Vancouver, BC – May 14th, 2026 – Fresh Direct Produce Ltd., which is part of the FDP Group is honoured to be one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies over the past decade. This prestigious national award is sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC, Norton Rose Fulbright, Export Development Canada (EDC), TMX Group and media partner The Globe and Mail.

“We are proud to receive our 15th consecutive Best Managed Companies Award, and it couldn’t have been accomplished without the strong dedication and efforts from our teams, customers, vendors and business partners” says CEO, Adri de Wet.

The FDP Group which consists of Fresh Direct Produce Ltd., Emperor Specialty Foods Ltd., Islands West Manufactures Ltd., and Yen Bros. Food Service Ltd., is one of Canada’s premier fresh produce importers, distributors, and marketers with 7 locations. Sourcing and importing over 1,500 ethnic, organic, and conventional fruit and vegetable items from 36 countries, the FDP Group distributes quality produce to grocery retailer and foodservice customers across Canada. The Group’s commitment to growth and development allows them to attract and align with the best growers, customers, and talents in the industry.

For additional information about Fresh Direct Produce or the FDP Group, please contact: peter.app@freshdirectproduce.com.

For more information about Canada’s Best Managed Companies Program, please visit: www.bestmanagedcompanies.ca

Winnipeg, MB, May 12, 2026 – Today marks the launch of AIVA, the Agriculture Innovation, Validation and Adoption Network. It is set to give Canadian farmers the confidence and real-world proof they need to embrace agricultural technologies on their farms.

AIVA will partner with farmers and innovators to test and validate agtech using standardized testing frameworks that can be applied to technology, across Canada. Technologies are tested in real-world conditions to confirm they deliver measurable value to farmers, such as reducing input costs and improving productivity.

In 2025, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) reported that using innovation to increase agricultural productivity could boost farmer incomes by $30 billion over the next decade. However, innovators have limited access to real-world testing environments where they can refine their products based on farmer feedback.

AIVA is solving this issue with its farmer-centric model that rigorously vets early-stage and market-ready technologies on Canadian farms, ensuring that innovators are providing farmers with agtech that solves real-world challenges. Technologies that demonstrate strong tangible results may be recognized as AIVA Technology Partners.

For the 2026 growing season, AIVA’s Validation Hubs will conduct nine national, multi-site collaboration projects with agtech companies such as Geco Weed Management, Corteva, Picketa, Miraterra, and FarmerTitan, trialing early-stage tools like spray drones, remote sensors, and farm management software.

AIVA has already identified 25 Farmer Alliance Members, representing more than 297,000 acres of farmland across Saskatchewan and Manitoba, to pilot market-ready technology in real-world conditions. In future years, AIVA will expand the model to include Farm Alliance Members from additional regions, deliberately building representation from across Canada.

AIVA has also established a national industry coalition made up of leaders in agtech innovation and validation. The coalition will bring together voices from across the sector to improve collaboration and help accelerate the adoption of new technologies in Canadian agriculture.

AIVA was founded by FCC, EMILI, and WHIN, and brings together partners and leaders from across the agriculture industry. Its mission is to empower Canadian farmers to adopt technology with confidence and ensure every investment improves on-farm efficiency and profitability.

Quotes:

“Canadian farmers deserve access to the best technology available, and that’s why farmers are at the heart of AIVA’s testing and validation processes. Our work brings stakeholders together to advance technology that solves real challenges for Canadian farmers, and provides them with real-world, third-party validated data to make their purchasing decisions.” – Rebecca Franklin, AIVA Network Lead

“AIVA’s trials will provide results from across multiple farms and fields in different geographies across Canada. It’s unprecedented how valuable that information is going to be for innovators.” – Greg Stewart, CEO and Founder of Geco Weed Management

“AIVA is built for farmers – giving them confidence to adopt agtech that has been tested and proven on Canadian farms. At FCC, we know access to capital matters, but it is only valuable when it supports solutions that deliver results on the ground. That’s where the value creation that AIVA provides comes in – stitching together farmers with innovators, so they get input early and solve real on-farm challenges.” – Graeme Millen, Vice President, Strategic Finance and Business Development, FCC

"AIVA's success will be measured by our ability to help agtech scale faster and more effectively. We want to ensure that farmers can adopt new technology with confidence, knowing that the product has been through rigorous, real-world testing." – Jacqueline Keena, CEO, EMILI

“AIVA makes sure the right technologies reach producers through rigorous vetting, trusted farmer networks, and hands-on adoption support. When the right technologies take root, adoption accelerates and that’s how the whole industry moves forward.” – Johnny Park, CEO, WHIN

"New technologies are bombarding farmers from all angles these days and it is hard to know how to manage all these opportunities. AIVA provides farmers direction, reduces the risk of trying these new innovations on their own operations and facilitates a network of like-minded farmers to share their experiences." – Scott Day, Farmer, Deloraine, Manitoba

To learn more about AIVA, join the network, or attend upcoming events, visit www.aivanetwork.ca.

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, May 8, 2026 – Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is offering support to oyster growers and processors in the Atlantic provinces and Quebec who could face financial hardship as a result of two devastating diseases impacting oysters on Canada’s East Coast.

As producers begin their spring harvest, many fishers are reporting significant losses. Two diseases have impacted oyster production in the Atlantic Ocean in recent years: Multinucleate Sphere Unknown (MSX) and Dermo. Harmless to people, these diseases can be fatal to the mollusk.

“Ensuring the sustainability of PEI’s oyster industry is critical not only to the economy, but to the well-being and livelihoods of fishers, producers, and growers across Atlantic Canada,” said the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “It’s important that we continue providing support like this to ensure those affected are supported.”

“FCC understands the uncertainty that comes with working in the agriculture and food industry,” said J.P. Gervais, ag production executive vice-president at FCC, in announcing customer support. “Unfortunately, high mortalities from these devastating oyster diseases make it difficult for producers to pay their bills.”

“While we cannot control those events, we can ensure producers have the financial flexibility and support they need to navigate uncertainty. FCC is ready to help producers keep their operations moving forward.”

Supporting food producers is core to FCC’s mandate. The Crown corporation will work with customers to come up with solutions for their operation to reduce the financial pressure caused by oyster diseases, considering additional short-term credit options, deferral of principal payments and/or other loan payment schedule amendments. FCC may offer a combination of options based on the individual needs of its customers, since each financial situation is unique.

Customers in the Atlantic provinces and Quebec are encouraged to contact their FCC relationship manager or the FCC Customer Service Centre at 1-888-332-3301 to discuss their individual situation and options.

Leaky modified atmosphere packaging is one of the most common causes of quality loss, customer complaints, and food waste in the food industry. With the LEAK-MASTER ONE, WITT Gasetechnik presents an inline leak testing system that, for the first time, combines two previously conflicting requirements: high-precision leak detection in the micrometer range and clearly traceable individual testing at full packaging speed.

The LEAK-MASTER ONE is integrated into the MAP packaging line and checks products individually (one by one) for leaks. It is based on a CO₂-based vacuum testing method with infrared sensors, specifically designed to detect micro-leaks relevant to practical applications. With a detection threshold of around 10 micrometers, the system accurately identifies precisely those leaks that gradually compromise the protective atmosphere and often only become apparent as a quality issue at a later stage.

Individual Inspection of Up to 120 Packages per Minute

This is made possible by twelve mini vacuum chambers operating in parallel, which are loaded fully automatically using pick-and-place robotics. The system achieves a testing capacity of up to 120 packages per minute, thereby enabling, for the first time, highly sensitive leak testing of individual packages directly within the running process.

The LEAK-MASTER ONE thus resolves a key trade-off in inline leak testing: whereas previously either slow, highly sensitive methods or fast but less accurate systems were used, the LEAK-MASTER ONE combines speed and precision at the individual package level for the first time.

Clear Test Results for Every Single Package

The key process advantage lies in the clear and reproducible identification of every single leaky package. Each leak is detected and documented on a product-by-product basis, enabling targeted removal from the production line. For quality assurance and production, this means fewer follow-up checks, significantly less unnecessary waste, and higher output.

At the same time, the LEAK-MASTER ONE helps food manufacturers reliably meet the contractual quality requirements of retailers, avoid complaints, and support long-term supply reliability with major retail partners. Leaky packaging does not reach the market, allowing customer losses to be more effectively avoided.

For Demanding MAP Applications

The LEAK-MASTER ONE is suitable for almost all CO₂-containing modified atmosphere packaging (excluding cases with a high oxygen content >20.9%) and for applications with high standards of process reliability and quality. Typical applications include meat and cheese products, convenience foods, fresh ready meals, baked goods, and other MAP applications.

More at wittgas.com.