Livestock producers who sold breeding stock due to drought in 2015 could see some relief, as the federal government has added to the list of regions where livestock tax deferrals have been authorized. "Extreme weather created difficulties for Western Canada’s livestock industry last summer," Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay said last week in... Read More

What management practices and behaviours make farmers more financially successful? A report commissioned by the Agri-Food Management Institute and Farm Management Canada attempts to answer this question. “With the Dollars and Sense study we’re trying to determine what makes a leading farmer. How do they end up in the top 25% of farmers versus the... Read More

The Western Grains Research Foundation has announced it will be investing $21.4 million in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's wheat and barley breeding programs over the next five years — the largest-ever industry investment in AAFC research. Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Keith Degenhardt, vice-chair of WGRF, made the announcement in Saskatoon on Monday morning.... Read More

Egg Farmers of Canada has rolled out a plan to transition the entire Canadian egg industry away from traditional caged housing. "In response to the best available scientific research and in light of changing consumer preferences, I'm pleased that the entire industry has agreed to an orderly transition plan that will further diversify our production... Read More

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) announced Thursday it will spend $1.75 million on research to enhance the energy of forage crops and study the impact dairy products like cheese have on human cardio-vascular health. The investment is part of the Canadian government’s Dairy Research Cluster, which was launched in 2013. As part of the Growing... Read More

Finding good employees can be challenging for many Canadian farmers. The task can be even more daunting for livestock farmers when you consider the fact that the job applicant could be an animal rights activist intending to gather video evidence of animal abuse that will be posted on the Internet or turned over to the... Read More

Monsanto says it has received import approval from China for its Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans, meaning growers in Canada and the U.S. will have access to Xtend varieties for the 2016 growing season. “We are pleased to bring Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans to the market,” said Brett Begemann, Monsanto's President and Chief Operating... Read More

The China National Chemical Corporation, also known as ChemChina, has reached an acquisition agreement with Syngenta to purchase the entire company for US$43 billion. After months of speculation about a possible sale and several attempts by rival Monsanto, the proposed acquisition of the Swiss crop input and seed company was announced early February 3. “We... Read More

As the Canadian Dairy XPO enters its fourth year, the upstart dairy industry show is making moves to attract more producers and exhibitors. The show attracted about 10,000 people when it launched in 2013. Local dairy producers have embraced the show, says CDX General Manager Jordon Underhill, “but what we’ve seen is an increase in... Read More