This editorial was first published on Breaking the Box blog As an advisor with Emmertech, a Saskatchewan-based ag-tech accelerator and venture fund, I get to see the latest ideas and proposed solutions entrepreneurs are pitching to industry. It’s exciting to see companies from all across Canada vying for funding and the chance to locate and... Read More
Category: Ag Business
Canadian National Railway (CN) has entered into a resolution agreement with CIFF Capital and TCI (collectively known as TCI), and has named its new president and CEO. Tracy Robinson will serve as president, CEO, and as a member of its board of directors, effective February 28, 2022. This appointment follows the previously announced retirement of... Read More
Viterra has announced a multi-billion dollar deal that would significantly expand the grain company's presence in the U.S. and other parts of the world. The company says it has reached a stock purchase agreement with Japan-based Marubeni Corporation to acquire Gavilon for US$1.125 billion plus working capital. Gavilon is based in Omaha, Nebraska, and has... Read More
The global phosphate market is experiencing some shortages lately and there is a potential domestic solution. Over the last ten years, Arianne Phosphate, based out of Montreal, Que. has been working on the largest green-field, or undeveloped phosphate deposit, located north of the Saguenay region. "It's a very big deposit. Today it's the world's largest... Read More
Mergers and acquisitions saw an active year in the ag tech sector over 2021. A recent report from Verdant Partners, states that there were over 50 technology deals announced in 2021, excluding biotechnology and food tech, representing a 40 per cent increase over 2020. More than 70 per cent of the transactions included a U.S.... Read More
Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) and AGT Foods have announced a joint venture partnership that will see a 1.1 million metric tonne/year canola processing facility in Regina, Sask. The canola crush plant is part of a larger $2 billion investment FCL is making in the construction of an Integrated Agriculture Complex (IAC). The announcement builds on... Read More
Corn rootworm resistance to Bt proteins and hybrids is a growing concern for Ontario corn producers. In this video report from Ontario Diagnostic Days 2021, University of Guelph research scientist Jocelyn Smith helps growers understand corn rootworm’s life cycle and how to rate corn roots for rootworm injury. She also discusses how growers can work... Read More
One of the conversations in the first few weeks of the new year often ask the question "What should I be paying attention to?" Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has released its list of the top 5 economic trends for Canadian agriculture and food to watch in 2022. J.P. Gervais, chief economist at FCC, joined RealAg... Read More
CN Rail is currently looking for a new CEO. Normally, an executive search wouldn't draw that much attention; however, when the position is potentially filled by someone from a shareholding hedge fund, it could impact the direction and mission of the company. That's according to the federal Conservatives, and Andrew Scheer, shadow minister for infrastructure... Read More
AgriStability, the whole farm, business risk management program has been in place for Canadian farmers for 16 years. In that time, it's been maligned and criticized, and it continues to be subject to an ongoing tug-of-war between federal and provincial politicians. But with a new ag policy framework to be unveiled for 2023, changes to... Read More