Seeding is now active across most of the Prairies, but is running one to three weeks behind normal, leaving farmers eager to get seed in the ground as soon as possible. It pays to ensure the job is done right the first time. Autumn Holmes-Saltzman, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada, says “Take […] Read more
McMillan: Aim high on seeding density, canola expert says
CP to speed up Prairie track ‘enhancements’
Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) has pledged up to an extra $100 million to its previously planned capital budget for track “enhancements” in its Prairie network. CP’s addition to the $1.1 billion capital spending plan it announced in December for the 2013 fiscal year follows a similar move by rival Canadian National Railway (CN), which last […] Read more
Ammonium nitrate triggered Texas blast, state agency says
Investigators have confirmed ammonium nitrate was the trigger for the explosion at a West, Tex. fertilizer plant last month that left 14 people dead and some 200 injured, according to the Texas state fire marshal’s office. The actual cause of the fire and subsequent blast at the West Fertilizer facility is still being determined, investigators […] Read more
WeatherFarm aims to boost service under new ownership
Prairie farmers can expect to see an “enhanced selection” of online weather and agronomic tools from WeatherFarm.com, following the recent transfer of the program to new owners. The network has been purchased from the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) through a new partnership between Glacier Media and agricultural meteorology firm Weather INnovations Inc., in the form […] Read more
Pearce: Planter row unit’s launch helps boost growers’ spirits
Commodity prices are higher than 10 years ago, but growers are still looking for that competitive edge — that one parameter that boosts their production on a per-bushel basis. In the past year, one theme that has popped up repeatedly is “Control the controllable,” referring to everything from fertility to tillage and from crop rotations […] Read more
Allflex sale cashes in on livestock control boom
British private-equity firm Electra Partners is selling out of animal tagging company Allflex after 14 years, banking the rewards from ever stricter livestock controls prompted by a string of food scares. Electra said on Friday it has received a binding offer worth $1.3 billion from private-equity peer BC Partners, amounting to $630.5 million gross proceeds […] Read more
Lower diesel prices trim grain freight rate index
A price index that helps set how much Canada’s big two railways can make per year hauling Prairie grain will be pared back, based on lower-than-expected diesel fuel costs. The Canadian Transportation Agency, which sets the annual Prairie grain revenue caps for Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways, announced Monday it has pegged the volume-related […] Read more
CP books higher Q1 grain revenue on less grain
Higher grain and fertilizer revenues per carload trumped “challenging winter conditions” as Canadian Pacific Railway booked its highest-ever first-quarter (Q1) gross in the period ending March 31. Calgary-based CP on Wednesday reported a profit of $217 million on gross revenues of $1.495 billion in its latest Q1, up from $142 million on $1.34 billion in […] Read more
MacDon reported seeking buyer via auction
Winnipeg’s MacDon Industries, one of North America’s largest manufacturers of windrowers, is looking for a buyer in a deal that could fetch around US$1 billion, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters last week. The family-owned company specializes in making pull-type and self-propelled windrowers and specialty and pick-up headers for combines. Its disc, auger […] Read more
Cold, snow in West chill CN’s Q1 grain handle
Suffering congestion from “extreme cold and heavy snow in Western Canada” in its first fiscal quarter, Canadian National Railway (CN) has prescribed itself “capacity enhancements” on the Prairies. The company on Monday reported net income of $555 million on $2.466 billion in revenues in its first quarter (Q1) ending March 31, down from $775 million […] Read more
