A months-long battle between Canada’s two largest railway companies to gain control of American freight carrier Kansas City Southern Railway appears to be rounding the final turn. On Sept. 15, Missouri-based KCS announced that it had terminated a US$33.6 billion merger agreement with Montreal-based Canadian National Railway. The rejection of CN’s offer came two days […] Read more
Brian Cross
Stories by Brian Cross
GIFS reaches new funding deal
The Global Institute for Food Security in Saskatoon recently reconfirmed a memorandum of understanding with partners and secured additional funding. GIFS has secured additional funding with cash and in-kind contributions coming from the province, the University of Saskatchewan and corporate partner Nutrien. In a Sept 23 interview, GIFS declined to share details of the new […] Read more
New funding boosts U of M wheat research
Canadian Wheat Research Coalition, Western Grain Research Foundation and Sask. Winter Cereals Development Commission commit $3.5 million over three years
A collection of groups that provide producer funding to wheat research activities in Western Canada have signed a new core wheat breeding agreement with the University of Manitoba. The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition, the Western Grain Research Foundation and the Saskatchewan Winter Cereals Development Commission have committed $3.5 million to the University of Manitoba over […] Read more
Barley, canola stocks tumble due to record exports in past year
Canada’s year-ending barley stocks dropped to the lowest levels ever recorded as of July 31, based on increased producer deliveries, steady global demand and record exports during the 2020-21 crop year, Canada’s national statistics agency said last week. In its most recent Total Stocks of Principal Field Crops report, Statistics Canada pegged Canada’s total barley […] Read more
Grain exports get off to slow start
Producer deliveries and export shipments of western Canadian grain are off to a relatively slow start in the 2021-22 crop year, according to data from the federal Grain Monitoring Program. According to GMP’s latest weekly performance report dated Sept. 7, west coast exports of Canadian grain through Vancouver and Prince Rupert, B.C., during the first […] Read more
Cash advance takes new applications
One of Canada’s most popular farm programs — the Advance Payments Program — is now accepting applications for post-harvest advances. The APP is designed to give primary producers additional cash flow flexibility by offering immediate cash advances of up to $1 million per eligible applicant. The only security required is unsold inventories of farm commodities […] Read more
Farm revenue reaches record levels
Canada’s agricultural producers enjoyed record revenues in the first six months of 2021, thanks to high commodity prices, brisk sales and strong global demand for agricultural products. According to Statistics Canada, total farm cash receipts across the country exceeded $38.2 billion in the first six months of 2021, a year-over-year increase of 12.4 percent. During […] Read more
Barley, canola stocks take significant tumble
Canada’s year-ending barley stocks dropped to the lowest levels ever recorded as of July 31, based on increased producer deliveries, steady global demand and record exports during the 2020-21 crop year, Canada’s national statistics agency said this week. In its most recent Total Stocks of Principal Field Crops report, Statistics Canada pegged Canada’s total barley […] Read more
Thunder Bay ships less grain
Year-to-date grain shipments through Ontario’s Port of Thunder Bay are sharply lower than they were a year ago, the port authority said last week. Thunder Bay’s total grain shipments from Jan. 1, 2021, to the end of August were just a shade more than four million tonnes, the port authority said in a news release. […] Read more
Lake Diefenbaker water levels drop this year
Projected daily outflows are above the minimum that is required but well below the historical median outflow for August
Outflows from Lake Diefenbaker — southern Saskatchewan’s largest and most important surface water reservoir — will remain at levels well below normal as the province copes with extremely dry conditions and low run-off levels. However, officials with Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency (WSA) say water levels at Lake Diefenbaker are within the normal operating range and […] Read more
