Collaboration is key when it comes to getting things done; when you have two organizations working towards one goal, that's even better. Lethbridge College and Farming Smarter have announced they've signed a 15-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) to work together on a variety of projects. The agreement will mean the two sides will examine opportunities... Read More
Category: Ag Business
Although there are still talks happening behind closed doors, progress of the business risk management program (BRM) review feels as though it's slow-moving. At this year's CropConnect conference held at Winnipeg, Man., the topic was acknowledged by federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, but there was no mention of action — which is what most are... Read More
The chief commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) has announced her retirement three years into a six-year appointment. With 35 years in the agriculture industry behind her, Patti Miller says she felt as though it was time. "You know, I think you get to a certain stage in your life and you start evaluating... Read More
After years of discussions about how to fund the development of new crop varieties in Canada, two seed industry groups have announced they're moving ahead with a pilot program for the 2020 growing season. The Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA), along with the Canadian Plant Technology Agency (CPTA), announced a Seed Variety Use Agreement (SVUA)... Read More
Saskatchewan's Crop Insurance Program has announced a reduction in premiums to $7.40 per acre, down from $8.61 in 2019. According to a news release, on average Crop Insurance coverage holds steady at $224 per acre, a decrease from $230 per acre last year. “We are dedicated to maintaining a strong, growing agricultural economy,” says David... Read More
An announcement regarding the future of seed royalties on Tuesday in Winnipeg could be a turning point in a more-than-a-decade long discussion about the return-on-investment for seed companies and plant breeders in Canada. At FarmTech in Edmonton earlier this winter, both Todd Hyra, of SeCan, and Laurin Comin, of the Alberta Wheat Commission, presented on... Read More
The Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) recently surprised many in the industry with its immediate withdrawal from the Grain Growers of Canada. While the exit itself bears dissecting, the underlying — and growing — discontent with the federal agriculture department requires just as much discussion. Markus Haerle is the chair of GFO and a grain... Read More
The Canadian Competition Bureau says it has received the required court approvals to move ahead with its investigation into allegations of anti-competitive interactions between several major crop input suppliers and Farmers Business Network (FBN) Canada. The bureau says it obtained court orders on February 11, requiring BASF, Bayer, Cargill, Corteva, Federated Coop, Univar Solutions, and... Read More
Eligible farmers in Alberta can access funding for grain dryer upgrades from a $2 million fund through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). The Efficient Grain Dryer Program will be retroactive to April 1, 2018, to accommodate almost 100 applicants who have been waiting since that time, along with those who may not have known about... Read More
How do you find and keep great farm help? That's a question all farmers are wrestling with as labour becomes tougher to find and often equally difficult to retain. With low unemployment rates, it's tough to keep talent on the farm, says Mark Ferguson, business management specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and... Read More