“Volume momentum” in its third quarter has Canadian Pacific Railway looking forward to a rosier year-end ledger, though its grain traffic for the quarter dragged on that momentum. Calgary-based CP on Tuesday reported net income of $510 million on $1.595 billion in revenues for the third quarter ending Sept. 30, up from $347 million on […] Read more
CP’s third-quarter grain handle down
Dairy co-op Gay Lea buys Calgary cheesemaker
Ontario dairy farmer co-operative Gay Lea Foods’ plans for expansion into Western Canada now include Calgary cheesemaker Alberta Cheese Company. Gay Lea announced Monday it has bought the family-owned processor, effective Friday (Oct. 13), for an undisclosed sum. Set up in 1976 by cheesemaker Frank Talarico, Alberta Cheese makes “traditional” Italian cheeses for sale under […] Read more
Wheat and barley commissions to share manager
Reading Time: 2 minutes Already sharing an office and support staff, the Alberta Wheat Commission and Alberta Barley are taking the next step by sharing a manager. Alberta Wheat general manager Tom Steve will now serve also as Alberta Barley’s general manager, replacing Rob Davies. With Steve on board, the two commissions’ boards said they’ve approved a project to […] Read more
Feds pledge lower small business tax rate
UPDATED, Oct. 16 — The federal government says it will cut the small business tax rate to nine per cent from 10.5, a move seen as an attempt to counter a growing backlash against its July tax reform announcement. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau appeared side-by-side in Toronto’s far suburbs to […] Read more
Governments to kick-start Ontario hazelnut sector
Development of hazelnut crop management practices and new and improved processing plants for a major user of hazelnuts are getting federal and provincial government funding in Ontario. The federal government on Wednesday pledged up to $492,052 to the Ontario Hazelnut Association (OHA) to help develop the hazelnut sector, working with the University of Guelph and […] Read more
‘Build your cow herd’ workshops on tap
Workshops begin Oct. 23 and run to early November across Alberta
Reading Time: < 1 minute Wondering how to use genomics, deal with lower-quality feed, or about health issues faced by cattle producers in your area? Then you may want to attend one of 10 workshops being held across Alberta in late October and early November. The ‘Tools to build your cow herd’ workshops are being put on by Alberta Agriculture […] Read more
Ottawa threatens suit for Hudson Bay rail line repairs
The federal government says the owner of the Hudson Bay Railway has 30 days to get the washed-out line repaired and running or will face a lawsuit for breach of contract. Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr, the MP for the Manitoba riding of Winnipeg South Centre, said in a statement Friday that U.S. rail operator […] Read more
Insurer SGI Canada sets up farm unit
The property and casualty arm of Saskatchewan’s Crown insurance agency has set up a new unit zoned strictly agricultural. SGI Canada — the Regina-based property and casualty insurance provider which operates in tandem with the Saskatchewan Auto Fund, the Crown auto insurer — on Wednesday launched a new Farm Business Unit with “a specialized team […] Read more
Youth dies in farming accident
Reading Time: < 1 minute A 17-year-old male from the Hanna area died in a farming accident on Sept. 25. In a statement, RCMP said the young man had been harrowing a field when the tractor he was driving went over an embankment and rolled. The teen was ejected from the tractor when it rolled and was crushed beneath the […] Read more
Alberta to reallocate veterinary school funding
Alberta is set to gradually pull its $8 million in annual funding from the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) and instead expand the vet school at the University of Calgary. The province announced Thursday it will expand enrolment for the University of Calgary’s Veterinary Medicine program (UCVM) from 130 students currently […] Read more