Roberta Rampton

WINNIPEG (Staff) – Proposed changes to the Grain Futures Act would not necessarily mean the Canadian Grain Commission would take a more direct role in a market emergency, such as the one surrounding the June 1994 canola futures contract. Peter Clarke, the commission’s supervisor of grain futures trading, said the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange would take […] Read more

BRANDON, Man. (Staff) – Canadian farmers will plant 13 percent fewer acres of beans this year according to estimates from a trader at Cook’s, an Ontario-based bean exporting company. Brad Ford told pulse growers he expects many farmers will shift production into cereals and coarse grains to cash in on high prices. “It just doesn’t […] Read more

BRANDON, Man. – The Manitoba government may give farmers higher crop insurance coverage levels if they use certified seed. The Manitoba Seed Growers Association is working on a proposal for the change. Speaking at a pulse growers’ meeting, vice-president Brian McElroy said the program would be optional. If negotiations go well, it could be in […] Read more

WINNIPEG – Farmers will grow more wheat and malting barley in the next 10 years and get better prices than they have in the last decade, according to a new 10-year forecast from the Canadian Wheat Board. The director of the board’s market analysis department said the forecast to 2004-2005 is great news for producers. […] Read more

WINNIPEG (Staff) – The Canadian Wheat Board focused its forecast on wheat and coarse grain trade, comparing projections for the next 10 years to the period from the 1989-90 crop year to 1993-94. Key predictions include: World wheat production of 625 million tonnes by 2005, compared to 559 million tonnes during the last five years. […] Read more

WINNIPEG – Manitoba egg farmers are entering a brave new era of sharing their risks with processors and feed mills. Harold Froese, chair of the provincial marketing board, said egg producers plan to be partners in the industry so they can be more effective in the small but growing export market. “We … know what […] Read more

OAK BLUFF, Man. – Reluctant and red-faced, Henry Penner looked like he would choke on his words. But after some cajoling from the group of farmers he sat with, this United Grain Growers director known for his strong open-market views spit them out: “All grain should be under the wheat board.” Penner was not reporting […] Read more

WINNIPEG – Farmers need more time and information if federal and provincial agriculture ministers want their help in a national review of crop insurance, according to a farm lobby group. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture sent a letter to agriculture minister Ralph Goodale last week urging him to change the timetable for the review, which […] Read more

WINNIPEG (Staff) – The trial of a Manitoba farmer charged with exporting cereal grains to the U.S. without a Canadian Wheat Board permit continued here last week. Provincial court judge Arnold Conner heard a request by the crown to allow testimony from three university law professors. In his defence, David Sawatsky and his representative Dan […] Read more

WINNIPEG – Farmers have always been good at dealing with change, but the president of Keystone Agricultural Producers said changes coming this year may be greater than ever. “This is a little scary,” said Les Jacobson, addressing the Manitoba general farm lobby group’s annual meeting last week. “But this will make us all stop and […] Read more