Both of Canada’s big two railways have been slapped with fines for missing the federal government’s mark this summer on weekly Prairie grain handling. A Transport Canada spokesperson confirmed by email Thursday that Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railway (CN, CP) have been served notices of violation including administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) of $100,000 and $50,000 […] Read more
CN, CP face fines for summer grain handle
Verticillium wilt makes jump to Canadian canola
A Manitoba canola field has been confirmed as the first in North America with Verticillium wilt, a fungal disease well known to northern Europe’s canola and vegetable growers. With no seed treatments or foliar fungicides yet registered against it — and with no resistant canola varieties available — the disease, if here to stay, may […] Read more
U.S. drone rules remain in hangar in 2014
New York | Reuters — The United States missed a year-end deadline for publishing new rules on remote-control aircraft, delaying an eagerly awaited step toward using drones in everything from farming to package delivery. Businesses have been clamouring for rules to allow commercial drone flights, fearing the U.S. is falling behind other countries in developing […] Read more
Que. Caterpillar dealer to shed ag equipment arm
Caterpillar’s dealer for Quebec and the Maritime provinces is set to sell its Quebec farm equipment business to a chain of Agco dealerships. Hewitt Equipment — the authorized Cat dealer for Quebec and western Labrador and, through its Atlantic Tractors and Equipment arm, for the Maritimes — announced recently it will sell its ag division […] Read more
Buhler books near-record sales
Winnipeg tractor and farm equipment maker Buhler Industries logged 2014 as its third-biggest sales year ever, but expects lower commodity prices to weigh on next year’s results. Buhler last Wednesday reported year-end profit of $12.5 million on $325.5 million in sales, down from its record net ($19.9 million on $340.3 million in sales) in 2013 […] Read more
Talks fold on contracts for CN mechanics, clerical staff
About 4,800 unionized mechanics, clerical workers, excavator operators and truck drivers at Canadian National Railway (CN) will go into the new year without new contracts. Unifor, whose locals have five collective agreements with Montreal-based CN, announced Thursday it’s been “unable to reach a new tentative collective agreement” in negotiations with CN since mid-September. The company […] Read more
CN overshoots 2013-14 grain handling revenue cap
The Western Grains Research Foundation will get a $4.98 million gift this season from Canadian National Railway, but not out of holiday spirit per se. The Canadian Transportation Agency on Thursday ruled CN, during the 2013-14 crop year, exceeded its maximum allowable revenue from Prairie grain handling by $4,981,915, above its previously set “entitlement” of […] Read more
Diesel prices to soften in January, analyst says
CNS Canada — Prices for diesel are expected to come down to between $1 to $1.10 per litre across Canada by early to mid-January, according to an oil analyst. Prices for regular gasoline sank weeks ago, shortly after crude oil plunged on the world market. Diesel, however, remained staggeringly high and is still listed at […] Read more
Deere chain Cervus buys two Alta. dealerships
Two John Deere farm equipment dealerships in southern Alberta are set to become part of Deere dealer chain Cervus Equipment. Cervus announced Wednesday it’s bought the assets of Deer-Country Equipment, which owns and operates Deere dealerships at Vulcan and High River. The deal “represents a strategic opportunity for Cervus to expand our western Canadian presence […] Read more
Poultry, captive bird movements now limited in southern B.C.
Movements of birds, poultry products and poultry farm equipment are under new restrictions in the area where five poultry farms in British Columbia have been quarantined with avian flu. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Monday announced a new “primary control zone” in the entire southern half of B.C. south of Highway 16, split in […] Read more
