The unit of the Teamsters representing Canadian National Railway’s (CN) conductors and yard operations staff has served notice that its members may be walking the line come Tuesday morning. Montreal-based CN said Saturday it had received 72-hour strike notice from the conductors’ unit of the Teamsters Canadian Rail Conference (TCRC), putting the unit in strike […] Read more
CN’s conductors serve strike notice
Flour recall widened to products from 11 loads of wheat
The maker of Robin Hood and other brands of flour is further widening a major product recall to cover products made from 11 loads of Canadian wheat. Ardent Mills and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Saturday announced an expanded nationwide recall to include more varieties and sizes of Robin Hood, Golden Temple, Purity, […] Read more
Path of Manitoba PED infections tough to track
Officials investigating a recent spate of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) cases in southeastern Manitoba hog barns aren’t yet seeing a clear picture of how the virus is spreading from site to site. The province’s chief veterinary officer on Thursday confirmed positive tests for PED at a finisher operation in the same area as five previous […] Read more
Stats from 2016 show uptick in net farm income
Statistics show slightly lower costs for fertilizer, fuel and cattle and calf purchases in 2016, against higher crop sales and program payments, led to a rise in realized net farm income last year. Statistics Canada on Wednesday released data showing Canadian producers’ realized net farm income — the difference between cash receipts and operating expenses, […] Read more
New Alberta labour standards for paid farm workers tabled
Waged farm workers in Alberta will be allowed to unionize and get new rules governing vacation pay and youth employment, under a provincial labour bill tabled Wednesday. The new rules are tucked into Bill 17, the Fair and Family-friendly Workplaces Act, which went through first reading Wednesday and, if passed, would take effect Jan. 1, […] Read more
Deadline extended for comment on cash ticket deferral
Public consultations on the income tax treatment of deferred grain cash tickets, with an eye toward “potential elimination” of farmers’ option to defer grain income, have been extended by two months. The federal government on Tuesday said the consultation, first announced in Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s March budget and due to end Wednesday, will instead […] Read more
Quebec sets up single line for flooded farmers
Quebec farmers whose operations have been hit by flooding in recent weeks will have a single number to call for provincial support starting Tuesday. The province’s agriculture ministry (MAPAQ), public security ministry (MSP) and ag lending agency, la Financiere agricole du Quebec (FADQ) on Friday announced a “concerted effort” to manage supports for flood-affected farms. […] Read more
Ag census shows fewer total farmers, but more young ones
The typical farmer has already missed the Freedom 55 boat, but the sector is attracting more young people and women
Reading Time: 3 minutes There are fewer Canadian farmers, and those over 55 still outnumber their younger peers. But the number of operators under age 35 years has increased for the first time since 1991. But the number of young farmers remains modest, according to the 2016 Census of Agriculture. According to the census, there were 271,935 farmers in […] Read more
Regional-level biosecurity urged against PED in Manitoba
Producers in southeastern Manitoba’s “hog alley” are being urged to keep animal movements to a minimum and limit contact with hog operations in an area that’s seen five on-farm cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) this month. The province’s chief veterinary officer on Thursday confirmed positive test results for PED at a sow operation in […] Read more
Take time to judge frost damage on canola
After temperatures Thursday dropped as low as -5 C in parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, growers who’ve already seeded may be wondering whether emerging canola plants have survived. It’s best not to write off those seedlings right away, according to the Canola Council of Canada in a Canola Watch newsletter on Friday. It can take […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
