The proposed sale of Syngenta, new StatsCan stocks estimates, the signing of the TPP, the launch of Xtend soybeans — here's a trip through this week's Canadian ag news with Kelvin Heppner: Poll: Do you look forward to driverless tractors?
Category: Eastern Canada
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) announced Thursday it will spend $1.75 million on research to enhance the energy of forage crops and study the impact dairy products like cheese have on human cardio-vascular health. The investment is part of the Canadian government’s Dairy Research Cluster, which was launched in 2013. As part of the Growing... Read More
The winds of change have blown through Canada. No longer is Alberta on top of the Canadian economic machine. Ontario is no longer the manufacturing super power. The word 'Conservative' cannot be found in the name of any governing provincial party and no one is joking about the attitude of Saskatchewan. "Excellence is not a... Read More
In this week’s Word, Peter Johnson, resident agronomist for RealAgriculture and host of this weekly podcast, answers questions around weather, rotations and fertility. Have a question for Wheat Pete? Call 1-888-746-3311, send him a tweet (@wheatpete), or email him at peter.johnson@bell.net. Highlights: Recognize that food is everyone's business. If you've farmed today, thank a consumer.... Read More
Finding good employees can be challenging for many Canadian farmers. The task can be even more daunting for livestock farmers when you consider the fact that the job applicant could be an animal rights activist intending to gather video evidence of animal abuse that will be posted on the Internet or turned over to the... Read More
Monsanto says it has received import approval from China for its Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans, meaning growers in Canada and the U.S. will have access to Xtend varieties for the 2016 growing season. “We are pleased to bring Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans to the market,” said Brett Begemann, Monsanto's President and Chief Operating... Read More
The China National Chemical Corporation, also known as ChemChina, has reached an acquisition agreement with Syngenta to purchase the entire company for US$43 billion. After months of speculation about a possible sale and several attempts by rival Monsanto, the proposed acquisition of the Swiss crop input and seed company was announced early February 3. “We... Read More
Regulatory restrictions are not on the radar in Manitoba, but the province's agriculture entomologist suggests farmers in Western Canada should ask themselves "why?" before using neonicotinoid seed treatments. The Ontario and Quebec governments are restricting the use of insecticide-treated seed in response to concerns about neonics hurting bee health, but there haven't been the same... Read More
Egg Farmers of Canada took a creative approach on Tuesday morning to raise awareness about egg nutrition and production while giving people in Canada's largest cities a bright start to a mid-winter day. Egg farmers and EFC staff handed out thousands of free egg breakfast sandwiches and potted yellow daffodils after setting up "pop-up gardens"... Read More
The first secret of soybean success really isn't much of a secret, confesses agronomist Ross Bender. It all comes down to the weather, specifically rain in August. But farmers do have an opportunity to impact the remaining production factors that make up the six secrets of soybean success, says Bender, senior agronomist for the Mosaic... Read More