News — page 2499
Letters — for Jan. 26, 2012
Sask. ag policies foster sector concentration: authors
A University of Saskatchewan professor says premier Brad Wall’s Saskatchewan Party government can do more to enshrine “sustainable” and “socially just” agricultural practices in policy. Darrell McLaughlin said “a public presence in agriculture policies” has been dismantled and concentration through the global food supply chain has been increased in the last generation, starting with Allan […] Read more
Canadian maltsters face slumping export markets
Canadian maltsters are facing slumping sales in key export markets. “It’s the state of the beer market right now. Beer sales, especially from the larger breweries, are all kind of in the tank along with the economy,” said Bob Sutton, vice-president of sales and logistics with Rahr Malting Co. in Alix, Alta. Financial turmoil in […] Read more
Alta. rancher donates vehicles to Olds College to mark 100th
OLDS, Alta. — A Calgary businessperson and rancher has given 100 vintage cars and trucks to Olds College to mark the agriculture school’s centennial in 2013. The Jack Anderson collection, worth more than $2 million, includes Ford Model Ts and a 1984 Rolls Royce. The vehicles will be auctioned next year and the proceeds donated […] Read more
Alta. internet survey
Rural Albertans may soon have improved access to higher speed internet. A report by the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties about rural broadband access said improvements have been made but there are still gaps in coverage. Connecting the Dots: Alberta Rural Broadband Coverage Study has identified coverage township by township. Coinciding with the […] Read more
U.S. brokerage firm collapsea warning to do homework
Canadian rules differ | Avoid problems by dealing with brokers you trust
Is your money safe with your futures broker? The MF Global bankruptcy has made it a pressing question for thousands of farmers who use futures to hedge their crop prices. Fortunately for Canadian farmers, brokers here say Canadian rules on how brokers handle margin accounts and other client money tend to be tougher than in […] Read moreAnalysts predict canola production to hit all-time high
Canadian farmers are expected to plant the country’s largest ever canola crop this year. Agriculture Canada’s Grains and Oilseeds Outlook, which was released Jan. 17, is projecting canola plantings at 19.768 million acres. It also expects canola production to hit an all-time high, increasing to 15 million tonnes from 12 million tonnes just two years […] Read more
2012 appears to be moneymaker
Good year ahead for most crops | Sask. crop guide paints rosy picture for black soil zones
Saskatchewan’s Crop Planning Guide is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a bang. “This one could be one of the best,” said Joe Novak, business economics specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and author of the 2012 guide. “All across the board, farmers should be able to meet variable costs.… It just looks like a promising year.” Almost […] Read moreSouth Korea opens border to beef
SPRUCE GROVE, Alta. — South Korea’s decision to open its border to Canadian beef younger than 30 months is not the final chapter in the devastating story of BSE in Canada but it helps, said the president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. “Obviously, on behalf of Canadian cattle producers, we are particularly pleased with this […] Read more
Link between bacteria, better yields studied
Some crops play better hosts to micro-organisms
Everyday a battle is waged in the field. “(It’s) a tale of lords, vassals, cheaters and knights,” Agriculture Canada researcher Chantal Hamel said about the positive and negative influences on plant life in the biosphere. She said it’s a subject of interest to scientists who seek to better understand the relationship between plants, their environment […] Read more
