The cannabis industry has taken investors and producers on quite a ride since it was legalized in Canada in 2018. What exactly does it take to grow this unique crop, and what challenges do licensed producers face in this industry? Bill MacDonald, professor and coordinator of the Commercial Cannabis Production Program at Niagara College Canada,... Read More
Category: Crop Production
Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) and Blair's Family of Companies (Blair's) have entered into a joint venture that will own and operate Blair's seven ag retail locations at Lanigan, Nokomis, Watrous, Liberty, McLean, Lipton, and Rosthern, Sask. Ron Healey, FCL vice-president of ag and consumer business, says the venture will benefit local Co-op member-owners and the... Read More
At first glance, it appeared that seasonal and temporary foreign workers coming to Canada would flow relatively unimpeded, save for the pre-flight COVID-19 test. However, last week's federal announcement of more stringent quarantine measures and additional costs is possibly a new stumbling block, in the path to getting thousands of people here to work on... Read More
In just a few weeks we'll be itching to get going in the field, but in the meantime there's plenty of questions to answer and prep to get done ahead of the very busy spring season. For this episode of Wheat Pete's Word, host Peter Johnson shares some surprising stats regarding frost-free day gains, plus... Read More
It has been a really tough ninety days if you are a die-hard believer in the need to develop a code of practice for grain production in Canada. Although other agricultural sectors have had national codes for years, the concept has really struggled to gain support with grain farmers on the Prairies in and outside... Read More
Since the introduction of the draft Responsible Grain code of practice in late 2020, there have been farmers expressing their concerns and displeasure with the concept, based on numerous factors. There's been plenty of discussion on social media platforms regarding the code's intent, funding, and value to farmers. Given the feedback from farmers over the... Read More
If you're not putting some starter fertilizer down at seeding and planting, you could be leaving yield potential on the table. But there are risks to seed-placed fertility, and just how much is too much depends on several factors including soil type, fertilizer type, crop species and more. For this episode focused on all things... Read More
There's been a lot of action in the commodity markets lately, some of which has led to some stellar pricing opportunities for farmers. There are some global pressures and buying patterns emerging that could put a squeeze on some prices, however, all while farmers are finalizing acreage plans for 2021. To talk about wheat, canola,... Read More
Italian pasta giant Barilla says it has closed its acquisition of Ebro Foods' Catelli dry pasta business in Canada as of January 29. The deal, which values the Catelli business at C$165 million, includes the Catelli, Lancia, and Splendor brands, and a pasta plant in Montreal, Que. "In Barilla, we're leading the charge in transforming... Read More
AGCO, the parent company of Fendt, Massey Ferguson, Gleaner, and Challenger, is conducting agronomic research trials and holding field demonstrations in 2021 with the objective of helping farmers successfully sequester soil carbon in their farming operations. The carbon credit market is evolving rapidly and is a potential revenue channel for farmers, especially in the U.S.... Read More