apples Archives | Alberta Farmer Express

Migrant workers clean fields in California’s Salinas Valley on March 30, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)

Canadian, U.S. farms face crop losses on foreign worker delays

By Christopher Walljasper, Rod Nickel, GFM Network News April 6, 2020

Winnipeg/Chicago | Reuters — Mandatory coronavirus quarantines of seasonal foreign workers in Canada could hurt that country’s fruit and vegetable output this year, and travel problems related to the pandemic could also leave U.S. farmers with fewer workers than usual. Foreign labour is critical to farm production in both countries, where domestic workers shun the […] Read more

File photo of apple picking in a Quebec orchard. (Noah Burger/iStock/Getty Images)

Apples, Crops, Reuters

EU to ban Bayer’s Calypso insecticide

By Reuters October 22, 2019

Brussels | Reuters — European Union governments on Tuesday widened the EU ban on neonicotinoid pesticides after deciding not to renew their approval for Bayer’s thiacloprid. Farmers will not be allowed to use the neonic insecticide, sold under the brands Calypso and Biscaya, after April 30, 2020, when its current approval expires. A majority of […] Read more

File photo of fresh cherries from a roadside fruit stand at Penticton, B.C. (Amy Mitchell/iStock/Getty Images)

Crops, Fruit/Vegetables, Reuters

EU set to halt imports of Canadian cherries, other fruits

By Kelsey Johnson August 22, 2019

Ottawa | Reuters — The European Union will halt imports of Canadian cherries and other fresh fruits starting Sept. 1 as it enforces new import requirements related to pests, according to a Canadian government document sent to industry on Thursday. In the notice, which was seen by Reuters, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said the […] Read more

A Mexican port-of-entry sign on Highway 92 near Naco, Arizona. (Rex_Wholster/iStock/Getty Images)

Crops, Markets, Reuters

Target Trump’s base if trade spat worsens, Mexican farm lobby says

By David Alire Garcia, Sharay Angulo May 31, 2019

Mexico City | Reuters — The Mexican government should target agricultural goods produced in states that have voted for U.S. President Donald Trump’s Republican Party if the trade conflict between the two neighbours worsens, the head of Mexico’s main farm lobby said on Friday. Bosco de la Vega, head of Mexico’s national farm council CNA, […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Crops, Weather

Neonic-treated canola not an ‘unacceptable risk’ for pollinators

By Dave Bedard April 11, 2019

Already facing federally mandated phase-outs from many major on-farm uses in Canada over risks to aquatic insects, neonicotinoids aren’t expected to pose “unacceptable risks” to pollinators when used on canola seed or hothouse vegetables in the meantime. Health Canada said as much Thursday as it released its final re-evaluation decisions for three neonic pesticides — […] Read more

Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland attends a news conference on media freedom as part of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Dinard, France on April 5, 2019. (File photo: Reuters/Stephane Mahe)

Crops, Markets, Reuters

Canada looks at fresh tariffs on U.S. goods

By Reuters April 9, 2019

Ottawa | Reuters — Canada is looking at ways to boost the effectiveness of its retaliatory tariffs against the United States, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Tuesday, but did not address remarks by a senior official who revealed what Ottawa might do. Canada imposed tariffs on $16.6 billion worth of U.S. exports in May […] Read more

File photo of apples in a U.S. supermarket. (CHUYN/iStock/Getty Images)

Crops, Markets

Canada gearing up to slap more tariffs on U.S. imports

By Allan Dawson April 9, 2019

Canada will update its list of U.S. imports, including farm products, on which it will place tariffs in retaliation to U.S. tariffs on imported Canadian steel and aluminum, David MacNaughton, Canada’s ambassador to the United States, said Monday. “The intention… is not to escalate anything but simply to do what we said we’d do — […] Read more

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a meeting of the National Space Council in the East Room of the White House in Washington on June 18. (Photo: Reuters/Leah Millis)

Crops, Reuters

Trump’s tariff war threatens to erode support of farmers

By Mark Weinraub June 18, 2018

Chicago | Reuters — President Donald Trump’s tariff battle with key buyers of U.S. apples, soybeans and corn threatens the support of some of his biggest backers — U.S. farmers now seeing their livelihoods in jeopardy. Farmers overwhelmingly supported Trump in the 2016 election, welcoming how he championed rural economies and vowed to repeal estate […] Read more

Livestock, Markets, Reuters

Mexico hits back on U.S. steel, slaps tariffs on pork, bourbon

By Reuters June 5, 2018

Mexico City | Reuters — Mexico responded in kind to U.S. President Donald Trump’s metals tariffs by imposing its own duties on U.S. steel on Tuesday, while also targeting politically sensitive agricultural products from pork to bourbon. Mexico’s peso tumbled to its weakest level since February 2017, leading losses among major currencies due to the […] Read more

Crops, Fruit/Vegetables, Reuters

China customs expanding checks on U.S. fruit imports

By Karl Plume, Yawen Chen May 4, 2018

Beijing/Chicago | Reuters –– China’s major ports of entry have ramped up checks on fresh fruit imports from the U.S., five Chinese industry sources said, which could delay shipments from U.S. growers already dealing with higher tariffs as Sino-U.S. trade ties worsen. Fruits were among 128 U.S. goods that China slapped with more expensive import […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat climbs on signs of drought damage in northern U.S. Plains

CBOT weekly outlook: More information needed for wheat, soybeans

Crop quality greater in western Manitoba

GFM Network News