This week’s ag news, all in one place — here’s Kelvin with the TWORA podcast for the week of March 13th, 2015: Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS
Category: News
Calgary-based Rocky Mountain Equipment, through a subsidiary, has entered an agreement to purchase all the shares in Manitoba agricultural equipment dealer Chabot Implements for $6.8 million. A family-owned business started in 1935, Chabot sells Case IH and other brands through locations in Portage la Prairie, Steinbach and Elie. Chabot also handles Kubota, Buhler and various... Read More
Although prices have retreated from the sky-high levels that followed the quality problems around the world last year, durum acres are expected to rise by up to 20 percent in Western Canada in 2015. “With the prices that we’ve seen this year, we should see an increase for acres,” said Alan Hagemeier, a Minneapolis-based merchandiser... Read More
A new training and education facility built to promote Canadian beef officially opened its doors on Monday. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, joined beef industry officials for the opening of the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence in Calgary, Alberta. "Our government is proud to see this... Read More
The Grain Farmers of Ontario has submitted to the government its 10-point, four-year "pollinator health blueprint," which includes a focus on increasing pollinator habitat, increasing grower education and decreasing neonicotinoid use. The Blueprint identifies five key areas to "enhance the health" of pollinators in Ontario: Habitat and nutrition; Pesticide exposure; Diseases and parasites; Communication between... Read More
Soybeans have cleared another hurdle in the crop's quest for more acres in Western Canada as Alberta's Agriculture Financial Services Corporation has decided to start offering crop insurance coverage for soybeans this year. Both dryland and irrigated soybeans will be insurable in certain areas under an AFSC program called the "New Crops Insurance Initiative." "The... Read More
*Update on Monday, March 9th: The USDA on March 9th confirmed a second case of H5N2 avian influenza in the Mississippi flyway on a turkey farm in Missouri. Another turkey facility in Missouri has also been quarantined after preliminary tests came back positive for the virus. The first finding of the highly pathogenic H5N2 avian... Read More
The Canola Council of Canada has new chair. Brian Conn, vice-president of oilseeds with Louis Dreyfus Commodities Canada Ltd. succeeds Nipawin, Saskatchewan farmer Terry Youzwa, who finished his two-year term as chair. “On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Terry for his service as Chairman,” said Conn in a CCC news release.... Read More
If you’re looking to catch up on what’s been happening in the world of Canadian agriculture, this week’s podcast runs the gamut — from seed companies collecting end point royalties to why some weeds are more prone to herbicide resistance to why McDonald’s is looking to Canada for “sustainable beef.” Here’s “This Week on Real... Read More
The Canadian government’s decision to implement UPOV ’91 standards for plant breeders’ rights is driving new investment in crop breeding, say seed industry officials. Bill C-18 — the federal legislation amending the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act — became law last week. Representatives from the seed trade and the crop sector value chain celebrated its passage... Read More