Reuters — DuPont raised its full-year adjusted profit forecast as it cuts costs ahead of its merger with Dow Chemical, but said the deal may not close by the end of this year as planned. Shares of DuPont, which reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on lower expenses and higher sales volumes, were marginally lower at […] Read more
DuPont says Dow merger may get delayed
Ukrlandfarming owner in talks to sell stake
Kiev | Reuters — Ukrainian businessman Oleh Bakhmatyuk, the major shareholder in agricultural group Ukrlandfarming, is in talks with Chinese and Middle East investors about possibly selling a stake in the company, Interfax news agency said on Monday. Ukrlandfarming’s main businesses are grain and sugar production, livestock farming, the distribution of agricultural products and the […] Read more
Syngenta slumps after EU watchdog sparks ChemChina deal doubts
Brussels/Zurich | Reuters — Syngenta shares fell more than nine per cent on Monday after the European Commission triggered doubts about Chinese state-owned chemical company ChemChina’s US$43 billion bid for the Swiss pesticides and seeds group. The companies met with the EU antitrust authority a week ago in a bid to allay competition concerns about […] Read more
Australian bidders gatecrash deal for country’s biggest landholding
Sydney | Reuters — Four of Australia’s wealthiest outback cattle families plan to make the first entirely domestic offer to buy S.Kidman and Co, the country’s largest private landholding, paying more than a rival bid of A$365 million (C$370.1 million), two of the quartet said. Kidman has already accepted a joint offer by Australia’s richest […] Read more
Carbon price worries farmers, fertilizer makers
Winnipeg/Toronto | Reuters — Canada’s plan to price carbon emissions may weaken the farm sector in one of the biggest grain-shipping countries, raising farmers’ costs and discouraging investment in fertilizer production, industry groups say. Ottawa this month promised a price on carbon emissions by 2018, and will let provinces choose a tax or cap-and-trade system. […] Read more
Nitrate buildup a threat after a light frost
When this happens you need to either harvest quickly or wait for nitrate levels to subside
Reading Time: 2 minutes Nitrate accumulation can become a problem when crops experience light frosts of -1 C to -2 C for even only a few hours during the night. These conditions damage the leaves of the plants, but not the roots. Over the next three to four days, the roots continue to send nutrients up the plant, and […] Read more
Saskatchewan to thin out wolf pack along treeline
Aiming to prevent “wolf-livestock conflicts” in the region, Saskatchewan’s environment department will again offer a wolf hunting season along the provincial forest fringe starting Saturday. The wolf hunt, running from Oct. 15, 2016 through to March 31, 2017, is to be allowed in wildlife management zones 43 (Melfort, Tisdale), 47 (North Battleford, Turtleford), 48 (Preeceville, […] Read more
ChemChina, Syngenta ready to offer EU remedies over merger
Florence | Reuters — Chinese state-owned chemical company ChemChina and Swiss pesticides and seeds group Syngenta are prepared to offer concessions to EU antitrust regulators to ease concerns over their US$43 billion deal, a person familiar with the matter said Friday. The companies will meet European Commission officials on Monday in a meeting called by […] Read more
U.S. forecaster sees La Nina likely in coming months
New York | Reuters — A U.S. government forecaster on Thursday said the chance has increased for weather phenomenon La Nina developing in the coming months in the Northern Hemisphere fall and persist into winter 2016-17. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC), an agency of the National Weather Service, in a monthly forecast pegged the chance […] Read more
FBC earns national, provincial honours for farm coverage
Winnipeg farm publishing house Farm Business Communications has earned 13 national and provincial awards so far this fall for its news and feature coverage of issues in Canadian farming. FBC, an arm of Glacier FarmMedia, earned a total of 10 gold, silver and bronze awards on Oct. 1 from the Canadian Farm Writers Federation (CFWF), […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
