Reading Time: < 1 minute Olds College Smart Farm is expanding thanks to a gift of 320 acres of farmland from George and Marge Steckler. The Smart Farm was launched in 2018 with 110 acres and has since expanded to more than 2,000 acres. It features soil monitors, digital weather stations, wireless grain bin sensors, multispectral imaging, precision ag tools, […] Read more
Olds College Smart Farm expanding thanks to gift of land
Prairie provinces react to Bibeau’s questions on carbon price impact
Ottawa — The Saskatchewan and Manitoba governments continue attempts to convince the federal government’s carbon pricing program puts farmers at a disadvantage. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau recently suggested the carbon pricing system may not be disadvantaging farmers, questioning the impact of carbon pricing on agriculture, but saying she will continue to seek out more […] Read more
Major grocers roll out plant-based burgers, undercut Beyond Meat
Chicago | Reuters — Cashing in on rising demand for imitation meat, major retailers including Kroger and Walmart recently began to carry Beyond Meat’s plant-based burgers and sausages. Now, several stores are creating similar products that will compete with Beyond Meat. Kroger Co., the biggest U.S. grocer, on Wednesday rolled out its own line of […] Read more
ILTA Grain security payout to be CGC’s biggest ever
An insurance policy set up for demised Prairie pulse exporter ILTA Grain will pay, in full, what’s owed to over 200 growers who supplied the company, according to the Canadian Grain Commission. The CGC announced Monday that 222 eligible unpaid growers will receive a total of $11.146 million covered by the security ILTA posted before […] Read more
Syngenta owner ChemChina to merge ag assets with Sinochem’s
Zurich | Reuters — ChemChina and Sinochem are consolidating their agricultural assets into a new holding company to be called Syngenta Group, ChemChina unit Syngenta said on Sunday. Chen Lichtenstein, current CEO of Shenzhen-listed crop protection company Adama, which will also be incorporated into the new group, will be nominated chief financial officer of the […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola could break out of range
MarketsFarm — With canola now near the top end of its range, prices could break out of being rangebound in the next several days, according to an analyst. Canola has made gains over the last month or so, largely due to spillover from increasing prices for soyoil on the Chicago Board of Trade. Soyoil has […] Read more
Palm oil 101: Sought-after crop holds sway over oilseed trade
MarketsFarm — Palm oil may be grown halfway around the world in conditions much different than on the Canadian Prairies, but the outsized influence of the crop on world oilseed markets makes it an important factor to watch when considering canola prices. Indonesia and Malaysia are the world’s largest producers of the crop, with futures […] Read more
China approves two new GM crops from U.S. for import
Beijing | Reuters — China approved two new genetically modified (GM) crops for import on Monday that could boost agricultural purchases from the United States, while renewing permits for 10 others, the Chinese agriculture ministry said. Earlier this month, Beijing and Washington announced a Phase 1 trade deal, under which China has agreed to import […] Read more
Early 2020 forecast points to cooler, drier Prairie spring
MarketsFarm – After 2019’s dry growing season and messy harvest, 2020 may have fairer skies in store for producers across the Canadian Prairies. Following the spring melt, weather in the Prairies is expected to show a bias to the drier side, which will keep excess soil moisture at bay following wet conditions last fall. “The […] Read more
U.S. won’t levy new tariffs on Brazil, Trump tells Bolsonaro
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump told him in a phone conversation that his administration will not levy new tariffs on Brazilian steel and aluminum as threatened earlier this month. “I had a phone conversation a few moments ago with Donald Trump. … He […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
