It’s a relatively new solution to the age-old problem of trying to get rid of weeds without broadcasting the seed or using increasingly less effective herbicides — mechanical separation and pulverization of weed seed. Harvest weed seed control might not be a golden bullet to tackle glyphosate-, fluroxypyr- and dicamba-resistant weeds, but according to Agriculture […] Read more
At Ag in Motion: Harvest weed control still in the mix
'You’re not going to spray your way out of this'
Preview: Railways, grain shippers at loggerheads over interswitching
Pilot to test expanded radius deemed unnecessary by both sides
Recent legislation has raised the stakes in a decade-long battle between the railways and Canadian grain shippers over the interswitching radius. Interswitching refers to a regulation to ensure shippers located where only a single railway operates can access points that are not served by that railway. The issue is especially concerning for Canadian grain shippers […] Read more
B.C. waterfront work to resume ‘as soon as possible’
BCMEA, ILWU reach tentative four-year deal
Striking longshore workers and their management are “finalizing details” for work to resume at Canada’s West Coast ports after a tentative deal was reached Thursday. The B.C. Maritime Employers Association said in a release Thursday morning it had reached a tentative pact with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU Canada) on a new four-year […] Read more
Alberta farmer powers ahead with free code for farm equipment
Open source farm tech code is like a cookie -- you can change the recipe any way you want
Reading Time: 5 minutes It can boost variable rate mapping. It can help generate guidance maps for the field. It contains the fundamental knowledge for turning an old tractor into an autonomous tractor. And yet the code is available on the internet for free. And Brian Tischler, the central Alberta grain farmer who created AgOpenGPS, is fine with that. […] Read more
Strike continues at West Coast ports as employers exit talks
Results unlikely through bargaining now, BCMEA says
A strike by longshore workers at British Columbia’s West Coast ports is expected to continue after the employers’ group announced plans to step away from further bargaining. The B.C. Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA), in a statement Monday, said it’s “of the view that a continuation of bargaining at this time is not going to produce […] Read more
Rail interswitching expansion pilot clears Parliament
Grain handlers to press for plan to be made permanent
Last week’s passage of the 2023 federal budget starts a 90-day countdown toward an 18-month test of expanded interswitching on railways in the three Prairie provinces. Bill C-47, the government’s budget implementation bill — which was first read April 20 in the House of Commons and got third reading in the Senate and royal assent […] Read more
Adjournments put off ag bills to September at earliest
Farm fuel, supply management, produce trust bills on hold
Federal private members’ bills with potential significant weight for Canada’s grain, livestock, dairy, poultry, egg, fruit and vegetable producers are now on hold until mid-September at least. Members of the House of Commons voted June 21 to adjourn until Sept. 18, while the Senate did likewise June 22, to return Sept. 19. While the two […] Read more
Richardson elevators expanding to feed ‘high-efficiency’ trains
Eight sites along CPKC lines to get expanded rail car spots
Grain handler Richardson International plans to expand rail car spots at eight Prairie elevators on Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) lines as the railway gears up for longer trains with new higher-volume hopper cars. Winnipeg-based Richardson on Monday announced expanded rail car spots for its elevators at Lacombe, Carseland, Provost and Olds, Alta.; Estevan, Whitewood […] Read more
U.S. to boost biofuel mandates over next three years
Biofuel groups still feel shortchanged
Reuters — The Biden administration on Wednesday increased the amount of biofuels that oil refiners must blend into the United States’ fuel mix over the next three years, but the plan has angered the biofuel industry, which says mandates for corn-based ethanol and biodiesel are not high enough. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized […] Read more
Farm groups push for Bill C-234 passage
Ag groups concerned that carbon tax exemption bill won’t clear Senate before break
Prairie farm groups are pushing the Senate to prioritize a bill that would exempt propane and natural gas for grain drying and barn heating from carbon tax. In a joint statement June 13, Keystone Agricultural Producers, the Alberta Federation of Agriculture and the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan urged the Senate to pass Bill C-234 […] Read more