The boards of five national seed sector groups planning a major merger are considering their next move after a less-than-unanimous vote on the proposal. Members of the Canadian Plant Technology Agency (CPTA), Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada (CSAAC), Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA), Canadian Seed Institute (CSI) and Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) had […] Read more
Seed groups weigh options as CSGA rejects merger
Grower group's membership calls nay on Seeds Canada amalgamation
Pandemic speeding up adoption of technology
Online ordering and virtual contracts commonplace, traceability and autonomous machines getting new push
Reading Time: 5 minutes Like it or not, the farm of the future will run on technology — and that future has become ever closer because of COVID-19. “It’s been a pretty big disruption for a lot of businesses,” said Wes Anderson, senior fertility specialist at CropPro Consulting. “It has forced a lot of our clients to use technology […] Read more
Newfoundland to revamp ag oversight in shuffle
MHA Elvis Loveless to handle ag and fisheries files
Newfoundland and Labrador’s new premier plans a “realignment” for several of the provincial government’s departments — including a slightly different home and a new minister for the agriculture file. Dr. Andrew Furey, who was sworn in Wednesday to replace Dwight Ball as premier, announced a new cabinet the same day for the province’s Liberal minority […] Read more
New-style pioneer: Edmonton native finds a way to be a farmer
Reading Time: 4 minutes Welder, farmer, Nuffield Scholar, haskap champion… these are a few of Andrew Rosychuk’s titles. The Edmonton native had dreams of farming but got a reality check while studying horticulture at Olds College and learning what it cost to start a farm. “I quickly learned that you need money to make money,” he said. So he […] Read more
Feds line up projects for surplus food program
NGOs backed to gather, distribute 12 million kg of food
The federal government has lined up eight projects to source and distribute perishable produce, meat, eggs and seafood piling up across Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the federal pandemic response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in early May that Ottawa would budget $50 million for a food surplus purchase program. The […] Read more
Most of Prairies to see little rain
MarketsFarm — Warm and dry weather that has generated little precipitation across the Prairies is expected to continue in most areas, aside from southern Manitoba, according to two meteorologists. “Looks like the overall pattern isn’t going to be changing too much,” Scott Kehler of Weatherlogics said. “What you see is what you’re going to get,” […] Read more
Locust swarming pheromone identified in step toward curbing plagues
Washington | Reuters — Scientists have identified a chemical compound released by locusts that causes them to swarm, opening the door to possible new ways to prevent these insects from devouring crops vital to human sustenance as they have for millennia. Researchers said on Wednesday they identified the pheromone — that is, a chemical produced […] Read more
Nutrien cuts profit forecast on weak ammonia prices
Reuters — Canadian fertilizer maker Nutrien on Monday cut its annual adjusted profit forecast as weaker-than-normal industrial demand held back prices for ammonia and urea ammonium nitrate. The company cut the top end of its 2020 adjusted earnings per share forecast to $1.90 from $2.10 earlier, while retaining the lower end at $1.50. Even as […] Read more
Unasked-for seed packets considered ‘low-risk’
But don't plant, flush or compost them, CFIA warns
Federal inspectors say the unsolicited packages of seeds that have recently turned up in mailboxes across the country so far look to be “low-risk” — but still advise the public not to plant them. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have both reported […] Read more
Wendy’s secures Canadian greenhouse lettuce supply
Alberta grower to provide sandwich, salad lettuce nationwide
The Canadian wing of U.S. burger chain Wendy’s is going strictly indoors, in southern Alberta, to supply all the lettuce for its salad, burger and chicken sandwich offerings across the country. Whole Leaf, based outside Coaldale, about 20 km east of Lethbridge, was announced last week as the lettuce supplier for the chain’s 384 stores […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
