Pointing to what they say is over $100 million per year in “unreasonably excessive” railway revenue at farmers’ expense, Western Canada’s general farm organizations want Ottawa to conduct a full rail costing review for the first time in 16 years. At a press conference Tuesday just outside Winnipeg, spokesmen for the Canadian Federation of Agriculture […] Read more
Farm groups want review of “runaway” rail costs
Beet ethanol proposal may leave P.E.I.: CBC
A proposal to make ethanol from Prince Edward Island sugar beets may go elsewhere following a report that suggests it would take up at least all the province’s non-potato cropland, according to CBC. The broadcaster quoted Ron Coles of Atlantec BioEnergy saying the company’s $85 million proposal for the Borden area, for which it had […] Read more
Canada behind on ag land stewardship: report
Current public policy in Canada largely overlooks the wealth of ecological goods and services available in its working farmland, a new report from the Canada West Foundation suggests. The foundation’s report, released Thursday, said other jurisdictions” “relatively new” public policy tools “have the potential to correct this oversight by simultaneously protecting farmland, supporting rural communities, […] Read more
Vineland centre plans “local” project
The Niagara region’s Vineland Research and Innovation Centre has kicked off a new “Local Food” project with the goal of supporting and directly linking local growers, producers and suppliers with buyers. The plan, announced Monday with the launch of a Niagara Local Food pilot project, is meant to improve the public’s access to high-quality, locally […] Read more
Sask. to fund ag water projects
Saskatchewan’s provincial budget calls for a new $6 million farm and ranch water infrastructure fund to deal with “long-standing water supply issues” in parts of the province. The historically dry southwestern part of the province was mentioned in particular in the province’s press release, part of a series of releases during budget day on Wednesday. […] Read more
Ont. plans for speed limiters on bigger trucks
The Ontario government is introducing legislation meant to cap the speed of large-scale trucks at 105 km/h by making speed limiters mandatory. A speed limiter is an electronic device that caps the top speed of a truck, the province explained in a press release Wednesday. “Speed limiters are proven to lower maintenance costs and improve […] Read more
Public forums set on N.S. water strategy
Dates have been set for a series of public forums on a new water management strategy for Nova Scotia. The province in recent weeks has published a discussion paper to spur comment from Nova Scotians — farmers, industries, municipal governments and environmental groups included — to build a strategy covering the province’s lakes, rivers, wetlands […] Read more
Cattlemen name new president, VP
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association has officially installed Brad Wildeman of Lanigan, Sask., as its new president and Tony Saretsky of Ponoka, Alta., as its vice-president. The CCA’s board of directors held elections for the posts during the association’s annual general meeting last week in Ottawa. Wildeman, who heads Pound-Maker AgVentures, a feedlot and ethanol processing […] Read more
Alta. roseroot processing project funded
AVAC Ltd. plans to put almost $741,000 over three years toward processing of Alberta farmers’ harvests of roseroot for use as herbal supplements. Rhodiola rosea, also called roseroot or goldenroot, is an ancient herb “with an international reputation for strengthening the bodies of Olympic athletes and Russian cosmonauts,” AVAC said in a release Wednesday. AVAC, […] Read more
Quebec flock culled for scrapie
A cull of “high-risk animals” is underway on a farm in Quebec’s Rimouski district after a sheep in a small herd was confirmed last month with scrapie. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed both the cull and a quarantine on the farm in a statement Wednesday. The agency said it’s now in the usual […] Read more
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