Dave Bedard Archives | Alberta Farmer Express

Appeal court overturns ruling against canola ‘streaming’ contracts

By Dave Bedard 5 days ago

A southeastern Saskatchewan farmer and canola company Input Capital are going back to court now that a ruling last year, which ripped the company’s “streaming” contracts with the farmer as “unconscionable,” has been overturned on appeal. The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, in a ruling issued Friday, set aside a 2018 Court of Queen’s Bench “finding […] Read more

Livestock, Poultry/Eggs

Poultry co-ops Exceldor, Granny’s to merge

By Dave Bedard July 3, 2019

Quebec poultry co-operative Exceldor is expanding its westward reach through a merger deal with Manitoba-based Granny’s Poultry Co-operative. The two co-ops announced the combination Wednesday, noting it’s already been approved by Granny’s producer members in a “unanimous” vote taken in May, and by the federal Competition Bureau in a decision last month. “The main objective […] Read more

Crops, Weather

Neonic-treated canola not an ‘unacceptable risk’ for pollinators

By Dave Bedard April 11, 2019

Already facing federally mandated phase-outs from many major on-farm uses in Canada over risks to aquatic insects, neonicotinoids aren’t expected to pose “unacceptable risks” to pollinators when used on canola seed or hothouse vegetables in the meantime. Health Canada said as much Thursday as it released its final re-evaluation decisions for three neonic pesticides — […] Read more

Hogs, Livestock

Canada to boost airport detector dog corps

By Dave Bedard March 14, 2019

With African swine fever top of mind, the federal government plans to more than double the total number of detector dog teams at Canada’s airports within five years. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, speaking in Montreal Thursday, announced new funding of up to $31 million over five years to add 24 Food, Plant, and Animal Detector […] Read more

Hogs, Livestock

PED not yet done with Alberta

By Dave Bedard February 22, 2019

Just when it appeared Alberta’s on-farm outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) may have been a one-off, the province has confirmed a second case. Officials with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry on Friday announced they’ve confirmed and are investigating a new PED outbreak at a 600-head farrow-to-finish hog operation at an unspecified location. “At this time, […] Read more

Crops, Machinery & Shop, Markets

Viterra offers up 24/7 online grain contracting

By Dave Bedard February 3, 2019

Prairie grain growers doing business with Glencore Agriculture’s Viterra arm can now create their own grain contracts with the company anytime online. In what it describes as the “first and only full range” of online contracting options for farmers in Western Canada, Viterra launched its new system on its myViterra platform in December. A Prairie […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Livestock

Bovine TB strain in latest outbreak new to Canada

By Dave Bedard January 9, 2019

Canada’s latest outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in domestic cattle involves a strain of TB bacteria not related to any previously seen in Canadian livestock or wildlife. Culture testing of bacteria taken from a cow confirmed as TB-positive in November shows it’s “not related to past cases of bovine TB in Alberta or British Columbia or […] Read more

Barley, Crops

European malting giant to buy Cargill Malt business

By Dave Bedard December 20, 2018

Cargill’s Prairie Malt plant in western Saskatchewan is destined for new European ownership under a deal publicly proposed Thursday. The Boortmalt Group, the malting arm of French agricultural co-operative Axereal, has announced its “intention to enter into an agreement” to buy Cargill Malt from the U.S. agrifood firm for an undisclosed sum. Boortmalt, which bills […] Read more

Canola, Corn, Crops, Soybeans

Richardson to buy Wesson cooking oil brand

By Dave Bedard December 18, 2018

A household name in U.S. cooking oils is set to become part of Canadian grain handler and oilseed processor Richardson International. Chicago-based Conagra Brands said Tuesday it will sell its Wesson oil brand and related assets — including a 280,000-square foot U.S. processing plant at Memphis — to Richardson for an undisclosed sum. Wesson-branded retail […] Read more

General, Machinery & Shop

Saskatchewan farm truckers exempt on new training rule

By Dave Bedard December 6, 2018

Saskatchewan semi truck drivers driving only for farming operations will get a pass on the province’s planned new mandatory minimum trucker training requirements. The province announced Monday it will require a minimum of 121.5 hours of training before a driver can obtain a Class 1 commercial driver’s licence, starting March 15 next year. A Class […] Read more

Japan set to grant TPP-level access for U.S. beef, pork

New EU import curbs on fruit not Canada-specific

U.S. livestock: CME hogs limit down as trade war heats up

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