Reuters — La Nina conditions were present in August, and have a 75 per cent chance of continuing through the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2020-21, a U.S. government weather forecaster said on Thursday. The La Nina pattern is characterized by unusually cold temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. A borderline moderate La Nina event is […] Read more
La Nina present, 75 per cent chance seen through 2020 winter
Bibeau not considering closing AgriInvest accounts
Minister wouldn't order farmers to pull funds
Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau is not considering ordering producers to withdraw from their AgriInvest accounts. “Not in this way. All the options are on the table for the future, but I’ve never considered asking them to withdraw, to empty their accounts, to face COVID-19,” she said in an interview Friday. Bibeau had previously expressed […] Read more
Conservatives look to southern Ontario for new ag critic
O'Toole promotes deputy critic Lianne Rood to first chair
The federal Conservatives’ new leader has gone to the other side of Toronto to find his new critic for agriculture and agri-food. Lianne Rood, the rookie MP for the riding of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, was named Tuesday by fellow southern Ontario MP Erin O’Toole to replace southwestern Alberta MP John Barlow as the Conservatives’ shadow minister for […] Read more
New Holland ultra-dealer expands Saskatchewan reach
Mazergroup takes up Dave Marshall's three operations
Manitoba New Holland ultra-dealership Mazergroup is expanding its reach further into eastern Saskatchewan with a deal to buy three dealerships there. Brandon-based Mazergroup announced Tuesday it has assumed ownership of Yorkton New Holland, Raymore New Holland and Watrous New Holland, effective Sept. 1. The three operations’ dealer principal, David Marshall, had bought the former Bolt […] Read more
Zimbabwe says foreign white farmers can apply to get back seized land
Harare | Reuters — Foreign white farmers settled in Zimbabwe whose land was seized under Robert Mugabe can apply to get it back and will be offered land elsewhere if restitution proves impractical, the government said on Monday. Last month, Zimbabwe agreed to pay US$3.5 billion in compensation to local white farmers whose land was […] Read more
Newfoundland to revamp ag oversight in shuffle
MHA Elvis Loveless to handle ag and fisheries files
Newfoundland and Labrador’s new premier plans a “realignment” for several of the provincial government’s departments — including a slightly different home and a new minister for the agriculture file. Dr. Andrew Furey, who was sworn in Wednesday to replace Dwight Ball as premier, announced a new cabinet the same day for the province’s Liberal minority […] Read more
New finance minister Freeland no longer to spearhead U.S. relations
Ottawa | Reuters — Chrystia Freeland will no longer be in charge of spearheading diplomatic relations with the United States now that she is Canada’s new finance minister, three government sources told Reuters Wednesday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had made Freeland his main U.S. go-between when he named her deputy prime minister after last year’s […] Read more
Feds put up $58.6 M for temporary foreign worker supports
Glacier FarmMedia – The federal government is announcing $58.6 million in new money to further support temporary foreign workers in Canada’s agricultural sector, it was announced July 31. Spending is expected to focus on health and safety of temporary foreign workers in Canada. Farmers will be eligible to access $35 million, administrated through Agriculture and […] Read more
Opinion: Ending carbon tax not an electable position for leadership candidates
Glacier FarmMedia – Canadians can be forgiven for offering little more than passing shrugs at the ongoing Conservative Party of Canada leadership race. The ongoing pandemic, the governing Liberals’ handling of it, and the WE Charity scandal side dish are consuming our attention. At least for me, the political and cultural fractures in the United […] Read more
National COYF cancelled for 2020
The national Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer (COYF) event, previously scheduled to be held in Saskatoon in December this year, has been cancelled due to COVID-19. In a statement in the ‘Land Leader’, the official publication of the COYF program, Steve Cooper, the organization’s chair, said, “the Saskatchewan Hosting committee for the 2020 National Event advised […] Read more