Indian chemical manufacturer UPL has raised the financial backing for an all-cash deal to become what’s expected to be the world’s fifth biggest crop chemical firm. UPL on July 20 announced it will pay $4.2 billion to buy 100 per cent of Arysta LifeScience — the maker of Everest and Inferno herbicides, among other products […] Read more

UPL to buy crop chem firm Arysta
Crop conditions slide as soil moisture dwindles in some areas
Alberta crop conditions as of July 10, 2018
Reading Time: 2 minutes Precipitation over the past month has been very spotty across the province, resulting in variable soil moisture reserves and crop conditions. Crop condition ratings are down from a week ago for all regions, but still higher than the short and long term averages in the North East, North West and Peace Regions. For the Southern […] Read more

Tim Hortons to enter China
Reuters — Canadian coffee-and-donut chain Tim Hortons will open 1,500 outlets in China over the next decade, capitalizing on a growing cafe culture in the world’s second-largest economy, the chain’s parent Restaurant Brands International said on Wednesday. Restaurant Brands shares rose almost three per cent after the company announced the Tim Hortons move into China […] Read more
Crops improve in South, Central Alberta, other regions see declines
Alberta crop conditions as of July 3, 2018
Reading Time: < 1 minute The province endured some erratic weather this past week ranging from strong winds, a little hail, some cooler than normal temperatures and random rainfall. At this time there is standing water in some fields while others are parched. Recent rainfalls have contributed to an overall increase in surface soil moisture rated as good or better, […] Read more

A+W to launch pulseburger next month
Canada’s second-biggest burger chain plans to roll out a new non-meat burger in the Canadian market starting in July. A+W Food Services of Canada on Thursday announced a July 9 release date for what it’s dubbed the Beyond Meat Burger at all its restaurants across the country, in what CEO Susan Senecal called “the fastest […] Read more

Soup maker Baxters sells Canadian arm
The Canadian business of Scottish soup and condiment maker Baxters Food Group is back in Canadian hands, including private, public and labour-sponsored Quebec investors. Provincial venture capital firm Investissement Quebec and labour-sponsored Fonds de solidarite FTQ and Fondaction announced Tuesday they would each put up $8 million, plus an unspecified amount from investors led by […] Read more

Trump’s tariff war threatens to erode support of farmers
Chicago | Reuters — President Donald Trump’s tariff battle with key buyers of U.S. apples, soybeans and corn threatens the support of some of his biggest backers — U.S. farmers now seeing their livelihoods in jeopardy. Farmers overwhelmingly supported Trump in the 2016 election, welcoming how he championed rural economies and vowed to repeal estate […] Read more
Mixed weather finds Alberta crops, pasture, hay conditions improve
Alberta crop conditions as of June 12, 2018
Reading Time: 2 minutes Over the past week, most areas of the province received timely rains, with the highest rainfall accumulations since the beginning of June seen in the North East Region, and the lowest in the western parts of the Southern and Central Regions. This weather system was also responsible for hail and strong winds, in different parts […] Read more
Seeding 99 per cent complete, soil moisture conditions improve
Alberta crop conditions as of June 5, 2018
Reading Time: < 1 minute Last week just about all agriculture lands across the province received decent rain, with most areas receiving over 10mm. Three major areas received over 20 mm including western Peace, the land base along the Saskatchewan border stretching from Cold Lake down to the U.S. border and a large area west of highway 2 between Edson […] Read more

Quebec ag minister won’t run again
With just under four months before the province’s next election, Quebec’s current minister of agriculture, food and fisheries won’t be in the running. Laurent Lessard ended weeks of speculation Friday when he announced he won’t seek a sixth term as the MNA for Lotbiniere-Frontenac. In a statement on Facebook, Lessard, 55, thanked his constituents for […] Read more