Crops
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. political tensions with Iran and Russia have proved no barrier to those countries buying American grain, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday. Iran bought 66,000 tonnes of U.S. corn last week for the first time in three years, according to USDA weekly export sales […] Read more
Politics no barrier as Iran, Russia buy U.S. grain
Nova Scotia MP named parliamentary ag secretary
A promotion at the federal Tories’ cabinet table has led to the appointment of a new parliamentary secretary on the agriculture file. Gerald Keddy, MP for the Nova Scotia riding of South Shore-St. Margaret’s since 1997, was named Friday to replace Ontario MP Pierre Lemieux as parliamentary secretary for Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. Lemieux, the […] Read more
Fertilizer prices stray away from corn influence: Analyst
CNS Canada — Foreign exports and transportation look like they could be the main issues facing the fertilizer industry in 2015. Countries such as Ukraine, Russia and Belarus are busy players on the market, with Morocco also ramping up production. As a result, more supplies of phosphates and other fertilizers are out there, according to […] Read more
Pearce: Monsanto’s next-gen weed control trait on deck
The question has been asked time and again for the past three or four years: when will we see Monsanto’s Xtend technology in Canada? The answer has been wrapped up in a long list of concerns and government procedure, but the first glint of opportunity for growers has cleared the next-to-last of a series hurdles. […] Read more
Enchant couple honoured by Outstanding Young Farmers program
Reading Time: < 1 minute Enchant seed growers Marian and Richard Stamp were recently awarded the W.R. Motherwell award by Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers. The award recognizes outstanding service to an individual or couple dedicated to Canada’s OYF program. The Stamps were regional OYF winners in 1998 and since then have been dedicated supporters of the program. “Rick and Marian […] Read more
Latest rail bill highlights the need for change, says farm leader
The $1.3-billion tab for moving last year’s crop shows ‘there will never be an open market,’ says Alberta Wheat chair
Reading Time: 4 minutes The final tally is in and Prairie farmers spent more than $1.3 billion on rail transportation in the last crop year. The average bill was $33.69 a tonne for the 2013-14 crop year (a drop of 30 cents per tonne from the previous year) and the total cost was almost exactly what’s allowed under federal […] Read more
The grass is greener
People have long used technology to change the world to suit their purposes, but healthy soil is the foundation of it all
Reading Time: 3 minutes In Bruce Feiler’s book entitled Walking the Bible, he has a discussion with his travel partner Avner as they were tightly squeezed into a nawamis, or tiny tomb, that pastoralists used 6,000 years ago as they made their way around the desert. Avner said, “Those in agricultural areas used technology to change the world around […] Read more
Canada’s canola crush pace hits six-month high
CNS Canada — Canada’s canola crushing pace jumped to its highest level in six months during the week ended Wednesday, according to data from the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association (COPA). Domestic crushers processed 153,102 tonnes of canola during the week, up more than five per cent from the week prior, COPA data shows. The last […] Read more
Green group targets Super Bowl’s official hummus
If you’re a chickpea grower and you didn’t already know it, you’ll be pleased to hear Americans watching the Super Bowl this weekend might not only be chowing down on chicken wings. Thanks to its designation as the National Football League’s (NFL) official dip sponsor, they could also be dipping into Sabra brand hummus, of […] Read more
Deere to cut over 900 U.S. workers as ag economy weakens
Chicago | Reuters — Deere and Co., the world’s largest maker of farm equipment, will lay off more than 900 employees at plants in Iowa and Illinois in the latest round of job cuts spurred by a decline in grain prices that is hurting demand for agricultural machinery. The layoffs, which represent about three per […] Read more