Davos | Reuters — A growing world food crisis is precipitating protectionist moves by countries which are likely to compound the problem and could lead to a wider trade war, business leaders and policymakers at the World Economic Forum said. In a sign of the escalating squeeze on food supplies and rising prices, a government […] Read more
Food crisis fuels fears of protectionism compounding shortages
Sold-out shelves are back — but now it’s vegetable oil in short supply
Global supply was tight before Ukraine invasion, and now some countries are imposing limits on shoppers
Reading Time: 4 minutes Toilet paper. Dairy products. Flour. In the early days of the pandemic, everyday staples became near-luxury items as signs went up limiting purchases to one or two per customer. Now, thanks to another global crisis disrupting supply chains, vegetable oil is getting the same treatment in some parts of the world. “There’s already a strong […] Read more
World could see 1.5 C of warming in next five years, WMO reports
London | Reuters — The world faces a 50 per cent chance of warming of 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels, if only briefly, by 2026, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Monday. That does not mean the world would be crossing the long-term warming threshold of 1.5 C (2.7 F), which scientists have set […] Read more
Drought gone in Manitoba but worsening in Alberta, AAFC reports
MarketsFarm — Record-breaking precipitation in southern Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan helped improve moisture conditions in the region in April, taking much of the area out of the drought classification, according to the latest Drought Monitor report from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) for the period ended April 30. Two separate Colorado lows brought significant snow, […] Read more
Alberta seeding ahead of five-year average
MarketsFarm — While spring planting in Alberta is 12.2 per cent complete overall there’s a disparity between the south and the rest of the province. Also, the pace was 2.6 points above the five-year average, but 5.2 behind last year. As of Tuesday, Alberta Agriculture found seeding in the south was at 36.5 per cent […] Read more
CF Industries profit soars as sanctions raise fertilizer prices
Chicago | Reuters — CF Industries on Wednesday reported quarterly earnings climbed 485 per cent as the fertilizer maker ramped up U.S. shipments after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine catapulted prices for crop nutrients. Top fertilizer producers including CF, Nutrien and Mosaic Co. have benefited as sanctions on exporters Russia and ally Belarus limited global supplies […] Read more
The search is on for the honeybee best suited to Alberta
Do bees born and raised here fare better over winter than their cousins reared in warmer climes?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Are honeybees raised in Alberta best suited to the province’s climate? That’s what researchers would love to find out. “There are increasingly bee breeders who are operating locally and quite innovatively to provide queens where they are needed,” said Olav Rueppell, a University of Alberta professor who is an expert in honeybee biology. “There might […] Read more
Nutrien may further raise potash output as sanctions curb other supplies
Chicago | Reuters — Canada’s Nutrien, the world’s largest fertilizer company, is weighing further increases to potash production as sanctions continue to limit shipments from Russia and Belarus, interim CEO Ken Seitz said on Tuesday. Prices of crop nutrients such as potash have skyrocketed as sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine have disrupted […] Read more
Nutrien bolsters profit forecast on surging fertilizer prices
Fertilizer sector set for biggest profits in years
Reuters — Nutrien Ltd. on Monday raised its full-year earnings forecast well above estimates after posting a more than 10-fold jump in first-quarter profit, as the world’s largest fertilizer company benefits strongly from soaring prices of crop nutrients. Prices of essential crop nutrients such as potash and phosphate skyrocketed in the quarter, touching near-record levels, […] Read more
AgriStability enrolment deadline extended for 2022
Two-month extension in place for fourth year in a row
The deadline for Canadian farmers to enroll in AgriStability has been extended for two months — making 2022 the fourth year in a row with a enrolment deadline bump for the farm income stabilization program. The enrolment deadline without penalty for the 2022 program year was previously scheduled for this Saturday, April 30, but is […] Read more
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