Cape Horn, the southernmost point of Chile. (CIA.gov)

Chile plans to send TPP deal to Congress this year

Santiago | Reuters — The Chilean government is expecting to send the Pacific trade deal known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to its Congress for approval by the end of 2016, President Michelle Bachelet said Thursday. The 12-nation TPP aims to liberalize commerce in 40 per cent of the world’s economy, but its future is […] Read more


(EC.europa.eu)

Pettigrew tapped to help push through EU trade deal

Ottawa | Reuters — Canada has named a former politician with experience in trade and foreign affairs as the government’s new envoy to help complete its long-negotiated free trade agreement with the European Union, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. Pierre Pettigrew, who served as both minister of foreign affairs and minister for international trade under previous […] Read more

Kabuli chickpeas. (PulseCanada.com)

Chickpeas see good start to a long season

CNS Canada –– Canadian chickpeas have a long season to go, but so far the crops look like they’re in it for the long haul. “We have a fair amount of chickpeas in and they look phenomenal, they’re in full flower and looking as healthy and as good as a chickpea crop can at this […] Read more


Richardson Pioneer agronomist Jeneen Ewen shared this photo with us last summer showing what turned out to be stemphylium blight in a southwestern Saskatchewan lentil crop.

Guenther: Farmers aim to keep pulse diseases in check

Rain makes grain, the saying goes — but too much spring rain and farmers are likely to see disease in pulses. That’s certainly been the case in Saskatchewan, where farmers in most regions are actively scouting for, or in some cases spraying for, crop diseases, according to the provincial crop report. So which leaf diseases […] Read more

(Lentils.ca)

More pulse acres expected to affect handling dynamics

CNS Canada –– Canadian grain handlers are curious how dynamics and timing in the rail freight sector will be managed in the upcoming season, given an expected boost in pulse crop production . For the moment, however, Prairie grain movement has dropped to seasonal lows. This year’s pulse area will likely be the largest on record, according to early estimates […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Saskatchewan names new deputy ag minister

A promotion for Saskatchewan’s deputy minister of agriculture leads to a promotion for one of the ministry’s assistant deputies. Doug Moen, who’s leaving his post as deputy minister to Premier Brad Wall at the end of June, on Friday announced Rick Burton as the province’s new deputy minister of agriculture, effective July 1. As the […] Read more

(WholeFoodsMarket.com)

New Whole Foods chain 365 faces tough mission

Los Angeles | Reuters — Whole Foods Market’s 365 grocery chain offers lower prices and more technology than the company’s namesake supermarkets, but experts say the fledgling brand must beat its many rivals without hijacking customers from its parent. 365, which debuted on Wednesday with a bright and airy store in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake […] Read more


How to get a handle on farmland prices

How to get a handle on farmland prices

Farm Credit Canada tracks percentage changes across the country, while Alberta Agriculture looks at dollar values in municipalities

Reading Time: 2 minutes Farm Credit Canada’s recently released Farm Land Value Report and a database created by Alberta Agriculture can go a long way to helping producers establish a land value, says a provincial farm business specialist. “According to the new FCC report, Alberta’s change in farmland values was 11.6 per cent which was 1.5 per cent higher […] Read more

Red lentils. (Pulse Canada photo)

Some Prairie pulses’ limited releases under review

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers wants your opinion on how they release pulse varieties through exclusive tenders. The grower group contributes levy funds to the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre pulse breeding program. In return, Sask Pulse holds exclusive commercial rights to varieties developed in the program. Most new varieties are released royalty-free to seed growers […] Read more