'Mismanagement' by government cited in Gencor packing plant failure Wednesday, April 2, 2008 by BETTER FARMING STAFF Gencor Foods Inc (GFI) closed its doors at the end of March and announced its intention to file for an application for bankruptcy. Unspecified financial losses were cited, along with the failure to find a buyer for the distressed plant. “Regulations enacted in the United States for Specified Risk Material (SRM) are much less rigorous than the regulations established in Canada,” a Gencor press release stated. An enhanced feed ban came into place in July of last year. When the Americans opened their border to over 30 month old cattle last November, American plants buying cows in Ontario had “at least a $39 per cow cost advantage” over plants like GFI, Stewart said. Gencor Foods Inc was formed in 2004 to reopen the former MGI plant in Kitchener. “I’m really disheartened by the loss of cull cow capacity in the province,” Stewart told Better Farming. Gencor was “built up with substantial investment from the provincial government and producers.” “Governments have to get serious about addressing the regulatory inequalities,” Stewart said. “We are trying to have an integrated market here in North America … There isn’t any adequate compensation for the changes in regulations,” and it is driving processors and producers out of business.” Gencor cited a “one time” payment from the province to deal with the SRM issue as providing some relief. The province did provide packing plants with money in January, says Kelly Synnott, advisor to provincial agriculture minister Leona Dombrowsky. SRM regulations are federal, says Brent Ross, spokesman for the ministry. The province won’t reveal the amount of support it gave to Gencor. It is “proprietary business information.” Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada did not comment in time for Better Farming’s deadline. BF Ontario beef producers at a 'disadvantage' says OCA's president Plant meets construction and corn cost challenges, chairman says
Farmland Demand Strong in Alberta, Not so for the Rest of Canada Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Canadian farmland values continued their upward trend during the first half of 2026, although growth has moderated compared to the rapid gains seen in recent years. According to Farm Credit Canada's (FCC) mid-year farmland values review, cultivated farmland increased by an average of... Read this article online
Calculating Corn Drydown Before Harvest Wednesday, October 7, 2026 As corn reaches physiological maturity, growers face a familiar but important decision: allow the crop to continue drying naturally or begin harvest and remove the remaining moisture mechanically. The answer depends partly on how quickly grain moisture is declining. Although general... Read this article online
Canadian Ethanol Industry Pushes Ottawa to Act as U.S. Imports Gain Market Share Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Canada's ethanol industry is renewing pressure on the federal government to finalize long-promised changes to the Clean Fuel Regulations (CFR), arguing that delays are allowing imported U.S. ethanol to capture a growing share of Canada's expanding market. The call comes from the Farms... Read this article online
Ontario Meat Awards Crown Top Processors Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Ontario’s meat processing industry celebrated its top performers at the 2026 Ontario’s Finest Meat Competition Awards Gala. Organized by Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO), the event recognized outstanding products, skilled craftsmanship, and innovation across the province’s meat sector. The... Read this article online
Ontario breaks ground on poultry research centre Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Construction is underway on the new Ontario Poultry Research Centre in Elora, a project designed to strengthen research capacity and support the long-term competitiveness of Ontario’s poultry industry. The provincial government has committed more than $24 million to the facility through... Read this article online