The Privy Council Office has clarified the rules regarding the conduct of government officials, including ministers, during an election. The details are of particular interest for farm groups because they allow Trade Minister Ed Fast and Canadian negotiators to continue participating in Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. Trade ministers and lead negotiators from the 12 participating countries… Read More

The Alberta Barley Commission’s new general manager comes with experience in the crop input and grain handling sectors. Rob Davies, the former CEO of Weyburn Inland Terminal, has been hired as the commission’s new GM following Lisa Skierka’s departure earlier this year. “Having spent my entire career working in agriculture across Western Canada, I am very… Read More

First its monopoly was removed, and now the name will be history too. The Canadian Wheat Board (or CWB) formally became a private grain company known as “G3 Canada” today. G3 Global Grain Group — the joint venture between Bunge and the Saudi Agriculture and Livestock Investment Company — completed the $250 million acquisition of a… Read More

Lenders have come calling for Legumex Walker Inc.’s canola processing business. According to a statement from the company, Pacific Coast Canola has defaulted on its loans, owing an estimated US$54.6 million. AgCountry Farm Credit Services, which represents a syndicate of lenders under PCC’s senior credit facility, has served notice demanding the repayment of all amounts… Read More

Plans and funding for a $25 million “Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence” were announced at the University of Saskatchewan on Thursday. Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Saskatchewan ag minister Lyle Stewart were in Saskatoon to announce $10 million in funding for the centre under Growing Forward 2. The U of S has committed $7 million for… Read More

The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) announced this week the list of individuals who now form the advisory group for the Supporting the Advancement of Women in Agriculture project. The project, funded through the Status of Women Canada, will “examine and address critical barriers to advancement facing women in the industry.” From there, the… Read More

The Canadian Grain Commission has announced 29 varieties of Canada Western Red Spring and Canada Prairie Spring Red wheat will be moved to a different wheat class on August 1st, 2017. The reclassification follows a revision of the quality parameters for the CWRS and CPSR classes by the Prairie Grain Development Committee earlier this year…. Read More

Five Canadian universities are receiving $1.4 million in grants from the Canadian Space Agency to analyze soil moisture information collected by NASA’s Soil and Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite. The funding for Université de Sherbrooke, the University of Guelph, the University of Manitoba, the University of Toronto, and l’Institut national de la recherche scientifique was announced… Read More

Grain and oilseed futures have dropped sharply over the last week, falling well off the summer highs set earlier in July. Weather premiums are shrinking as growing conditions have improved, or at least stabilized, across much of Canada and the U.S. corn belt over the last three weeks, explains Dave Reimann, senior market analyst with Cargill,… Read More