MarketsFarm — It’s too early yet to determine the effect of massive floods in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland on grain movement, according to the company monitoring Canada’s grain handling and transportation system. Up to 200 millimetres of rain earlier this week have triggered mudslides and cut access to rail lines and highways east of Vancouver. […] Read more

Grain flow uncertain as floods halt B.C. rail, road traffic

B.C. rains shut CN, CP mainlines and Highways 1, 7
Repairs already underway, CN says
The effects of rainstorms pelting southern British Columbia’s Interior have reached into the Prairies by effectively cutting off grain traffic to Vancouver. Canadian National Railway said Tuesday that heavy rainfalls in the region have led to mudslides and washouts on its network. Crews are inspecting affected areas and “carrying out repairs which are critical to […] Read more

Tim Hortons parent to buy Firehouse Subs as other brands drag
Chain's comparable year-to-date sales up 20 per cent against pre-pandemic levels
Reuters — Tim Hortons parent Restaurant Brands International said Monday it will buy sandwich chain Firehouse Subs for US$1 billion, at a time when its popular brands are struggling due to increased competition from rivals launching new menu items. Analysts have said fried chicken sandwich pioneer Popeyes, owned by RBI, has been hurt by McDonald’s […] Read more

Pot company Hexo to shut production sites, cut jobs
Reuters — Pot producer Hexo Corp. said Tuesday it will close three production sites in Canada in early 2022, affecting 155 employees, as part of its integration plans following recent acquisitions. Gatineau, Que.-based Hexo said it will cease operations at its Kirkland Lake and Brantford facilities in Ontario at the end of January and at […] Read more

U.S. farm co-op CHS to pay members to enrol in Bayer carbon farming program
Reuters – Agricultural seeds and chemicals supplier Bayer AG is expanding its carbon farming program to members of U.S. farm cooperative CHS Inc, boosting incentives for members to participate in the program, the companies said on Wednesday. The agreement will make it easier for CHS’s 75,000 farmer-members to enrol in Bayer’s Carbon Program, an early […] Read more

Co-op to capture carbon at ethanol plant, refinery
FCL, Whitecap sign agreement to sequester fuel plants' CO2
A major Prairie ethanol and fuel producer is posed to spend just over half a billion dollars on a system to capture and sequester carbon dioxide from its operations in Saskatchewan. Federated Co-operatives announced Thursday it had signed a memo of understanding with Calgary-based ‘clean energy’ company Whitecap Resources, in which the latter company will […] Read more

‘Containergeddon’ drives sugar, rice shippers back to bulk vessels
New York | Reuters — Food traders are switching from containers back to dry bulk vessels to transport refined sugar and rice, hoping to avoid shipping delays caused by container shortages and port congestion the industry is calling “containergeddon,” according to traders. Container-based transportation has been hit by sky-high costs and delays amid booming shipping […] Read more

ICE weekly outlook: Canola rally keeps going
Not yet back at $1K, but it's possible
MarketsFarm — With good gains from other edible oils, canola has remained on the rise so far during the week of Oct. 18. It’s uncertain as to how much longer the rally could press on, but analyst David Derwin of PI Financial in Winnipeg said canola punching through $1,000 per tonne again is possible. “Never […] Read more

Hops gaining ground here — and craft brewers couldn’t be happier
Alberta isn’t known for hops but that’s changing fast as growers master the tricky crop
Reading Time: 5 minutes It might not be the Yakima Valley — the hops capital of the world — but Alberta is no slouch when it comes to producing high-quality hops for the craft beer market. “The markets are definitely getting more prominent for Alberta hops,” said Jenelle Bjarnason, who owns Hop To It with husband Shayne. “It’s still […] Read more

More acres seen needed worldwide to meet mounting crops demand
U.S. acres may have already hit ceiling: AgResource chief
Geneva | Reuters — Farmers need more space to grow crops to meet mounting demand for food and renewable fuel at a time of slowing growth in yields, consultancy AgResource said on Tuesday. A renewable fuel push under U.S. President Joe Biden’s climate agenda is set to trigger a boom in soyoil use, reinforcing a […] Read more