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
CN service continues as signals staff strike
Talks continue after IBEW-represented employees stopped work Saturday
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
Deere tapping into Apple-like tech model to drive revenue
'Hopefully the costs will be paid back in the long run'
Bondurant, Iowa | Reuters — Deere and Co. has sold its tractors and other equipment to farmers for decades, but the world’s largest agriculture machinery manufacturer is tearing a page from the technology world’s playbook — combining cutting-edge hardware with software and subscription models to drive revenue growth. In a world with a dwindling number […] Read more
Automated ag skills program developed for Saskatchewan workforce
Protein supercluster, U of S supporting non-profit agency's program
Corrected, May 24 — A national skills-building organization focused on connecting employers with “untapped” labour markets sets its webcams this summer on the automated and digital ag sectors. Not-for-profit organization Palette Skills has launched a new eight-week online program for Saskatchewan residents focused on automation and digitization in agricultural production and processing. The enrolment deadline […] Read more
Southern Ontario Kubota dealer chain sold
Robert's, Stewart's buy Earth Power dealerships
A chain of Kubota dealerships in southern Ontario is selling its three links to two separate new owners. Earth Power Tractors and Equipment, owned in partnership by Jim Kelly and Jeff Cook since 2005, said Thursday it has a deal in place to sell its sites at Owen Sound and nearby Meaford to Robert’s Farm […] Read more
Canada to ban Huawei/ZTE 5G equipment, joining Five Eyes allies
Move comes as diplomatic tensions ease, canola block lifted
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada on Thursday said it plans to ban the use of China’s Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp. 5G gear to protect national security, joining the rest of the so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network. “We intend to exclude Huawei and ZTE from our 5G networks,” Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told reporters in […] Read more
