Heavy snowfall in the Okanagan and Similkameen river basins in British Columbia has improved the water supply picture in those areas, but not by much, the province reports. In its snowpack and water supply bulletin Monday, the government said snow conditions in those two river basins are still below normal and are expected to have […] Read more
Low flow seen on Okanagan, flood risk on Peace
Viterra buys Alta. feed mill
Grain company Viterra’s feed division has closed a deal to buy V-S Feed and Agri-Supplies of Ponoka, Alta. The deal, for an undisclosed sum, includes a feed premix mill with annual capacity of about 8,000 tonnes per year, the Regina grain company said in a release Monday. The deal also includes a retail outlet, which […] Read more
Rail freight service review process begins
Ottawa’s promised rail freight service review got underway Monday with a request for comment from stakeholders on its proposed terms of reference. “There is widespread support for this review because it will identify service problems and their impacts and make recommendations to improve Canada’s rail freight logistics system,” federal Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon said in […] Read more
Axial, Frontline co-packed
Syngenta Crop Protection has launched a new co-pack of its Axial and Frontline XL herbicides under the brand Axial FX. The 20-acre package, announced Monday, will include a jug each of Axial, a Group 1 grass weed product, the Group 2 and 4 broadleaf herbicide mix Frontline XL, and the adjuvant Adigor. The new package […] Read more
Ont. animal distress law exempts livestock work
Ontario’s plans to broaden its animal welfare legislation will exempt livestock producers from new laws that will make it an offence to put animals in “distress.” The provincial government on Wednesday announced it would introduce an overhaul of its Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act that allows animal welfare officers new powers to inspect premises […] Read more
Sask. moves to curb horse herpes outbreak
The University of Saskatchewan’s veterinary college has stopped all non-emergency treatment of horses at its large-animal clinic while attempting to stem an outbreak of equine herpes near Saskatoon. The Western College of Veterinary Medicine stopped non-emergency horse work in mid-March after admitting two horses from a local riding stable, both of which were later found […] Read more
Mosaic plans long-term Sask. expansions
Fertilizer producer Mosaic has laid out plans to spend $3.15 billion expanding its potash mines at three sites in Saskatchewan over the next 12 years. Mindful of rising global demand from the crop nutrition market, the Minnesota company — which announced 680,000 tonnes of planned capacity expansions by 2012 at its Belle Plaine and Colonsay […] Read more
Quebec poultry plant set to shut
Quebec poultry processing co-operative Exceldor has announced it will close its plant at Grenville August 1, according to farm newspaper La terre de chez nous. The co-op, which bought Volailles Grenville in March 2007, announced to the plant’s employees in June 2007 that it would consolidate its fresh poultry slaughter and processing operations in its […] Read more
Alta. Grain Commission gets new chairman
The Alberta government has named Vegreville farmer Greg Porozni as the new chairman of the Alberta Grain Commission. Porozni, a former commission member (2002-08), was appointed Friday by Agriculture Minister George Groeneveld, citing his work with several agriculture and commodity groups and his familiarity with the AGC. The AGC is meant to act as an […] Read more
Que. cattle producers vote to back Colbex
Quebec’s cattle producers have voted their approval of an extra checkoff to support the producer-owned Levinoff-Colbex beef packing plant, according to the farm newspaper La terre de chez nous. During their annual general assembly Thursday in Quebec City, a majority of the province’s cattle producers backed a resolution favouring a $30 million top-up for the […] Read more
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