Reading Time: < 1 minute Agriculture Financial Services Corporation is closing five one-person offices and amalgamating them with larger neighbouring offices. “These one-employee offices provided limited services to a small numbers of clients,” AFSC said in a release. The five offices to be closed are in High Prairie, High River, Rimbey, Smoky Lake and Spirit River. “These are very difficult […] Read more
AFSC closing five one-person offices
‘Actively trying’ to attract value-added processing, says minister
Government says more processing is a priority, but opposition says other provinces pulling ahead
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta is lagging behind the other Prairie provinces when it comes to plant protein processing — but the provincial government is working on it, says the agriculture minister. “Whether it’s canola processing, plant proteins, greenhouses, agri-technology, hemp — there are numerous types of commodities that we’re trying to attract value-added investment domestically and internationally to […] Read more
Canadian Pacific to buy Kansas City Southern in bet on trade
Biggest North American rail deal ever valued at US$25 billion
Reuters — Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) agreed on Sunday to acquire Kansas City Southern in a US$25 billion cash-and-stock deal to create the first railway spanning the United States, Mexico and Canada, standing to benefit from a pickup in trade. It would be the largest ever combination of North American railways by transaction value. It […] Read more
Giving credit where it’s due: New front opens in carbon tax debate
Farmers could benefit greatly from a carbon trading market but the devil will be in the details
Reading Time: 3 minutes A new front has opened up in the carbon tax debate: What sort of reward will farmers get for their stewardship efforts? On March 6, the federal Environment Department — now named Environment and Climate Change Canada — issued a draft of the regulatory framework for its new carbon offset market. This sets the stage […] Read more
4-H gets $600,000 funding pledge from BASF
Reading Time: < 1 minute Following a one-year agreement, 4-H Canada has renewed its partnership with BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions in a three-year deal that will see the youth organization receive $600,000. BASF is supporting the Community Engagement & Communications program. “This program empowers young people to make a positive difference in the world by volunteering in their local community […] Read more
Up, up, up — farmland prices take another big jump
Strong canola and grain prices along with low interest rates fuel six per cent rise
Reading Time: 5 minutes It’s another good news story — especially if you’re selling farmland. Despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic, Alberta’s farm economy was robust enough to fuel a six per cent jump in land prices last year. That’s the highest price rise between Quebec and B.C., and above the national average, according to the latest land […] Read more
FCC AgriSpirit Fund taking applications until March 31
Reading Time: < 1 minute Farm Credit Canada is now accepting applications for the FCC AgriSpirit Fund until March 31. The fund will award $1.5 million in grants (ranging from $5,000 to $25,000) to rural community groups for community improvement initiatives. Over the past 17 years, grants have been given, for example, for refrigeration and equipment to support food waste […] Read more
Ag equipment maker buys WHL’s Regina Pats
Brandt takes full ownership of hockey club
Regina-based machinery manufacturer the Brandt Group is levelling up from partner to full owner of the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats. Brandt, which since 2005 has held the naming rights to the Pats’ home arena, Brandt Centre — formerly the Regina Agridome — said Friday it has approval from the league’s board of governors and […] Read more
RDAR hires chief executive
Reading Time: < 1 minute Mark Redmond is the new CEO of Results Driven Agriculture Research, the new body funding ag research in the province. He was most recently the director of incubation service at PEI BioAlliance and was previously associate dean at NAIT’s School of Health (from 2016-18) and an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta (2011-17) and […] Read more
Port of Churchill moves to 100 per cent local ownership
Corporate partners step out of owner group
MarketsFarm — The Port of Churchill is undergoing an ownership transition that will see its OneNorth community and Indigenous partners assume 100 per cent ownership of the Hudson Bay port and the rail line connecting it to northwestern Manitoba. The Churchill Marine Tank Farm and associated assets are also part of the deal, according to […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
