Reuters — McDonald’s Corp. on Tuesday announced what it describes as an approved, science-based target to cut greenhouse gas emissions and battle climate change, saying it is the first restaurant company to do so. Under a plan several years in the making, the fast-food company — along with its franchisees and suppliers — aims to […] Read more
McDonald’s sets greenhouse gas reduction targets
Community to ‘transform’ Guelph’s Kemptville ag campus
The home municipality for Ontario Agricultural College’s (OAC) former Kemptville campus is set to remake the site as an “education and community hub.” The municipality of North Grenville, which includes Kemptville, about 40 km south of Ottawa, closed a deal in December to purchase the Kemptville ag campus, with the official transfer due to take […] Read more
Sustainable beef pilot passes first-quarter mark
The packer behind the pilot of a Canadian value chain for certified sustainable beef says its first three months are proof the model is scalable as well as functional. The pilot’s first quarter “proved that a significant volume of beef can be successfully traced through a certified supply chain for the participating customers,” Gurneesh Bhandal, […] Read more
Walmart patents hint at future where its drones tend the farms
New York/Chicago | Reuters — Walmart’s patent filings hint that it may see a future where farmers use its drones to not only spot crop problems but selectively apply chemicals or even disperse pollen to bring shoppers the freshest and cheapest food possible. The world’s largest retailer applied for six patents last year on drones […] Read more
Enjoy stable diesel market while you can, analyst says
CNS Canada — The short-term outlook for the diesel market in North America calls for current prices to remain largely untouched through spring planting — but it could change drastically after that. According to Tom Kloza of the Oil Price Information Service in New Jersey, prices for diesel could even get higher than crude oil. […] Read more
U.S. farm group targets Trump with free-trade ads
Washington | Reuters — A farm lobbying group is spending US$500,000 to air television ads on channels near U.S. President Donald Trump’s home in Florida to encourage free trade, with the group worried recent metal tariffs could result in retaliation against U.S. agricultural goods. Farmers for Free Trade, a bipartisan group, on Tuesday said it […] Read more
Trade bloc Mercosur, Canada launch talks for trade deal
Asuncion| Reuters — South American trade bloc Mercosur formally launched discussions for a trade deal with Canada on Friday, in a move officials said would signal an embrace of free trade at a time other countries are moving toward protectionist policies. For Canada, the talks with the group, which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, […] Read more
Asia-Pacific nations sign sweeping trade deal without U.S.
Santiago | Reuters — Eleven countries including Canada and Japan signed a landmark Asia-Pacific trade agreement without the U.S. on Thursday in what one minister called a powerful signal against protectionism and trade wars. The deal came as U.S. President Donald Trump vowed earlier in the day to press ahead with a plan to impose […] Read more
Late-season snowstorm brings Prairies moisture
CNS Canada — After a winter spent waiting for snow, farmers across the southern Prairies were happy when the forecast was right and Western Canada received a late winter snowstorm. “We’ve heard moisture’s coming before and it doesn’t show up or it goes around us. So when it started snowing and it started adding up […] Read more
Canada sticks to measured tack in U.S. trade row
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada is sticking to its keep-calm strategy as U.S. President Donald Trump ramps up trade war rhetoric, convinced that no move is the best move for the country with the most to lose, but critics say it risks being a soft target if its strategy fails. While the European Union immediately […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
