Fresh off of the signing of the Phase One trade deal three weeks ago between the U.S, and China, concern is rising on whether the coronavirus outbreak in China will impact the country's ability to meet its purchase commitments. Earlier this week, reports that China will seek "flexibility" from the U.S. on the deal were... Read More
Category: Ag Policy
At first it seems counterintuitive, since canola values usually follow soybean prices, but reduced demand for soybeans in China as a result of African swine fever (ASF) is contributing to a bullish scenario for canola prices, according to a senior analyst with Oil World. As China's demand for soy protein has fallen due to the... Read More
Canada's relationship with China could get worse before it gets better, depending on the outcome of the U.S. extradition request for Chinese telecommunications executive Meng Wanzhou, according to an expert on Chinese affairs at the University of Alberta. Farmers in both Canada and the U.S. have been paying close attention to their respective country's relationship... Read More
The Canadian government has introduced legislation to implement the new trade deal between Canada, the United States, and Mexico — the last of the three countries to do so. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled Bill C-4, formally known as An Act to implement the Agreement between Canada, the United States of America and the... Read More
It has not been a great two weeks for the agricultural commodity market, as selling pressure has dominated the grain complex. Although corn found positive territory on Tuesday, the rest of the grain commodities were in the red again. "The market had a high expectation of China purchases post-trade deal signing and that has not... Read More
The Alberta government is moving ahead with plans to reduce its funding and involvement in agricultural research, although according to the provincial agriculture minister, what that will look like is still to be determined. The United Conservative Party's budget, tabled last fall, included a plan to reduce spending on ag research by $34.1 million over... Read More
The customer is always right, but who is the customer? If you're a grocery store or a coffee shop trying to stay on-trend, is it consumer opinion that matters most, or those of your shareholders, as the pressure for profits rises? "The demands of the average consumer are pretty intuitive — they want affordable, tasty... Read More
Custom applicators and farmers looking to use drones to apply herbicides to crops in Canada are still in a holding pattern. Operator licensing and certification is now available from Transport Canada, but Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) requirements continue to ground herbicide application from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), reports Don Campbell, owner and and founder... Read More
The Government of Canada will soon be rolling out its Buy Canadian campaign across the nation, but first it must find a marketing firm to stick-handle the $1.5 to $4 million yearly budget. In a notice posted to a government job portal, they're on the hunt for a firm to help with their digitally-focused campaign... Read More
To the relief of farmers, China and the U.S. have agreed and signed Phase One of a "multi-phase" trade deal. It remains to be seen whether this is a truce, a pause, or an easing of tensions, but farmers are encouraged. The Phase One deal is being met with high amounts of bipartisan criticism due... Read More