Geneva | Reuters — Massive farm-support plans in the United States and India are being scrutinized by other World Trade Organization members, questions submitted to the WTO’s quarterly agriculture committee meeting showed on Monday. The WTO has strict rules about the size and nature of payments, and member governments keep a close watch for any […] Read more
Trump and Modi’s lavish farm payouts prompt questions at WTO
Seeding in Alberta complete, forage growers struggle with dry weather
Alberta Crop Report: Conditions as of June 11
Reading Time: 3 minutes With the exception of a few feed crops, seeding is essentially finished in Alberta. Producers are actively spraying and scouting fields. Areas of concern vary from smoke and frost in the north to flea beetles and cutworms in other pockets of the province. In the week ending June 11 there were rainfall events providing 15 […] Read more
Cannabis edibles clear for legal launch before year-end
Food products containing cannabis are expected to be on the retail market by mid-December at the earliest under new federal regulations announced Friday. Health Canada on Friday announced amendments to the Cannabis Regulations will be published June 26 to come into force Oct. 17, laying out rules for legal production and sale of edible cannabis, […] Read more
Agricultural plastics not part of federal ban
The federal government’s plan to halt Canada’s consumption of single-use plastics such as shopping bags, straws and stir sticks over the next couple of years won’t extend to farm chemical containers and grain bags. Cleanfarms, the national industry stewardship body operating waste management and recycling programs for agricultural packaging, said Thursday that plastic products such […] Read more
Bayer to invest $7.5 billion in new herbicides
Berlin | Reuters — Bayer said it would invest five billion euros (C$7.5 billion) in developing new weedkillers and reducing its environmental impact by 30 per cent by 2030, as it seeks to address the fallout from U.S. class-action litigation over glyphosate. “While glyphosate will continue to play an important role in agriculture and in […] Read more
Beyond Meat’s new competitor: Tyson’s pea-and-meat blended burger
Reuters — U.S. meat processor Tyson Foods on Thursday launched its first vegetarian and mixed-protein products, including a beef and pea burger, as it seeks to compete with Beyond Meat and other companies catering to rising demand for plant-based alternatives to meat. Tyson is betting that meat eaters wanting healthier diets will see their blend […] Read more
KFC testing vegan ‘chicken’ burger in U.K.
Reuters — Yum Brands’ KFC is looking to tap into the popularity of plant-based protein foods by rolling out a vegan version of its classic chicken burger at some outlets in the U.K. The new burger, called “the Imposter Burger,” will have a fillet made from a meat substitute product, Quorn, instead of its classic […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Lentil exports ahead of last year’s pace
MarketsFarm — Canada’s lentil exports have been good this year, according to Marlene Boersch of Mercantile Consulting Venture in Winnipeg. “At the end of April we were 26 per cent ahead of last year’s pace. Most of that is due to buying from India. Everybody’s surprised,” she said, Total lentil exports were 1.16 million tonnes […] Read more
New marine fuel rules to boost diesel prices for at least a year, analysts say
Houston | Reuters — Global prices for diesel and marine fuels should rise by October ahead of a January switchover to new, very low-sulphur marine fuels, and remain higher for at least a year as refiners shift production to make more of the new fuels, analysts said. Marine fuels containing no more than 0.5 per […] Read more
Dry weather stalls crop growth, pastures well below five-year average
Alberta Crop Report: Conditions as of June 4
Reading Time: 3 minutes The recent warm weather helped with both seeding and crop emergence. In terms of seeding progress, producers are five points ahead of the five year average of 94 and are currently sitting at over 99 per cent complete. Across the province emergence average is now at 72 which is also higher than the five year […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
