Incoming Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has brought a former provincial agriculture minister back to the cabinet table to handle the ag file. Ron Kostyshyn, who from 2012 to 2016 was then-premier Greg Selinger’s ag minister while serving as MLA for the northwestern riding of Swan River, was sworn in Wednesday as minister of agriculture in […] Read more
Former ag minister returns in new Manitoba cabinet
Kinew names Kostyshyn to ag portfolio
FCC to offer beef heifer replacement loans
Loan program for those wanting to build, maintain herds
Cattle producers wanting to expand or maintain herds — in a time of nationwide herd contraction — are the expected beneficiaries for a new loan program from Farm Credit Canada. FCC on Tuesday announced what it calls the Replacement Heifer Program, consisting of a loan with a maximum loan life of seven years and a […] Read more
Hold off on milk price hike, dairy farmers say
Dairy commission to consult again before making annual adjustment
The process to set the next national price adjustment for Canadian milk will now take an extra week, triggered by stakeholder objections, for a round of consultations — in which the national dairy farmer group plans to call for a delay on any increase. The Canadian Dairy Commission — the Crown corporation managing Canada’s milk […] Read more
Investment firm buys Saskatchewan drying system maker
EIC buys DryAir for $60 million
A Winnipeg investment firm with ownership stakes in Canadian manufacturing and airlines has bought a Saskatchewan company that makes heating and drying systems for grain growers and other sectors. Exchange Income Corp. (EIC) announced Oct. 5 it has bought DryAir Manufacturing of St. Brieux for about $60 million in cash and EIC stock. DryAir, in […] Read more
Saskatchewan expands wildlife testing to include bovine TB
CFIA probe of cattle herd finds 10 infected so far
Recent confirmed cases of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in a Saskatchewan cattle herd have led the province to expand its annual wildlife monitoring program for chronic wasting disease (CWD) to also include TB. The province each year since 1997 has asked hunters to submit heads from harvested deer, moose and elk to test for CWD. It […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Chicago cattle turn higher
CME lean hogs mostly lower
Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) cattle futures turned solidly higher Wednesday while lean hogs mostly continued lower. Most-active December live cattle closed 1.975 cents higher Wednesday at 186.975 cents/lb., erasing two days’ losses, but not before touching a one-month low of 184.25 (all figures US$). Both front-month October 2023 and February 2024 turned 1.925 cents higher, […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle mostly lower
Lean hogs also down a second day
Most-active December live cattle on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) turned lower for a second day in a row Tuesday, as did lean hog and deferred-month feeder cattle futures. December live cattle closed Tuesday at 185 cents/lb., down 0.35 cent on the day, while lightly-traded front-month October ended up 0.2 cent at 182.575 cents/lb. (all […] Read more
Bunge shareholders bless Viterra wedding
Company still expects to close deal mid-2024
Shareholders in U.S. grain and agrifood giant Bunge have voted their advance approval of the company’s plans to take up one of Canada’s biggest grain industry players. Bunge on Thursday announced the results of an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders, in which they approved the acquisition of Viterra and a related issue of about 65.6 […] Read more
Manitoba legislature’s agriculture leaders to return under new management
NDP scores majority over incumbent Tories
Manitoba’s incumbent agriculture minister and lead opposition agriculture critic are headed back to the legislature — but under a new seating plan. Opposition leader Wab Kinew’s New Democrats are expected to form a majority government coming out of Tuesday’s provincial election, unseating incumbent premier Heather Stefanson’s Progressive Conservatives. Just after 1 a.m. Wednesday, NDP candidates […] Read more
Canada puts temporary ban on France’s poultry, eggs
CFIA move to 'manage the risk' from bird flu vaccination plan
Imports of live birds and unprocessed poultry and eggs from France are barred from Canada effective Sunday (Oct. 1), pending a risk assessment of France’s duck vaccination program for avian flu. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced the temporary ban Tuesday, following France’s move to require mandatory vaccination against highly pathogenic avian flu (HPAI) […] Read more
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