Reading Time: 4 minutes The federal government is poised to sign on to an international treaty that could see farmers paying seed royalties when they sell their crop. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says the government intends to ratify UPOV ’91 by Aug. 1, 2014. UPOV ’91 is the acronym for the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties […] Read more
Ritz says Canada to sign on to international seed treaty
Grain industry reacts to CGC’s insurance-based security scheme
The plan is generally supported but KAP is disappointed protection won’t be extended to feed mill sales
Reading Time: 3 minutes Response to the Canadian Grain Commission’s (CGC) proposal to replace its current producer security program with an insurance scheme is mostly positive. But support is contingent on the new program being cheaper than the current one — something the CGC says will be the case, even though no figures have been released yet. Manitoba’s Keystone […] Read moreNight-only aeration not the best approach, three experts conclude
Reading Time: 3 minutes Farmers who need to reduce the moisture content in their grain should steer clear of advice to run their aeration fans only at night, three grain-drying experts say after comparing different methods. Chandra Singh and Ronald Larson of OPI Systems Inc., in Calgary and Digvir Jayas, the distinguished professor and Canada Research chair in stored […] Read more
Ritz announces proposed changes to Plant Breeders Rights Act
Canada intends to sign onto an international convention to give increased variety protection to plant breeders, federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz told the Canadian Seed Trade Association’s semi-annual meeting in Winnipeg on Wednesday. Ritz said the government plans to sign on to the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants convention (UPOV […] Read more
Manitoba farmers seek extension on fertilizer deadline
Manitoba’s Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) farm group is still seeking a blanket extension of the province’s Nov. 10 deadline for applying fertilizer and manure to fields — but the government is betting the blast of winter in the current forecast will render the request moot. KAP president Doug Chorney said he saw lots of farmers […] Read more
Record crop meets plugged system
Record crop? Meet plugged elevator. Shippers say it’s a match made in purgatory for farmers and exporters trying to get this year’s harvest to market — and the railways are to blame. “We’re not getting enough rail capacity to move the crop right now,” Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association said […] Read more
Grain industry reacts to CGC’s insurance-based security scheme
Response to the Canadian Grain Commission’s (CGC) proposal to replace its current producer security program with an insurance scheme is mostly positive. But support is contingent on the new program being cheaper than the current one — something the CGC says will be the case, even though no figures have been released yet. Keystone Agricultural […] Read more
Whither canola futures?
Reading Time: 3 minutes While western Canadian farmers are harvesting their biggest crop of canola ever, a veteran grain trader is warning the Winnipeg canola futures contract they rely on for price setting is in decline and could disappear. “In the end all of the futures contracts (traded in Winnipeg) that have gone before have been delisted and there’s […] Read more
CGC announces details of proposed insurance-based security plan
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is proposing to replace its current security program with an insurance scheme as early as Dec. 1. Citizens have until Nov. 4 to submit their views on the regulatory changes the federal government says will save the CGC and grain sector money. “While the current model has been relatively successful, […] Read more
NFU fears private seed inspection will mean company domination
Farm group argues change will eventually spell the end for independent seed growers and hand control of seed production to multinationals
Reading Time: 3 minutes The National Farmers Union is warning that the privatization of seed inspection in Canada starting next year will hurt seed growers and farmers, while making multinational seed companies even more powerful. “Independent seed growers will find themselves phased out as the seed crop inspection system, along with other essential seed-related systems such as plant breeding […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
