Rising tensions in several countries, along with natural disasters linked to El Nino, may increase need for humanitarian aid
GENEVA, Switzerland (Reuters) — A group of United Nations experts has warned of deepening crises in global hot spots from Burundi to Afghanistan over the next six months. The experts were tasked with forecasting the next disasters likely to require billions of dollars in humanitarian aid. In an unusually frank assessment for a UN publication, […] Read moreNews
UN experts warn of political, weather upheavals
For sale: 600,000 acres of Sask. farmland
The Saskatchewan government is once again offering crown land for sale, this time with both a carrot and a stick. Agriculture minister Lyle Stewart said Nov. 4 that the province wants to sell its remaining 600,000 acres of land with low ecological value, including land under cultivation or land that was previously cultivated. Current leaseholders […] Read more
Sask. RMs get new rules for land annexations
Land annexations by Saskatchewan municipalities typically go well, says government relations minister Jim Reiter, but every so often they don’t. New guidelines introduced at last week’s Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities midterm convention are designed to help municipal governments reach agreement and determine appropriate financial compensation for annexations. A committee of ministry staff, SARM and […] Read more
Prices won’t go up unless acres go down
There are no reasons to think that crop prices will get much better unless farmers cut millions of acres somewhere in the world. That was a theme running implicitly in presentations and discussions during Cereals North America, a major crops market outlook conference held last week in Winnipeg. “As we think globally, to balance things […] Read more
Shareholders approve Legumex Walker sale to Scoular
Shareholders of a beleaguered Winnipeg grain company have approved the sale of its special crops division. Legumex Walker announced that it has received the two-thirds majority it needed to proceed with the sale to the Scoular Company. Almost 100 percent of the 12,394,245 shares voted by ballot, proxy or in person approved the sale, which […] Read more
Grain commission unveils new wheat class
Canada Northern Hard Red is part of a modernization effort that will see three classes eliminated and two created
Farmers will soon be growing wheat for a new milling class: Canada Northern Hard Red. Canadian Grain Commission official Murdoch MacKay told a Canadian Seed Growers Association meeting in Saskatoon Nov. 4 that the creation of a new milling class is part of a plan to modernize the wheat classification system. The commission has plans […] Read moreSask. minister vows more ag investment
Saskatchewan agriculture minister Lyle Stewart has urged rural municipalities to prepare for more agricultural investment and diversification. In a strong message last week to the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, he said the province has to capture more agricultural value, and to do that it needs more investment. Saskatchewan competes with other jurisdictions across North […] Read more
Agrium posts bigger profit
Agrium’s third quarter profit jumped nearly nine percent to $99 million as higher sales volumes and lower costs helped it buck the sector’s trend of weaker earnings. The fertilizer producer and farm input retailer said it benefited from higher wholesale sales volumes, although prices were lower. Agrium is increasing potash production at its expanded western […] Read more
Ontario targets Great Lakes phosphorus reduction
CHATHAM, Ont. — Ontario farmers will be asked to help support bi-national phosphorus reduction targets for the Great Lakes by the fall of 2017, if not sooner. Phosphorus contributes to water quality issues, especially in Lake Erie, one of the world’s largest, fresh water fisheries and the source of drinking water for millions. Don McCabe, […] Read more
‘Most trusted food’ goal bad idea, says Maple Leaf
Companies should tap a specific market, rather than focus on a generalization of producing safe food, says Michael McCain
OTTAWA — Michael McCain promised in his opening remarks that his speech would be provocative. He didn’t disappoint. The chief executive officer of Maple Leaf Foods told a forum on Canada’s Agri-Food Future in early November that it would be a mistake for Canada to try to become the country with the most trusted food […] Read more
