Glacier Ventures International, owners of this web site and several of Canada’s major farm publications, has bought an equity stake in online farm equipment marketing company Iron Solutions. Specific terms of Vancouver-based Glacier’s investment weren’t disclosed, other than its joint purchase of a 90 per cent stake in Iron Solutions in partnership with New York […] Read more
Glacier buys into Iron Solutions
Agrium buys European fertilizer distributor
Common Market Fertilizers, one of the largest fertilizer distributors in Western Europe, has a new Canadian owner. Calgary-based fertilizer firm Agrium has sealed its deal to buy a 70 per cent equity stake in CMF for an undisclosed sum, giving Agrium “important access to major distribution assets across Europe.” The deal “is key to expanding […] Read more
Warm weather favours some Man., Sask. crops
Warm, dry conditions last week have allowed some Manitoba crops to catch up but have cooked other crops, especially in Saskatchewan. The weather allowed farmers in Saskatchewan to make good progress with haying, with 26 per cent of the first cut having been cut, baled or silaged compared to just six per cent the previous […] Read more
Costs call for higher milk prices now: DFC
Rising costs for fuel and other ag inputs make an immediate increase in the price paid for milk at the farm gate urgent for dairy farms to stay solvent, the Dairy Farmers of Canada warned Monday. The DFC recently asked the Canadian Dairy Commission for an immediate increase of 3.5 cents per litre for milk […] Read more
Viterra names VP for Asia
A vice-president with Archer Daniels Midland’s Asia Pacific operations has moved to take on the same job for Viterra. Stephen Yu has worked for ADM since 1993, most recently as its corporate vice-president and managing director, Asia Pacific, handling commercial activity in the region including 25 operations in China, Viterra said. Working for Regina-based Viterra, […] Read more
Ag ministers prepare to sign new APF
Several of Canada’s provincial agriculture ministers plan to endorse a new agricultural policy framework at this week’s annual ag ministers’ conference in Quebec City. The conference, which starts Tuesday, features the release of the new five-year multilateral Growing Forward framework, replacing the Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) developed under the Chretien government and launched in 2003. […] Read more
Sask. ditches open for haying July 8
Ditches on provincial highways will be open Tuesday for anyone to cut and bale hay or grass, the Saskatchewan government said Monday. Up until July 8, landowners, leaseholders or their designates have the first option either to cut or bale ditch hay along provincial roads, or to grant permission to others to do so. “These […] Read more
Time to give on supply management: Chamber
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has gone public urging Ottawa to show some give in its protection of supply management at global trade talks. The chamber — which bills itself as the “voice of Canadian business” and claims 170,000 members including businesses, business groups, boards of trade and other chambers of commerce — on Friday […] Read more
Viterra’s GSU staff plan strike
Unionized staff in Viterra’s Saskatchewan country operations and head office plan a rotating strike to start Monday, in response to the grain company’s plans for a rotating lockout. Picket lines are to go up around the company’s Victoria Avenue head office in Regina after midnight on July 7, the Grain Services Union (GSU) said in […] Read more
OTM rule sent back for comment: report
The rule that allows older Canadian cattle to enter the U.S. must be reopened for a public comment period, a U.S. district court judge ruled Thursday, according to a report from financial news agency Bloomberg. Bloomberg’s Edvard Pettersson reported Thursday that U.S. District Judge Lawrence Piersol found for the protectionist U.S. ranchers’ group R-CALF USA, […] Read more
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