May 23 (Reuters) – Shares of Bunge Ltd surged about 16 percent on Tuesday after a media report suggested the U.S. agribusiness is a takeover target of commodities trader Glencore PLC. Glencore, owner of Viterra, is already a big player in Canadian agriculture. “Glencore confirms that Glencore Agriculture Limited (Glencore’s non-consolidated agriculture joint venture) (GAL) […] Read more
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Bunge shares surge after report of possible Glencore takeover
Soggy forecast worries Canadian farmers in race to sow crops
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, May 23 (Reuters) – Heavy rain forecast for the soggiest parts of the Canadian Prairies this week is likely to further delay plantings in the world’s biggest canola exporting country, meteorologists say. The rain, forecast to hit Alberta and Saskatchewan on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, would be the latest blow to farmers who […] Read more
As Syngenta deal closes, ChemChina and Sinochem press $120 bln deal – sources
HONG KONG/BEIJING, May 23 (Reuters) – Chinese state-owned Sinochem and ChemChina are in merger talks to create the world’s biggest industrial chemicals firm, to be headed by Sinochem chief Ning Gaoning, four people with knowledge of the negotiations said. A deal could be announced by the end of the year, the people said, potentially just […] Read more
Census offers glimpse into modern agriculture
Prairie farmers are getting older — and younger. More than half are 55 and older, according to the 2016 Census of Agriculture. The 55.5 percent in that category is up nearly seven percentage points from the 2011 census. Bill Brown, head of the agricultural and resource economics department at the University of Saskatchewan, thinks the […] Read more
Transportation act appears balanced, says CP
Canadian Pacific Railway says it is cautiously optimistic that Bill C-49 will lead to future development of the Canadian transportation system. In a May 18 news release, CP said it continues to review Bill C49, also known as the Transportation Modernization Act, but believes the proposed legislation will reduce uncertainty. “Like any piece of legislation, […] Read more
Friday gives relief to falling futures prices
Soybean’s price swoon didn’t carry over to Friday, giving relief to crop futures values. But Friday’s weak rebound still left soybean futures prices below a line of support and a trend line, looking technically weak. Canola also recovered some of the ground it lost Thursday, rising a few cents per bushel. But November Wheat contracts […] Read more
Pulse Canada assessing contents of new transportation bill
Canada’s pulse and special crops industries said Wednesday they are assessing the potential impact of Bill C-49, proposed federal legislation that’s aimed at improving Canada’s grain transportation system for shippers. There’s room for optimism in the bill, officials from Pulse Canada said. But it’s too early to unfurl the “mission accomplished” banner just yet. “There’s […] Read more
Conventional, organic systems see different weeds
SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — Green foxtail is the most common weed in both organic and conventional fields in Saskatchewan, but that’s where the two systems part ways. Julia Leeson, weed monitoring biologist at Agriculture Canada in Saskatoon, told an organic workshop in Swift Current that an average of eight weed species exist in an organic […] Read more
Research finds most Alberta rivers healthy
A three-year project monitoring riparian sites in the Bow River and Oldman River basins show more than half are healthy ecosystems. “We found that over 50 percent of the sites within the Bow and the Oldman were in really good shape,” said Michael Wagner, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. The department worked with fRI Research, formerly […] Read more
Warming climate may speed algae spread
Blue-green algae growth is a spreading threat to major water bodies around the world. Last summer, 32 blue-green algae warnings were issued for recreational lakes in Alberta because of health risks to people and animals. However, one University of Calgary student assessed algae prevalence in small prairie lakes. As the climate grows warmer and drier, […] Read more
