Reading Time: < 1 minute The website for buying and selling ag products and services is new and improved, says the Alberta Forage Industry Network, the non-profit that operates it. Improvements to FarmingTheWeb.ca, which was given a “soft launch” in 2020, include improved search functionality, sector-specific listings, streamlined account setup and enhanced posting capabilities, it said. “As farmers and ranchers, […] Read more
Farming the Web gets an update
Is there a charity in your community you’d like to help?
Reading Time: < 1 minute New monkey bars at a school in Lacombe, more fresh food for clients of an Okotoks food bank, and support for a kids’ mental health training program in the Vermilion area are three examples of how Alberta communities are using grants from the Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities Program. The 10-year-old program, which gives farmers a […] Read more
Grants for 4-H clubs available
Reading Time: < 1 minute 4-H clubs can receive a grant of up to $500 from the FCC 4-H Club Fund — but only if they apply before Oct. 31. Farm Credit Canada is putting up $100,000 for clubs across the country. The grants can be used for existing programs, costs associated with local events and exchanges, supporting volunteers, or […] Read more

Pot producer Jushi acquires U.S. retailer in cheaper deal
Lack of movement on legalization drops valuations
Reuters — Cannabis producer Jushi Holdings acquired Massachusetts-based retailer Nature’s Remedy at a cheaper price than initially offered, as valuation of weed companies across North America has dramatically dropped lately. The decline in valuations over the last few months has been largely due to a lack of progress on anticipated federal marijuana reforms in the […] Read more
Warning issued about coyote parasite
Reading Time: < 1 minute A disease expert is warning rural Albertans to take precautions in order to avoid a parasite commonly carried by coyotes, reports the e-newsletter from Alberta Beef Producers. The tapeworm doesn’t seem to affect coyotes but its feces contain the parasite’s eggs and when rodents ingest some of the droppings, they develop a growth on their […] Read more

Backhaul gets the heave-ho in red-hot shipping container market
Container shipping in a mess, not expected to restore itself at least until 2022
Reading Time: 4 minutes The shipping container mess created by the pandemic will likely last until at least 2022, says the vice-president of a West Coast container transloading company. “Steamship lines across the globe are all playing catch-up with the import movements from across Asia and North America,” said Jordan Atkins, vice-president of WTC Group in New Westminster, B.C. […] Read more

Louis Dreyfus completes stake sale to ADQ
Deal includes long-term supply line to UAE
Paris | Reuters — Louis Dreyfus Co. (LDC) said on Friday it had completed the sale of a 45 per cent indirect stake to Abu Dhabi holding firm ADQ, marking the arrival of the first non-family shareholder in the agricultural commodity group’s 170-year history. The overall value of the deal was not disclosed but LDC […] Read more

Schoepp: In a changing world, a host of new questions need answering
Data ownership and who pays for sustainability measures are just two of many issues farmers must grapple with
Reading Time: 3 minutes There is a lot of pressure on farmers to adopt sustainable practices, digitize, understand carbon, conserve water, and add value. What are the top five areas in which all farmers should be asking questions? And what might those questions be? Carbon credits Although Canada’s goals are towards net-zero carbon emission, there is just as great […] Read more

GM’s pickup money machine gets a technology tuneup
Silverado ZR2 to appeal to extreme off-roading segment
Detroit | Reuters — General Motors will give its best-selling Chevrolet Silverado large pickup truck models a makeover next spring to fix competitive shortcomings that have left Chevy in third place in one of the most lucrative vehicle market segments in the world. Catching up with rival trucks from Stellantis NV and Ford Motor Co., […] Read more

Boom times: Green diesel plant could light a fire under canola
New renewable diesel facility expected to soak up a lot of canola oil, and fuel major production increases
Reading Time: 5 minutes Alberta farmers could see a huge new market for their canola right in their own backyard — the country’s largest renewable diesel facility. “It’s exciting news,” said Chris Vervaet, executive director of the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association. “Another market — and a potentially significant market — that drives demand is a boon for the canola […] Read more