Hemp board members announced Volunteers for the new board of directors of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance were recently announced. Ted Haney was appointed first president and chief financial officer. New directors are Carlos Agudelo of Eko-Terre, Wilson Johnston of Blue Sky Hemp and Jason Finnis of Bast Fibre Technologies. Existing board executive members are […] Read more
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Ag Notes
Water data will determine neonic decision: PMRA
Health Canada will rely upon water monitoring data, not computer models, when it makes its final decision on the environmental safety of neonics. Frederic Bissonnette, a Health Canada spokesperson, said scientists with the Pest Management Regulatory Agency have a huge amount of data on the concentrations of neonicotinoid insecticides in wetlands, creeks and water bodies […] Read more
Small and new B.C. farms receive funding
Operators of small or new farms in British Columbia are eligible for project funding from the B.C. Agriculture, Food and Fisheries department, the province announced Dec. 1. The Small Farm Business Acceleration Program has up to $800,000 earmarked for business plan coaching to small and new farmers, and will cost-share on commercial farm infrastructure and […] Read more
Sask. throne speech focuses on COVID
The Nov. 30 speech from the throne in Saskatchewan reiterated a Sask. Party government promise to work to reduce the spread of COVID-19. “In recent days, new public health orders have come into effect and more will be added if required,” the speech said as it was read by Lt.-Gov. Russ Mirasty. Other items in […] Read more
Provinces ponder feds’ BRM counter proposal
No consensus on changes to business risk management programs was reached during the latest round of federal-provincial-territorial agriculture minister meetings. After the meetings ended this afternoon, federal agriculture minister Mari-Claude Bibeau said Ottawa was willing to maintain the current cost sharing of the programs at a 60-40 split between her government and the provinces. Bibeau’s […] Read more
Rail transload facility planned for southeast Sask.
A privately owned rail transloading facility at Weyburn, Sask., is expected to open in January. Carter Stewart, operations general manager for Weyburn Industrial Transload, said the required rail line has been built and after some test runs and ensuring the computer system works, the facility will open. It’s designed to transfer commodities off or on […] Read more
Pet food banks planned for Sask.
Eight Saskatchewan food banks based mainly in rural areas have signed on to establish emergency pet food banks. The intention is to keep pets with their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Josh Hourie, community relations co-ordinator at the Saskatchewan SPCA, said people shouldn’t have to decide between feeding themselves or their pets if they find […] Read more
APAS targets food processing red tape
A federal committee continues to explore ways of increasing Canada’s food processing sector. During a Nov. 24 meeting, Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan president Todd Lewis said the processing sector will need to grow to meet ambitious export targets put in place by federal and provincial governments. “If we are to build for the ambitious […] Read more
New Alberta feedlot to open next year
A new 40,000-head feedlot north of Enchant, Alta., is on pace to start accepting cattle as early as March. Serfas Farms began the project in June and it is expected to be fully complete in the third quarter of 2021. The new build is likely the first large from-scratch feedlot to be built in the […] Read more
Rocky Mountain Equipment shareholder vote looms
On Dec. 17, Rocky Mountain Equipment shareholders get the chance to approve or deny an inside bid to buy them out and take the company private. It’s a $7 per share offer from AcquireCo, an entity controlled by RME chair Matthew Campbell and RME president and chief executive officer Garrett Ganden. That’s a 26.8 percent […] Read more
