International meat packer JBS has enlisted a major robotics and automation company to overhaul the warehousing system at one of Canada’s biggest beef plants. JBS Foods Canada on Friday announced a $71 million project in partnership with New Zealand-based Scott Technology, to design and build a system that can handle and store up to 85,000 […] Read more
JBS to automate beef warehousing at Brooks
Packer to replace current fully manual system
Brandt to build trailers at new Saskatchewan plant
Equipment maker aims to free up space in Regina
Ag and industrial equipment manufacturer Brandt plans to start making its lines of utility trailers at factory space it owns in Moose Jaw, Sask., freeing up its factory floors in Regina to expand other product lines. The Brandt Group of Companies announced Tuesday it expects to start production of its trailer lines late this summer […] Read more
CN signals staff to return to work Wednesday
IBEW, railway to go to binding arbitration
Signals and communications workers at Canadian National Railway (CN) are set to end their 17-day strike and return to work Wednesday morning. CN, in a statement Monday, said the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) System Council 11, which represents about 750 of the company’s employees across the country, had agreed to take its labour […] Read more
Surge in U.S. renewable diesel supply won’t offset loss of petroleum diesel
Reuters — A flood of U.S. renewable diesel plants set to come online in the next three years will not be enough to offset the loss of petroleum diesel refining capacity from plant closings since 2019, a Reuters analysis of federal data shows. U.S. refining capacity has declined in the last two years, as plants […] Read more
CN service continues as signals staff strike
Talks continue after IBEW-represented employees stopped work Saturday
Canadian National Railway is reporting “normal” rail operations after its signals and communications workers walked out on strike starting Saturday. Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), which represents about 750 CN employees across Canada, served the railway with strike notice last Wednesday and started their strike Saturday morning, the company said. IBEW […] Read more
PAMI to close Portage la Prairie location
Revenue challenges in recent years blamed for Manitoba site's closure
The product development, testing and design firm Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI), will be closing its Portage la Prairie, Man. location at the end of July. Citing revenue challenges in recent years as the reason for downsizing, the institute informed staff and clients of the closure of its River Road facility in Portage, prior to […] Read more
GM CEO says ‘we are selling every truck we can build’
Rising fuel prices not seen undermining big truck demand, yet
Detroit | Reuters — General Motors CEO Mary Barra said on Monday the automaker is “selling every truck we can build” and expanding North American truck-building capacity, even as U.S. gasoline prices hit record highs. Barra made her comments during the automaker’s annual shareholder meeting. GM is pursuing a two-track strategy: Investing heavily in electric […] Read more
‘Petro-plectic’ anger rises toward fuel prices
Fuel refiners seen booking 'epic' revenues
MarketsFarm — Fuel prices are very likely to continue to increase with summer approaching, according to Tom Kloza, the Florida-based global head of energy analysis for Oil Price Information Services. “I wish I could say there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but I would say right now, it’s just a flicker,” he […] Read more
Partnership gives Prairie ag students new 800-acre opportunity
Saskatchewan farmland bequest expanded Smart Farm eastward
Students from Saskatchewan Polytechnic and Olds College will be getting more opportunities to collaborate with each other on a large scale. The two institutions have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which entails both schools working together for five years on various programs, notably Olds College’s Smart Farm operation. The partnership comes as a result […] Read more
CNH buys spray boom manufacturing capacity
Specialty Enterprises has supplied Case IH with booms
A Wisconsin company that has supplied aluminum spray booms for Case IH sprayer product lines has been brought in-house. CNH Industrial, owner of the Case IH and New Holland brands, announced May 23 it has bought Specialty Enterprises, which is billed as North America’s biggest maker of aluminum spray booms for farm applications as well […] Read more
