Sao Paulo | Reuters — U.S. biotech company Monsanto and U.S. software and tech firm Microsoft announced on Monday a partnership to invest in agricultural technology startups in Brazil. Monsanto will join a Brazilian investment fund with up to 300 million reais (C$118 million), managed by Microsoft, evaluating ideas for new digital tools to be […] Read more
Monsanto, Microsoft to invest in ag technology in Brazil
CP offers assurances for 2016-17 grain handle
Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) says it’s ready and willing to move a bumper Prairie crop in 2016-17. “Operationally, CP is eager and prepared to move grain this coming crop year,” company CEO Hunter Harrison said in a letter to federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau. The letter, dated Tuesday, was also circulated to Prairie transportation and […] Read more
CP lays off 500 workers, cites softening demand
CNS Canada — Select maintenance workers at Canadian Pacific Railway will be laid off effective Thursday as the railway’s revenue is expected to plummet in the second quarter. Lower volumes are one reason given for declining profits, though grain movement this crop year is ahead of average. Earlier this month, 500 CP maintenance workers were […] Read more
Canada’s PSP buys stake in tag maker Allflex
Reuters — PSP Investments, one of Canada’s biggest pension funds, said Friday it had acquired a significant minority stake in Allflex Group, the world’s biggest maker of electronic tags for animals, from private equity firm BC Partners. The purchase was overseen by PSP’s new team in London, led by Simon Marc, and is likely to […] Read more
Canada’s hog farmers suspect U.S. truck washes in PED fight
Reuters — Canadian farm groups are blasting U.S. truck washes for being too dirty to prevent the spread of a virus that has killed millions of piglets in recent years, exposing a dispute over the effectiveness of such facilities in North American agriculture. The brewing battle over trucks comes as Manitoba, which slaughters more swine […] Read more
Diesel prices hang steady in West, for now
CNS Canada –– It doesn’t appear the gasoline shortage that has left many pumps across Western Canada dry will be spreading to the diesel sector, at least for now. Fires in northern Alberta and problems at a refinery in Edmonton crimped available supplies of gas for many Prairie retailers this week. While some Petro-Canada and […] Read more
CN promotes CFO as CEO resigns
Canadian National Railway’s (CN) chief financial officer Luc Jobin will become its chief executive on July 1, as incumbent CEO Claude Mongeau steps down for health reasons. Mongeau announced Tuesday he will resign as CN’s CEO at the end of June, after leading the railway company for six and a half years. “I was filled […] Read more
CONTEST CLOSED: Free to good home: Farm Progress tickets
Editor’s Note: Well, that escalated quickly. The contest is now closed; all our Farm Progress Show passes are now spoken for and will be in the mail shortly. If you’ve entered the contest and won tickets, expect to hear from us by email. If your entry arrived a little too late or if you’re just […] Read more
Alberta lifts off-roading ban
Citing an outbreak of “wet and cool weather” across parts of the province, reducing the overall fire hazard, the Alberta government has lifted most of its restrictions on off-highway vehicle (OHV) use. The province lifted its OHV ban for “much of the province” except for its forest areas around Lac La Biche and Fort McMurray, […] Read more
Kubota to buy equipment maker Great Plains
Japanese farm, construction, yard and landscaping equipment maker Kubota is set to expand its share in several of those sectors with a deal for Kansas equipment firm Great Plains Manufacturing. Kubota, which has had a strategic alliance with Great Plains for implements in the U.S. since 2007, announced Friday it will buy 100 per cent […] Read more
