UPDATED: This story has been updated from its original version at 0700 CST October 27, 2020 The Saskatchewan Party won a fourth consecutive majority mandate Oct. 26, elected or leading in 50 of the province’s 61 seats, as of 7 a.m. October 27. The party, lead by Premier Scott Moe, held on to all 29 […] Read more
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Alaska-Alberta railway explored
Alberta is exploring new ways to get its products to the world, including a proposed railway to Alaska, said premier Jason Kenney. His government “will support and facilitate in a politically, legally and in a regulatory way any increased access to global markets, not only for our energy products, but for products generally,” he told […] Read more
Wetland regulations bog down Manitoba farmers
UPDATED: This story was updated to include comments from government. Wednesday October 28, 2020 – 1130 CST Last October, Manitoba’s government adopted a “no net loss” approach to wetlands. One year later, Manitoba farmers are confused and frustrated by the new rules. Few understand how the system is supposed to work, and anecdotal stories are […] Read more
JBS contributes $2 million to Brooks
JBS Foods Canada, which operates the beef processing facility in Brooks, Alta., is providing $2 million to that community, the company announced Oct. 22. The funds are part of the company’s Hometown Strong initiative that has earmarked $50 million for use in communities within Canada and the United States where it has facilities. The money […] Read more
Railways insist they are prepared for winter
Government required capital spending justification for optimism
Canada’s major railways have filed their winter contingency plans as required by law. Since a new law was passed in 2018, Canada’s major rail companies are required to publish winter plans and can be forced to pay up if they fail to deliver on certain promises of rail cars. That law came into effect after […] Read more
Dairy farmers want compensation action
Canada’s dairy farmers are calling on the federal government to make good on its promise to compensate producers after giving up market share of the supply-managed industry to more foreign competitors. The Liberal government has told Dairy Farmers of Canada compensation is coming as a result of three major trade deals: the Comprehensive Economic and […] Read more
Most farmers finish 2020 ‘seamless’ harvest early
Harvest 2020 is almost in the bin, well ahead of three and five-year averages for the prairie provinces. It’s a welcome change from the previous year that saw farmers struggle with the worst harvest conditions in decades. “It was pretty well seamless for a lot of people,” said Lynn Jacobson, president of the Alberta Federation […] Read more
Provinces push for action on port expenses
Grain companies facing skyrocketing rent at the Vancouver port want Ottawa to intervene. Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevators Association, said rent on federal property at the port went up 13 to 30 percent this year. It’s costing grain terminals hundreds of thousands of dollars every quarter and will total millions before […] Read more
Sask. farmer fought Monsanto in court
One of Canada’s most widely known farmers died Oct. 13 at the age of 89. Percy Schmeiser of Bruno, Sask., gained fame in the 1990s as the man who fought a prolonged legal battle against Monsanto over the use of one of its flagship products, Roundup Ready canola. Monsanto sued Schmeiser, claiming he had planted […] Read more
Alta. gives agriculture research a makeover
Government provides funding as its moves work and staff to colleges and universities that have agriculture departments
A flurry of funding announcements last week and early this week left no doubt about the direction of agricultural research in Alberta. The provincial government is getting out of the research business, shifting its work and some of its staff to colleges and universities that have agricultural programs. The department’s Field Crop Development Centre operating […] Read more
