Groups representing Canada’s farm and agrifood sectors want to see an “immediate” end to multiple border blockades thrown up in recent weeks by protestors in three provinces — while the auto sector has secured a court order that one blockade be taken down. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, […] Read more
Farm and agrifood groups press for clear border crossings
Injunction granted to clear Ambassador Bridge blockade
U.S. urges Canada to use federal powers to ease border protest disruption
Disruptions force automakers to reduce operations
Windsor/Washington | Reuters — Canada should use federal powers to ease the growing economic disruption caused by the blockage of a vital U.S.-Canada trade route by protesters opposed to coronavirus mandates, U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration said on Thursday. The closure of the Ambassador Bridge, North America’s busiest international land border crossing and a vital […] Read more
CP conductors, engineers taking strike vote
Teamster-led workers' deal expired at end of 2021
Unionized conductors, engineers, trainmen and yardmen for Canadian Pacific Railway are getting their ballots for a strike vote this month, as contract talks have again wound up in dispute. The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), which represents about 3,000 CP employees in those categories, said strike ballots were being distributed to members starting Feb. 1, […] Read more
Canada rules out use of troops against truck blockade
More protests planned
Ottawa | Reuters — The Canadian government will not use troops against protestors whose nearly week-long demonstration against coronavirus vaccine mandates has brought traffic in central Ottawa to a halt, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday. More than 200 trucks and other vehicles have been blockading downtown roads in the nation’s capital since last Friday […] Read more
These kind of variants we want
Reading Time: < 1 minute A new research project, partly funded by Alberta Wheat and its provincial cousins, aims to use naturally occurring genetic variations to boost both uptake and use of applied phosphorus and nitrogen. “Typical crop plants only take up around 50 per cent of the phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizer applied by farmers,” said researcher Leon Kochian of […] Read more
Crystal balls are especially wonky, so watch your news feed
There’s been so much upheaval on every front, watchlists are replacing predictions
Reading Time: 2 minutes Farm Credit Canada is steering clear of predictions and instead offering producers a short list of things to monitor in 2022. The pandemic, weather disasters, supply chain disruptions, labour issues and the reappearance of inflation are among the many things that are making “trends increasingly difficult to forecast,” FCC said in a recent release. But […] Read more
Nutrien eyes potash production boost amid turmoil in Russia, Belarus
Idled Saskatchewan mines could be restarted
Winnipeg | Reuters — Nutrien, the world’s biggest potash miner, could boost production by up to 29 per cent in coming years, depending on any sanctions facing rival producers in Russia and Belarus, the Canadian company’s interim CEO told Reuters. Prices of granular potash fertilizer are near 10-year highs in the United States and Brazil, […] Read more
Vaccine protest jams southern Alberta border crossing
Premier, transportation minister called for blockade to disperse
UPDATED, Jan. 31 — A major supply chain corridor between Alberta and the U.S. remained blockaded through into Sunday evening by vehicles in protest of mandates requiring foreign truckers entering Canada and the U.S. to be vaccinated. The protest on Highway 4 at the Coutts, Alta. border crossing, about 100 km southeast of Lethbridge, began […] Read more
Viterra to buy Marubeni’s U.S. grain firm Gavilon
Grain handler looking to expand reach in Americas through acquisitions
Grain firm Viterra’s plans to buy an expanded global reach are about to move forward with a 10-figure deal for the bulk of U.S. ag commodity firm Gavilon’s grain business. Viterra, owned by commodities firm Glencore and two Canadian public-sector pension funds, announced Wednesday it will pay $1.125 billion to buy Omaha-based Gavilon from the […] Read more
CN names new CEO, easing tussle with investor
Former CP executive Tracy Robinson returns to rail
Reuters — Canadian National Railway on Tuesday named industry veteran Tracy Robinson as its new chief executive officer, soothing a months-long tussle with its second-largest shareholder over leadership at the railroad operator. Robinson will replace Jean-Jacques Ruest, who announced his decision to step down from the role in October following investor demands for his exit […] Read more