Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley — along with many other farm groups — are praising the federal transport minister for accepting several amendments to his transport modernization bill. Now they want Marc Garneau to get working and ensure the bill is passed before Parliament’s summer break. Read more: Farmers seek ‘urgent’ action from Senate on rail […] Read more
Transport minister wins praise for agreeing to amendments
The federal transport minister will put forward a motion to accept Senate alterations to the bill
ICE to move canola trade to U.S. exchange
The business of trading and clearing canola futures is poised to leave Winnipeg for New York City this summer. Atlanta-based Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the operator of canola exchange ICE Futures Canada, announced Tuesday it will be “transitioning” the trading and clearing of canola contracts to New York-based ICE Futures U.S. and ICE Clear U.S. ICE […] Read more
Bovine TB probe officially closed
An investigation across three provinces following the appearance of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in six Prairie cattle in 2016 has officially closed with no further cases found. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Monday reported receiving the last of the lab culture test results on about 30,000 animals tested during its probe. “All of the results […] Read more
Voting scheduled for CP employees on verge of strike
Engineers, conductors and signal maintainers who’d been poised to walk off the job at Canadian Pacific Railway almost two weeks ago will instead continue business as usual until at least May 26. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) this week informed CP and two of its employees’ unions — the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) […] Read more
Vet college’s full accreditation survives funding cut
The looming exit of one of its major funding partners notwithstanding, the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) has earned full accreditation through 2024. The American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Council on Education, the accrediting body for veterinary colleges in North America, recently confirmed Saskatoon-based WCVM’s status as “Accredited (w/minor deficiency).” “Minor […] Read more
Building a stronger wall to keep out clubroot
New research finds resistant canola varieties are better at strengthening cell walls in their roots
Reading Time: 2 minutes Researchers want to build a better wall — at a cellular level — to thwart clubroot. Of the dozens of canola varieties, only eight have resistance to the fungus-like pathogen and all of them are now showing signs of losing resistance, said Gary Peng, a plant pathologist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s research centre in Saskatoon. […] Read more
BASF set to pick up Bayer’s Poncho, ILeVO treatments
Bayer’s seed treatments Poncho and ILeVO could soon have a new owner, as part of another deal with fellow German chemical firm BASF. BASF, which last October agreed to buy several Bayer CropScience assets including its global glufosinate-ammonium herbicide business and LibertyLink trait, announced another 1.7 billion-euro (C$2.65 billion) deal Thursday for an additional package […] Read more
Battling invasive mussels comes with a high cost
New report outlines control methods — but it will take a massive, and expensive, effort every year
Reading Time: 5 minutes *[UPDATED, May 15, 2018] Winter may be the best weapon if zebra and quagga mussels invade Alberta’s waterways, says a new report. The two species, members of the dreissenid family of mussels, have spread across North America since being found in the Great Lakes more than three decades ago. And while they haven’t invaded Alberta waters […] Read more
Five scholarships worth $5,000 each available for ag students
Reading Time: < 1 minute Students who are taking, or about to start, an agricultural bachelor degree program at one of five Canadian universities can apply for a $5,000 scholarship from Bayer CropScience. There are five scholarships available — one each at the universities of Alberta, Lethbridge, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Guelph. The Bayer CropScience Scholarship for Future Leaders in Agriculture […] Read more
CTA to bump up Prairie grain freight cost index
Fuel and infrastructure improvements are expected to push up the cost of railroading and, in turn, the index guiding how much money Canada’s big two railways get to keep from hauling Prairie grain in the next crop year. The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) on Wednesday announced it will set the volume-related composite price index (VRCPI) […] Read more
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