SASKATOON — Mike Jubinville is sensing that grains and oilseeds markets are slowly transitioning. “I’m willing to go as far as to say I’m no longer bearish on these agricultural markets,” the MarketsFarm analyst said during the company’s The Long and Short on Markets: Spring 2024 Edition webinar. Related stories: “But I think it’s premature […] Read more
News
A mega farm’s controversial plan to grow crops in Manitoba’s ‘cattle country’
Some say Monette Farms’ expansion into Manitoba is a sign of the times while others say it should be stopped
UPDATED: April 1, 2024 – 0815 CST – WINNIPEG — Monette farms, one of Canada’s largest grain farming operations, is stirring up controversy with its plan to raise crops in Manitoba’s Westlake region, an area formerly used for cattle production. The scale of land-clearing in the Eddystone area west of Lake Manitoba has sparked surprise […] Read more
Canadian Meat Council decries TFW changes
Glacier FarmMedia – The Canadian Meat Council says incoming changes to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program are going to add to the sector’s already significant labour challenges. In a media release the group, which represents federally licensed meat packers and meat processors and suppliers of goods and services to the meat industry, said the move […] Read more
Wheat rally likely not in the cards
SASKATOON — Bruce Burnett doesn’t see anything in the 2024-25 wheat market that screams rally. The International Grains Council is forecasting 392 million tonnes of production by the major exporters, an eight million tonne increase over 2023-24 levels. Related stories: The United States and Australia will be responsible for most of the increase, said the […] Read more
Disease affecting U.S. dairy cows re-identified as bird flu
Glacier FarmMedia – A wild waterfowl-borne disease creating milk production problems in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico dairy herds has been identified as a strain of bird flu, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says. The disease was previously identified as Texas Agalactiae Syndrome. However, genetic sequencing revealed the “mystery illness” as a strain […] Read more
Canadian Grain Commission revokes licenses for Zeghers Seed Inc.
Glacier FarmMedia – The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) has revoked the licenses of Manitoba grain company Zeghers Seed Inc. Zeghers Seed (also known as Zeghers Canada) held a grain dealer license and a primary elevator license in Holland, Manitoba. The CGC requires grain companies to backstop their operations with either a bond, a letter of […] Read more
Broken rail leads to derailment
REGINA — A broken rail that derailed a potash train near Silton, Sask., in 2021 had not been detected shortly before the accident. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said testing on the Canadian Pacific Railway line had actually exceeded regulatory requirements but didn’t pick up the problem. The train was hauling 200 freight cars […] Read more
Producers welcome change to cash advance program
After much lobbying, federal government decides to increase interest-free portion of program to $250,000 for this year
REGINA — The interest-free portion of the federal Advance Payments Program will be $250,000 this year, much to farmers’ relief. The amount had been set to drop back to $100,000 at the end of this month after sitting at $350,000 for 2023. Federal agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay announced the change March 25. “In the face […] Read more
Alta. highlights water conservation efforts
REGINA — The Alberta government has highlighted investments in water research and technology as the province faces its worst drought since 2001. At a March 25 news conference at the University of Alberta, technology and innovation minister Nate Glubish said the upcoming year is going to be dry and the worst drought the province has […] Read more
Hemp sector disappointed new report ignored deregulation
WINNIPEG — Leaders in Canada’s hemp industry were hoping that an expert committee would recommend significant changes to hemp regulations so it could be treated the same as wheat, canola and other crops. That didn’t happen. Instead, the committee of experts reviewing the Cannabis Act barely mentioned hemp in its 91 page report published March […] Read more
