JRI to build new crushing plant - North American canola crushing capacity will soon expand thanks to James Richardson International, which announced plans to build a new crushing plant on the prairies this fall. The $100 million plant will be capable of processing 840,000 tonnes of canola per year.
The company is currently considering a short list of locations in Manitoba, North Dakota and Saskatchewan. The new plant will bring with it 60 new jobs and it will triple JRI's current canola oil production capacity. Canola oil from the new plant will go mainly to food uses, but it could also meet future needs for biodiesel production, according to a company press release. JRI currently operates Canbra Foods Ltd. in Lethbridge, AB.
"JRI's decision to go forward with a project of this magnitude exemplifies our optimism in the possibilities of the agri-food industry. It also highlights our belief that the future success of our industry depends on the innovative use of agricultural comodities as components of food, nutraceuticals, bio-fuels and various other mergent bio-products," says Curt Vossen, JRI president.
Canola Camp gets rave reviews - Foodwriters from the Globe and Mail, Toronto Sun, Cooking Light, Better Homes and Garden, Kraft Kitchens as well as cookbook authors, chefs and dietitians flew to Saskatchewan earlier this month for CanolaInfo's 9th annual Canola Camp.
Campers toured Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission director Kelvin Meadows' farm to see first-hand how canola grows and the care and passion farmers have for this crop. Seminars on biotechnology, nutritional and culinary benefits of canola were presented by Lisa Jategaonkar and Janice Bissex.
But Canola Camp wasn't all work - campers also enjoyed dinner theatre at the Rosthern Station Arts Centre, music at the Saskatoon Jazz Festival and wonderful canola filled meals at the Yvette Moore Gallery, Calories Restaurant and Boffins.
"The social events are just as, if not almost more important than the seminars. They give the campers time to ask questions and a dialogue begins that last through the whole camp. Canola Camp is packed full of canola information but it also give us the opportunity to get to know each other and develop a relationship that we hopes continues after camp is over" says Dorothy Long, Canola Camp coordinator. "Not only does canola camp generate media hits for canola but it gives us a resource base of some of the top food professionals across North America that we can call on to help us spread the word about canola oil."
One of this year's campers, Shirley Corriher, author of the bestselling cookbook Cookwise, recently emailed - "We have been preaching canola to all of our foodie friends--there was a get together last night so we got to describe brilliant yellow fields of canola all over again. Thank you again for a great tour!"
CanolaInfo is sponsoring the World's Longest Canadian BBQ on August 5th - This year's edition of the Flavours of Canada ~ The World's Longest Barbecue will be a Canadian feast to celebrate our farmers and the wonderful foods that we produce! So... on Saturday, August 5, join other Canadians and fire up your barbecue to cook Canadian! Register online at www.flavoursofcanada.com and you will be entered to win a Weber Genesis Silver C gas grill! This is a great opportunity for us to promote canola oil so include a subtle mention of it when you register. Also, send any BBQ recipes that include canola oil to fyi@canolainfo.org. We will get them posted on the BBQ site and if you include your mailing address, we will send you a CanolaInfo yellow silicone basting brush! Thanks for helping out!
You better get these answers right! - The August issue of Canadian Living magazine features a food quiz called "What's That You're Eating?" The quiz features questions on nutrition and health. Questions 4 and 5 deal with types of oil and saturated and trans fat. Here's a hint: The answer to No. 4 is canola oil!
To see more on the quiz, visit www.canadianliving.com
Canola oil helps spreads go trans fat-free - Unilever has announced the complete conversion of its Country Crock spreads to trans fat-free formulations. Among the Country Crock products is the new Shedd's Spread Country Crock Spreadable Butter with Canola Oil, but a number of Unilever's spreads contain canola oil.
"The Country Crock reformulation is part of our overall strategy to create great-tasting products that spread as smoothly as ever and are superb choices for health-conscious consumers," says Keith Bobier, Unilever U.S. senior marketing director.
Unilever also makes "I Can't Believe it's Not Butter!", Promise, Take Control and Brummel and Brown.
Biodiesel conference registration explodes - Registration for Biodiesel - Powered by Canola! Fueling the Future, has reached 400. The cutting edge issues to be discussed July 17-18 in Calgary, AB have apparently struck a chord with members of the agricultural and fuel industries around the world. For more information on the conference go to: http://www.canola-council.org/biodiesel/conference.html
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Canola Ink is your biweekly update from the Canola Council of Canada. Please copy, reprint or transmit any portion of this report. If you have questions or comments, contact Diane Wreford at (204) 982-2108 or e-mail wrefordd@canola-council.org.
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