natural gas Archives - Alberta Farmer Express

‘Perfect storm’ causes fertilizer price spikes

'Most of us are in a "wait-and-see" position'

MarketsFarm — Fertilizer prices have increased over the past year, but could be headed even higher as a recent confluence of events has caused a shortage — the effects of which may affect producers past the New Year. “Particularly, in the last few weeks, there have been a number of supply events which have really […] Read more

An information label is seen on packaging for a CO2 cylinder for a fizzy drinks machine in Manchester, Britain on Sept. 20, 2021. (Photo: Reuters)/Phil Noble)

Livestock, Reuters

Britain tells its food industry to prepare for CO2 price shock

U.K. pays fertilizer maker CF Industries to reopen plants

By James Davey, Guy Faulconbridge, Kate Holton, GFM Network News September 22, 2021

London | Reuters — Britain warned its food producers on Wednesday to prepare for a 400 per cent rise in carbon dioxide prices after extending emergency state support to avert a shortage of poultry and meat triggered by soaring costs of wholesale natural gas. Natural gas prices have spiked this year as economies reopened from […] Read more

Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.K. meat industry warns of threat to supplies from CO2 crisis

CO2 shortage is caused by closure of fertilizer plants

By James Davey, GFM Network News September 20, 2021

London | Reuters — Some of Britain’s meat processors will run out of carbon dioxide (CO2) within five days, forcing them to halt production and impacting supplies to food retailers, the head of the industry’s lobby group warned on Monday. A jump in gas prices has forced several domestic energy suppliers out of business and […] Read more

Yara’s fertilizer terminal at Stockton, California. (Sebastian Braum photo, Yara.com)

Crops, Markets, Reuters

Norway’s Yara curtails European ammonia output

Surge in price of natural gas cited

By Reuters, GFM Network News September 17, 2021

Oslo | Reuters — Norway’s Yara is curtailing ammonia production at a number of plants due to a surge in the price of natural gas, the fertilizer maker said Friday. “Record high natural gas prices in Europe are impacting ammonia production margins,” Yara said in a statement. “Including optimization of ongoing maintenance, Yara will by […] Read more

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leaves a news conference at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on June 25, 2021. (Photo: Reuters/Blair Gable)

Parliament rises as farm succession bill passes

Manitoba MP's private member's bill clears Senate

By D.C. Fraser, GFM Network News June 26, 2021

With the possibility of a fall election looming, MPs rose from the House of Commons on Wednesday, marking the end to a parliamentary session featuring a handful of laws impacting agriculture. Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire saw his private member’s bill, aimed at lowering taxes on the sales of farms and other small businesses, pass in […] Read more

Crops, Machinery & Shop, Weather

Grain drying relief moving forward, one way or other

Governing Liberals telegraph plans to introduce their own measure

By D.C. Fraser, GFM Network News February 28, 2021

Despite voting against a bill to exempt certain farm fuels from the carbon tax, the governing federal Liberals say tax relief for grain drying is coming. Conservative MP Philip Lawrence’s private member’s bill C-206, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (qualifying farming fuel), passed second reading in the House of Commons […] Read more

CME March 2021 feeder cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures sag as weather stalls slaughter pace

By Julie Ingwersen, GFM Network News February 18, 2021

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle and hog futures declined on Wednesday as wintry weather and power outages hampered meat-packing operations, slowing the pace of slaughter and reducing demand for market-ready animals, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange April live cattle futures settled down 1.65 cents at 124.15 cents/lb., while the spot February contract ended down […] Read more

Crops, Machinery & Shop, Markets, Reuters

Some U.S. ethanol producers cut production to sell natural gas for profit

By Stephanie Kelly, GFM Network News February 17, 2021

New York | Reuters — Sky-high U.S. natural gas prices have prompted some Midwestern ethanol producers to reduce processing in the last week, hoping instead to sell off some of their natural gas to take advantage of current high spot prices caused by the spike in cold weather, industry sources said. Ethanol margins in the […] Read more

An excavator works on Parliament Hill on Oct. 22, 2019. (Photo: Reuters/Patrick Doyle)

Crops

Ottawa roundup: Carbon tax, Grain Act review, Horticultural Council AGM

By D.C. Fraser, GFM Network News March 16, 2020

Despite much of the world’s focus being on slumping stock markets and a global pandemic, there are several recent developments out of Ottawa related to agriculture: Canada Grain Act Canada’s Treasury Board has identified the Canada Grain Act as a piece of legislation in need of regulatory reform. This has been on the federal Liberal […] Read more

Crops, Machinery & Shop, Weather

Green Party backs grain drying exemption from carbon tax

By GFM Staff January 20, 2020

One of the federal opposition parties in full favour of carbon pricing is lending its support to calls by farm groups for a carbon tax break for grain drying. Vancouver Island MP Paul Manly, the Green Party’s caucus critic for agriculture, announced the party’s position Monday. “We support the grain producers of Canada in their […] Read more

Regulations on gene-edited crops to be eased in England

U.S. livestock: CME hog futures extend rally on USDA data

India unveils new rice variety to reduce water use, labour

GFM Network News