CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) – CNH Global NV has reported stronger-than-expected earnings and raised its full-year outlook for global industry sales, saying it is seeing encouraging signs of stability almost everywhere outside Europe. The American farm and construction equipment manufacturer, an affiliate of Italian carmaker Fiat SpA, posted a first-quarter net profit of $16 million US. […] Read more
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Equipment maker healthy
Big Sky restructuring swallows gov’t stake
The Saskatchewan government’s ownership stake in Big Sky Farms has dropped by more than 20 percent as a result of the company’s recent court-approved financial restructuring. Officials at the province’s CIC Asset Management confirmed that the government’s equity stake in Big Sky has now fallen to 42.7 percent from 62.8 percent. Big Sky, Saskatchewan’s largest […] Read more
A dozen ways to improve a prairie canola crop
John Mayko of the Canola Council of Canada offers these suggestions for maximizing yields this season: Check the seeding unit carefully Level it side to side and back to front, ensuring even seed distribution and constant, shallow planting of the tiny seeds. Tires should be properly inflated. Wing tires may have different pressure ratings than […] Read more
Pasture inventories vital to effective grazing
NANTON, Alta. – A pasture inventory should top every grazer’s spring to-do list. “It is very important to know what you have on hand and what you expect to have in the future and manage that inventory,” grazing consultant Jim Gerrish told a recent grazing seminar in Nanton. “You have pasture to sell to your […] Read more
Viterra buys in Manitoba
Viterra Inc. has bought some of the assets of Best-Land Agro Inc., a crop input retailer in Brunkild, Man. The transaction includes two blending plants for bulk and liquid fertilizer, along with storage and warehousing capacity. Viterra will offer seed, private label crop protection products, equipment and agronomic and financial services at the new service, […] Read more
European farming not clouded by volcano
It is far-fetched to suggest Iceland’s recent volcanic eruption could cause a European crop failure, say weather and geology experts. Various newspaper reports have mentioned a precedent for Icelandic volcanoes wreaking havoc on crop production and suggested it could happen again. A story in the British newspaper The Guardian points to the Laki volcanic eruption, […] Read more
Machine pulverizes, destroys weed seeds
An Australian inventor has designed a new machine that reduces weed seeds at harvest time. The Harrington seed destructor is pulled behind the combine like a chaff cart and destroys weed seeds as they exit the combine. Inventor Ray Harrington said the machine pulverizes some seeds and cracks others. He unveiled the machine last month […] Read more
Man. RM helps preserve wetlands
GRAYSVILLE, Man. – It’s not much of an exaggeration to say that Fred Dunn knows every square inch of the Rural Municipality of Dufferin. As Dunn recently drove along a road about 15 kilometres northwest of Carman, Man., he provided a commentary on the history of the landscape. The cultivated field to the north once […] Read more
Partnership eyes GM wheat
The slow march toward development of the world’s first genetically modified wheat variety has taken another step forward. Earlier this month, Swiss bioscience company Syngenta announced that it had entered into a research partnership with CIMMYT, an internationally funded research centre involved in corn and wheat breeding. The two organizations will work together to develop […] Read more
Watershed official steps up
Wayne Dybvig has been named acting president of the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority. The vice-president of operations takes on the post after Alan Parkinson stepped down to become director of Agriculture Canada’s regional adaptation and practice change division. Dybvig’s career in water management spans more than 30 years with the Alberta, Saskatchewan and federal governments.
