Saskatchewan’s 2018 crop insurance program will contain fire insurance for pastures and better compensation for livestock lost due to predators. Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart announced details for the coming year this morning in Melville. Average coverage levels are $216 per acre compared to $217 last year, mostly as a result of lower crop prices. The […] Read more
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DowDuPont unveils new company name
In December 2015, Dow and Dupont announced a massive merger between two firms valued at $130 billion. At that time, the companies said they intended to separate DowDuPont into three independent, publicly traded firms, including an agricultural company. DowDuPont moved closer to that goal Feb. 26 unveiling the name of its new agricultural business. It […] Read more
Canada budget to stay the course with uncertainty over NAFTA
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau is expected to unveil a restrained budget on Tuesday, with just enough spending to assuage middle class voters under pressure from rising rates — while keeping his powder dry amid uncertainty over NAFTA. With the domestic economy going strong and the Bank of Canada hiking rates, the […] Read more
Dryness adds to bigger-than-expected U.S. cattle placements
CHICAGO, Feb 23 (Reuters) – Ranchers moved 4.4 percent more cattle into U.S. feedlots last month than in January 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported on Friday, surpassing the high end of analysts’ average forecasts. Analysts partly attributed the placement outcome to severe drought in Texas and Oklahoma, along with continued dryness in […] Read more
Sask. reinstates PST exemption on insurance premiums
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has made good on his campaign commitment to reinstate the PST exemption on insurance premiums. Effective Feb. 26, premiums for agriculture, life and health insurance will no longer be subject to the provincial sales tax. The move is retroactive to Aug. 1, 2017, when the tax was first applied. Crop, livestock […] Read more
Agreement with India reached over pulse fumigation
WINNIPEG — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reached an agreement with the Indian government over pulse fumigation issues during his state visit to India. In in a joint press release from Trudeau and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, it stated the prime ministers both see the importance of ensuring access to sufficient, safe […] Read more
Flood risk low in Manitoba
Late winter in Manitoba is normally the time when government officials worry about spring flooding and hold meetings on how many sandbags to order. Not this year. The risk of flooding is low in most of the river basins across southern Manitoba, including the Red River, Assiniboine and Souris Rivers. “The combination of drier soil […] Read more
Manitoba winter wheat group makes changes to cut costs
In the fall of 2013, farmers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan seeded more than 900,000 acres of winter wheat. Since then acres have steadily dropped, hitting 400,000 in the fall of 2016 and only 240,000 this year. Consequently, the groups that represent winter wheat growers have fewer check-off dollars and during the last few months they’ve […] Read more
Radical change urged over 20 years to attain climate goals -institute
OSLO, (Reuters) – The world will need sweeping changes over the next 20 years ranging from energy use to food production to achieve climate goals set by almost 200 nations, the new heads of a top environmental think-tank said on Friday. Both said “revolutions” were needed to tackle climate change, such as capturing greenhouse gas […] Read more
Ag sector wants quick action on trade agreement, but auto industry fears cast shadow
In January, Canada’s agriculture industry celebrated when the federal government committed to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. A month later, Canadian agricultural leaders are still pressing the government on the deal, which has recently been revived as the Comprehensive Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership or CPTPP. They want Ottawa to formally ratify the deal as soon as […] Read more
