As he heads into retirement, Ward Toma says the crop’s future is as bright as it was when he was starting out
Reading Time: 3 minutes As he looks into the rear-view mirror of history, Alberta Canola general manager Ward Toma points to 2003 as a turning point. But not because of what happened in the canola sector, but rather the earthquake that hit the cattle business when BSE was discovered in an Alberta cow. In each of the two years […] Read more
Golden era for canola isn’t over by a long shot, says industry vet
Research funding agency run by farmers closes its doors
Board votes to shut down Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund after funding dries up
Reading Time: 2 minutes After 17 years in operation, the Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund (ACIDF) has shuttered its doors. “Alberta Agriculture and Forestry is changing the way it handles research and development,” said Doug Walkley, the organization’s former executive director. For the past three years, the ministry has been conducting a review of how it funds ag research […] Read more
Canola crush is thundering along at a record rate this year
Crush production records have been falling like flies, and both producers and the wider economy are benefiting
Reading Time: 3 minutes This year’s canola crush is on pace to be the highest ever, which is good news for producers. “It’s great for farmers,” said Renn Breitkreutz, vice-chair of the Alberta Canola Producers Commission. “Our product is in demand and we’ve seen significant investment in crush capacity over the past couple of years and now it seems […] Read more
A golden future? Trade deal could see more canola crushing here
Canola producers who farm close to crush plants can get premiums, but it can mean more trucking costs
Reading Time: 4 minutes Canadian canola producers are poised to crush the Asian canola oil market if the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal is implemented. “The immediate benefit in the next five years is going to be that the tariffs on canola oil going into Japan are going to drop from 15 per cent to zero,” said Ward Toma, general […] Read more
Canola growers want province to push biodiesel
Effort would create more demand and help with reductions in greenhouse gases
Reading Time: 2 minutes The new provincial government needs to walk the walk — not just talk the talk — on climate change, starting with better support for renewable energy sources, says the general manager of Alberta Canola Producers Commission. “In their election platforms, almost all political parties talk about climate change and greenhouse gas reduction,” said Ward Toma. […] Read more
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