Farmers have welcomed proposed changes to the federal Fisheries Act as a step toward ending harassment of farmers by fisheries officers when drainage and irrigation ditches become inadvertent fish habitat. “This has been a real irritant for many farmers,” said Keystone Agricultural Producers president Dough Chorney. “They have found DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans) […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Farmer-owned Alberta grain company expands, buys Saskatchewan elevator
Providence Grain Group of Alberta has acquired 97.3 percent of the outstanding common shares in Meridian Grain Corp. of Marengo, Sask., and will now move to acquire the remainder. A joint news release issued by the two companies last week said the conditions of Providence’s February offer to buy the outstanding shares had been met. […] Read more
Documents show at least five suitors lined up to woo Viterra
At least five companies were vying for Viterra Inc. in the weeks leading up to the announcement that Glencore International was the successful suitor. That information is contained in an information circular the company released May 4 to shareholders who will vote May 29 in Calgary on the $6.1 billion deal. Viterra’s largest shareholder, AIMCo, […] Read more
Group formed to tackle water drainage issues
The association wants municipal and provincial drainage policies
Contentious drainage issues have prompted farmers to form the Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship Association. It is calling for the provincial and municipal governments to develop an organized drainage system. It says farmers must be at the table when such policies are developed and should be willing to co-operate with others in the process. The SFSA first […] Read moreGlencore-Viterra report raises concerns about fertilizer competition
Glencore’s plan to sell 232 agri-retail facilities to Agrium, should its acquisition of Viterra be approved, has been flagged for concern in an independent analysis of the deal done for the province. Agriculture minister Bob Bjornerud released the Informa Economics report today. He said the report highlights positive and negative aspects of the deal. As […] Read more
Sask. appoints chief electoral officer
Michael Boda has been appointed Saskatchewan’s chief electoral officer. Born and raised in the province, he has worked around the globe for the past 17 years in election administration, law and assessment. Most recently he worked in Scotland, Ghana, Pakistan and Jordan. He also served on the staff of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, […] Read more
Mustard firm looks for final hour deal
Mustard Capital Inc. will close its doors May 4 unless a last-minute deal is struck to keep the Gravelbourg, Sask., company in business. A restructuring process has not gone as well as the company had hoped. Interest was shown, but no firm offers were made. “I am surprised,” said chief executive officer Tom Halpenny April […] Read more
More planned after Viterra buy: Glencore
Expanding canola crushing assets considered
Glencore executive Chris Mahoney says the company has plans for Canada beyond its acquisition of Viterra. In an interview in Regina last week, the company’s director of agriculture products said Glencore’s first priority is to gain approval of the $6.1 billion Viterra bid, probably by late July or early August. Viterra shareholders vote May 29 […] Read morePastures will likely return to provinces
All 85 federal community pastures will be open this year as Ottawa begins to turn the land back, in most cases, to the provinces. Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz said the federal government would begin to divest itself of the pastures next year. “No pastures will be affected this grazing season and we will work in […] Read more
End of an era for shelterbelt program
Like thousands of prairie farmers, Lorne Scott has planted hundreds of trees on his farm near Indian Head, Sask. He weeded and watered, and each year replaced those that didn’t survive. The routine is similar throughout Western Canada, but after next year farmers will have to get their trees somewhere else — and pay for […] Read more
