Reuters — U.S. food companies called out rising freight costs as a reason for lower profit margins in the holiday quarter, with more pain seen in 2018 as a dearth of drivers and higher diesel prices make it even more expensive to transport products to stores. Hershey, Mondelez International, J.M. Smucker and Campbell Soup said […] Read more
Moving freight to get more expensive for food companies
Rising diesel could surge with U.S. infrastructure plan
CNS Canada — Diesel costs in Western Canada are roughly eight to 10 cents higher on average than anytime in 2017, and an industry expert warns that gap could grow even more with a potential surge of U.S. construction. “I think we’re already seeing more evidence of a robust, consumption-driven U.S. as more disposable income […] Read more
At NAFTA talks, Canada hails jet case as victory for free trade
Montreal | Reuters — Canadian plane maker Bombardier won a major U.S. case on Friday, which government officials said showed the importance of free trade at a time when talks to modernize the NAFTA pact are moving slowly. A U.S. tribunal unexpectedly dismissed a complaint by Boeing against alleged dumping by Bombardier in the case […] Read more
CN’s Q4 grain handle down in ‘challenging conditions’
U.S. income tax reform more than offset “challenging” conditions, including reduced grain handle, in Canadian National Railway’s fourth fiscal quarter. Montreal-based CN on Tuesday reported net income of $2.611 billion on total revenues of $3.285 billion for its fourth quarter ending Dec. 31, up from $1.018 billion on $3.217 billion in the year-earlier Q4. The […] Read more
Prairie grain movement not perfect, but not in crisis
CNS Canada — Canadian grain exports are moving out of the country at a similar pace as they were a year ago, but there are still some challenges along the logistical chain. “Right now we’re looking at the second largest supply of grain that we’ve ever had to move,” said Mark Hemmes, president of Quorum […] Read more
Grain handle down in CP’s ‘best-ever’ fourth quarter
U.S. income tax reform and significant increases in non-grain traffic more than offset a dip in Canadian Pacific Railway’s grain handle in its fourth quarter of 2017. Calgary-based CP on Thursday reported net income of $984 million on $1.713 billion in gross revenues in what it described as its “best-ever” fourth quarter, up from $384 […] Read more
Super cluster aims to break down industry silos with data
The Smart Agri-Food Super Cluster aims to use efficient and powerful data to create better collaboration within the agriculture sector. It is one of nine super clusters in the running for $950 million in federal funding for super clusters that make a broad economic impact. Another agriculture sector cluster, the Protein Industries Canada Supercluster, is […] Read more
AGI buys bin sensor, fertilizer blending system makers
Best known as the parent for several Canadian and U.S. manufacturers of grain handling and storage equipment, Ag Growth International is expanding its tech portfolio. Winnipeg-based AGI announced Wednesday it has bought Burnaby, B.C.-based CMC Industrial Electronics and Iowa-based Junge Control (JCI) for undisclosed sums. CMC, which formed in 1997 and has facilities at Burnaby […] Read more
Mapping profit can drive precision farming decisions
Precision farming can find the high-yield, low-yield, high-fertility and low-fertility areas of a farm, but the missing link has been how that ties to profitability. Why does it matter? The capacity to apply nutrients variably across a crop field isn’t new, but it’s been difficult for farmers to see the justification of the cost of […] Read more
Inventors’ Showcase at Ag Days highlights innovation
Agriculture is a business where innovation is important. The farmers who selected and adopt the right technology at the right time tend to win out over time. Agriculture inventors know this and they’ll be front and centre at this year’s Ag Days through the annual Inventors’ Showcase. The event is also a crowd favourite too,[...]
Read more
Read more
