lying down in soya fields and beheading ears of corn.

Tilray CEO ‘frustrated’ with ‘slow’ march toward U.S. legalization, reports Q2 loss

Tilray Brands Inc. reported a second-quarter net loss of US$61.6 million in its most recent quarter as it temporarily slowed cannabis production because of the "longer-than-anticipated march toward legalization" in some markets.

Among the markets whose timing is hampering the Leamington, Ont. pot company is the U.S., where its chief executive said, "we do not expect (legalization) to happen at any time in the near future."

"In the U.S., participation in the adult-use cannabis market has always been very important to us and integral to our long-term strategy," Irwin Simon told analysts on a Monday call.

"However, as long as cannabis remains federally illegal in the U.S. we will not engage directly in business that touch the cannabis plant to fully optimize the value and strength of our U.S. business."

Sisters post content on Instagram explaining farm life while incorporating fashion

Once upon a time, Frozen’s Anna and Elsa were farmers.

No, that’s not right. But Cassandra and Stefanie Lepp have been confused for the Disney princesses before, and they’re farmers.

Aurora Cannabis closes sale of Aurora Polaris facility for $15M in gross proceeds

EDMONTON - Aurora Cannabis Inc. says it has closed the sale of its Aurora Polaris facility.

The company says gross proceeds from the sale totalled about $15 million.

Aurora announced in 2021 that it would close the Alberta property as part of a plan to streamline its operations.

It said at the time that the location's medical distribution operations would move to the Aurora Sky facility, while manufacturing would be relocated to Aurora River in Bradford, Ont.

Agriculture, food innovation needs to lead way

Here we are on the cusp of a new year. The challenges facing food and agriculture have never been so daunting. Yet the opportunities have never loomed so large.

Crucial choices to be made on biodiversity issue

If you’re looking for a conversation starter as families and friends gather around your holiday feasts this week, you might set out the new accord to protect global biodiversity for them to chew on.

From seed to store: A look at the rising cost of bread

Imagine a farmer, some seeds of grain and a Prairie field in spring.

How that wheat ends up in a loaf of bread — and why prices have soared this year — is an odyssey involving growers and grain handlers, rail cars and flour mills, and bakeries and supermarkets.

The journey of wheat from field to kitchen table offers insight into the global forces that influence the price of food and highlights how increasing costs are compounded along a supply chain.

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Four runaway cows in Quebec caught in covert operation and returned to thankful owner

QUEBEC - It took a covert operation after nightfall and the help of freshly fallen snow to round up four cows from a herd of cattle that have been on the loose for months in central Quebec, an official with Quebec's farmers union said Monday.

The four runaways, who along with the rest of the herd have wreaked havoc on farmers' fields, were reunited Sunday with their owner in St-Sévère, Que., about 130 kilometres northeast of Montreal, Martin Marcouiller, with the Union des producteurs agricoles, said in an interview.

"The owner was very happy to have at least the four back," Marcouiller said. "He put them in a barn with a lot of hay, litter, a lot of grass to eat, and water. So, now they need to get used to being around humans again."

Marcouiller said the farmers union kept the operation on Saturday night quiet so that curious onlookers wouldn't compromise the plan, adding that not even the owner of the animals was in the loop.

Four cows have been captured in a small Quebec town after months on the loose

QUEBEC - After several months on the run, four cows from a herd of runaway cattle were captured on Saturday night in St-Sévère, Que.

The regional chapter of the Union des producteurs agricoles says the cows were transported back to their original farm on Sunday morning.

Specialists examined the cows after their capture and confirmed the animals were in good shape.

The union says weather conditions over the last few days prevented the entire herd from being captured, so another operation will take place soon to catch seven or eight animals that remain at large.

Public has its role to play in evolving food attitudes

One of the things I love about my job is the opportunity to hear smart people say interesting things that prompt me to view an issue through a different lens.

Hexo reports $52.1M net loss in Q2, announces share consolidation

GATINEAU, Que. - Hexo Corp. says its most recent quarter delivered a $52.1 million net loss as the cannabis company purged unprofitable products and streamlined its business.

The Gatineau, Que.-based firm's first quarter net loss compared with a net loss of more than $116.9 million a year earlier.

The loss for the period ended Oct. 31 amounted to a net loss of nine cents per basic and diluted share compared with a net loss of 46 cents per basic and diluted share a year prior.

Net revenue in the quarter totalled $35.8 million, down from $50.2 million in the same period last year.

Former CannTrust leaders acquitted in unlicensed growing trial

TORONTO - An Ontario court has acquitted three former cannabis leaders charged with offences linked to unlicensed growing at a Niagara area greenhouse.

The ex-CannTrust Holdings Inc. executives Peter Aceto, Eric Paul and Mark Litwin were freed of their charges a day after the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) revealed it no longer had a reasonable prospect of convicting the men.

The acquittal marks a stunning reversal for the OSC, which had been pursuing its first court case involving a publicly traded cannabis company since it laid charges against the ex-CannTrust executives last year.

Following the acquittal, the OSC said it is "considering the implications of the decision and assessing its options" because CannTrust's disclosure of unlicensed growing in July 2019 caused "significant investor losses."

Climate change affecting Christmas tree farms across Canada, expert say

VANCOUVER - The effects of climate change are taking a toll on Christmas tree farms across Canada, with one forestry expert and the head of the Canadian Christmas Tree Association saying the sector that's already undergoing shifts will need to adapt.

The festive trees take eight to 12 years to reach the size most people look for, and young seedlings are particularly vulnerable to climate risks, said Richard Hamelin, head of the forest conservation sciences department at the University of B.C.

Much of the province has experienced prolonged drought and extreme heat over the last two summers, and the seedlings have shallow root systems that don't reach beyond the very dry layers of soil near the surface, Hamelin explained.

Meanwhile, their older counterparts may survive but lose their needles or turn brown as a result of extreme heat and drought, he said in an interview.

Halifax long-term care facility gets funding to boost use of locally produced food

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia is looking to move toward its goal of having 20 per cent of food purchases come from local sources by 2030 through a new financial incentive for institutions with large kitchens.

Agriculture Minister Greg Morrow announced a $250,000 program Friday that will be piloted for three months at Halifax-based long-term care facility Northwood.

Morrow said the Northwood residence is getting up to $25,000 from the program, which is expected to be expanded to other nursing homes as well as public schools, hospitals, universities and correctional facilities.

“We’ve got work to do to hit that target, and so we figured why not start with some of the biggest kitchens in the province,” the minister told reporters.