Over 300 “frustrated and angry” people remain to speak on Manitoba’s planned moratorium on expansion of hog production after three days of hearings by the legislature’s ag committee, the province’s hog producer group reported Tuesday. The Manitoba Pork Council said in a release that 319 people remain on the speakers’ list for the latest committee […] Read more
Man. hog hearings become late, late show
Man. WCB urges broader worker coverage
Manitoba’s Workers Compensation Board (WCB) supports broadening of mandatory workers’ comp to several sectors where it’s now optional, but has stopped short of recommending farms or any other business be added, the province reported Tuesday. Provincial Labour Minister Nancy Allan said the province accepts the WCB report’s recommendation to broaden mandatory coverage and plans to […] Read more
Head office workers reject Viterra offer
Members of the Grain Services Union working in grain company Viterra’s Regina head office voted Monday to reject the company’s contract offer and to strike if an agreement can’t be reached. Final results of voting by all of Viterra’s 850-plus GSU member employees are expected by June 20. The GSU’s 573-member maintenance and operations unit, […] Read more
Study pans proposed Labrador dairy
A new provincial study finds that a dairy production and processing operation in Labrador would be a cash-losing proposition in the millions of dollars over the longer term. The Newfoundland and Labrador government commissioned the study at the request of the Lake Melville Agricultural Association, to explore the feasibility of a dairy operation and processing […] Read more
Equinox herbicide OK in canola crops
A Group 1 herbicide just coming into wide release this year has picked up federal approval for use in canola crops. BASF Canada’s tepraloxydim herbicide Equinox, which was available only in “limited quantities” in 2007, will give canola growers an “additional opportunity to benefit from an extremely flexible and economical grassy weed control program,” brand […] Read more
Job site to focus on entry-level ag work
Calgary project management and recruitment firm AgCall has launched a new web site aimed at attracting new talent into the agriculture-related labour force. The goal of the new site, called IgniteAg, will initially be to “expand the pool of candidates with an initial focus on entry level positions” — a pool that’s now too small […] Read more
Ritz’s barley bill derailed from fast track
Federal government plans to “fast-track” deregulation of Prairie barley marketing were derailed by the three federal opposition parties Monday. In this case, “fast-tracking” the Conservative government’s bills C-46 and C-57 would have seen them circumvent the usual route of debate in the House of Commons and head directly to the Commons ag committee for discussion. […] Read more
Canada, Colombia conclude FTA talks
Canada has wrapped up talks with Colombia on the way to a free trade agreement (FTA) that’s expected to end the South American republic’s tariffs on some Canadian crops and ag goods. The FTA is expected to make sure Canadian exporters aren’t put at a disadvantage vis-à-vis trading partners that have or are seeking preferential […] Read more
Ideas on Sask. crop insurance due by June 30
Saskatchewan farmers who can’t make it out to one of the remaining six public meetings of the provincial Crop Insurance review have until June 30 to put their recommendations in writing. Meyers Norris Penny, the firm conducting the review that the province launched in April, is holding public meetings across the province until June 18 […] Read more
Alta. names more farmers to “green” institute
Alberta’s government has named two farmers to the board of its new institute to explore how the province can best tap into demand for environmental goods and services. Jurgen Preugschas of Mayerthorpe and Terry Young of Red Deer will be the two farmer directors for the Institute for Agriculture, Forestry and the Environment. The new […] Read more
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