Online ordering and virtual contracts commonplace, traceability and autonomous machines getting new push
Reading Time: 5 minutes Like it or not, the farm of the future will run on technology — and that future has become ever closer because of COVID-19. “It’s been a pretty big disruption for a lot of businesses,” said Wes Anderson, senior fertility specialist at CropPro Consulting. “It has forced a lot of our clients to use technology […] Read more
Pandemic speeding up adoption of technology
Canadian cannabis retailers poised to merge
High Tide, Meta Growth to create biggest weed retailer
Two major Canadian cannabis sellers are poised to create the largest pot retailer in the country by revenue. Calgary retailer High Tide Inc., which operates the Canna Cabana chain of stores in three provinces, announced a merger deal Friday to take up Toronto-based Meta Growth Corp., which runs the Meta Cannabis and NewLeaf Cannabis chains. […] Read more
Newfoundland to revamp ag oversight in shuffle
MHA Elvis Loveless to handle ag and fisheries files
Newfoundland and Labrador’s new premier plans a “realignment” for several of the provincial government’s departments — including a slightly different home and a new minister for the agriculture file. Dr. Andrew Furey, who was sworn in Wednesday to replace Dwight Ball as premier, announced a new cabinet the same day for the province’s Liberal minority […] Read more
‘Glencore Agriculture’ to adopt Viterra brand
Worldwide ag business to rebrand later this year
A trademark that Swiss commodity firm Glencore picked up when it bought its way into Prairie agriculture is about to become the global brand for its agribusiness offspring. David Mattiske, CEO of Glencore Agriculture, announced in a statement Wednesday the company will rebrand the business to Viterra in “late 2020.” The Viterra brand dates back […] Read more
Alberta’s AFSC to refund hail premiums on drowned crops
Agency taking applications until Sept. 11
Grain growers in Alberta’s Peace, northeastern and northwestern farming regions whose waterlogged crops are deemed “non-viable” can now file for full refunds on AFSC hail insurance premiums. AFSC, the province’s Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, announced Wednesday it will accept such applications from eligible growers from now until Sept. 11. Applications will be available online through […] Read more
New user-friendly website for Prairie pest network
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network has a new user-friendly website. The website, prairiepest.ca, has the features that were part of its long-running blog, such as risk maps, insect monitoring protocols, weekly updates, and insect of the week features. “The new site expands the functionality of the previous PPMN blog,” said network co-chair Jennifer Otani, a […] Read more
Feds line up projects for surplus food program
NGOs backed to gather, distribute 12 million kg of food
The federal government has lined up eight projects to source and distribute perishable produce, meat, eggs and seafood piling up across Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the federal pandemic response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in early May that Ottawa would budget $50 million for a food surplus purchase program. The […] Read more
Mexico to phase out use of glyphosate
Farmers to have until 2024 to phase out herbicide
Mexico City | Reuters — Mexico will gradually phase out use of the herbicide glyphosate by the time the current administration ends in late 2024, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday, following a ministerial spat over the product. Acknowledging differences between his agriculture and environment ministries over the herbicide, which is used in […] Read more
Most of Prairies to see little rain
MarketsFarm — Warm and dry weather that has generated little precipitation across the Prairies is expected to continue in most areas, aside from southern Manitoba, according to two meteorologists. “Looks like the overall pattern isn’t going to be changing too much,” Scott Kehler of Weatherlogics said. “What you see is what you’re going to get,” […] Read more
Locust swarming pheromone identified in step toward curbing plagues
Washington | Reuters — Scientists have identified a chemical compound released by locusts that causes them to swarm, opening the door to possible new ways to prevent these insects from devouring crops vital to human sustenance as they have for millennia. Researchers said on Wednesday they identified the pheromone — that is, a chemical produced […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
