Winnipeg | Reuters — Canadian farmers are on track to harvest a record-large all-wheat crop, and more canola than last year, due mainly to favourable crop conditions, advisory service FarmLink Marketing Solutions estimated Wednesday. The Winnipeg-based company’s staff toured western Canadian fields during the last two weeks of July. “We expected a big crop and […] Read more

Crop tour suggests record-large wheat harvest ahead

Pulse weekly outlook: Chickpea market under pressure
Current crop up against disease issues
MarketsFarm — Lost demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic is keeping pressure on the Canadian chickpea market, despite disease issues causing problems for nearly a third of the country’s crop, according to an industry source. After disease caused problems for chickpeas in some areas of southern Saskatchewan in 2019, the radius of the problem area […] Read more

Canada says requirements for Huawei exec’s extradition to U.S. met
Reuters — Canada’s attorney general says the requirements for extraditing Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou to the United States on charges of bank fraud have been met, documents submitted in a British Columbia court show. Meng, 48, was arrested in December 2018 on a warrant from the United States, which alleges that she misled […] Read more

Canada’s pace in trade talks with U.K. raising frustration
Doubts remain on potential benefits for Canadian farmers
The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) is expressing frustration over the pace at which Canada is engaging the United Kingdom toward a post-Brexit free trade deal. Steve Verheul, assistant deputy minister of trade policy and negotiations at Global Affairs Canada, told a parliamentary committee any deal between the two countries will be impacted by European […] Read more

Non-essential travel limits extended at U.S. borders with Canada, Mexico
Washington/Ottawa | Reuters — Restrictions on non-essential travel at U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico will be extended through Aug. 21, Canada and the United States announced Thursday. “Canada and the United States have agreed to extend the current border measures by one month until Aug. 21, and we’re going to keep working closely […] Read more

Elanco forgoes Canadian poultry insecticide rights for Bayer deal
Reuters — Elanco Animal Health has decided against acquiring Bayer’s Canadian distribution rights to several poultry insecticides, Canada’s Competition Bureau said on Tuesday, as it looks to complete a $7.6-billion deal. The U.S.-based company will also divest its canine ear infection treatment product Osurnia and Bayer’s feline dewormer Profender to address competition concerns about its […] Read more

China says could take more action against Canada
Ottawa and allies 'kicking against the pricks,' foreign ministry says
Beijing | Reuters — China said on Monday it reserved the right to take more action after Canada suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and said efforts to pressure Beijing were “doomed to fail like kicking against the pricks.” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the remarks about the potential for more action […] Read more

Health minister calls treatment of some farm workers a ‘national disgrace’
Ministers discussing changes to Canada's TFW program
Ottawa | Reuters — The treatment of migrant workers in Canada by some farmers is disgraceful and the federal government is seeking to fix the problem, the country’s health minister told a parliamentary committee on Friday, as farms battle COVID-19 outbreaks among their employees. Outbreaks of coronavirus infections have killed three people and infected hundreds […] Read more

Little change seen in June’s crop supply/demand tables
MarketsFarm — Supply/demand estimates for Canada’s major crops saw little change in updated tables released Tuesday from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Acreage estimates from Statistics Canada are due out June 30, and should lead to more sizeable adjustments in subsequent reports. Canola ending stocks were left unchanged at 2.6 million tonnes for the current marketing […] Read more

Pompeo urges China to release two detained Canadians
U.S. Secretary of State calls charges 'groundless'
Washington/Ottawa | Reuters — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Monday for the immediate release of two Canadians charged by China with espionage, saying the United States was “extremely concerned” and that the two men’s detention was unjustified. “These charges are politically motivated and completely groundless,” Pompeo said in a statement. Chinese prosecutors […] Read more