Highly pathogenic avian influenza is rearing its head again as migratory birds head south for winter. After a quiet summer, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed four new cases on commercial farms in Alberta and one commercial farm case in Saskatchewan over the past four weeks. There have also been at least two confirmed... Read More

Transport Canada is launching consultations regarding some of its rail policies, including the maximum revenue entitlement for grain shipments, extended interswitching, shortlines, and other regulations that fundamentally affect grain transportation. Separate in-person consultations with shippers and railways are scheduled to be held at Ottawa, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg starting this coming week and wrapping up by... Read More

Four Saskatchewan farm groups are urging the Saskatchewan government to conduct a thorough risk assessment of Bunge's proposed $8.1 billion acquisition of Viterra. The leaders of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, SaskCanola, Sask Wheat, and SaskBarley have written a letter to Agriculture Minister David Marit calling for a review of the multinational grain handler... Read More

After multiple years of drought, could relief finally be on the horizon for farmers in Western Canada? According to Nutrien's senior meteorologist Andrew Pritchard, the shift away from La Niña conditions means the deck is no longer stacked against above-average precipitation in the Prairies this winter. While specific storms cannot yet be predicted, Prichard says... Read More

Even as inflation continues to grow and increasing borrowing costs have put pressure on farm incomes, farmland values across Canada rose 7.7 per cent in the first half of 2023, according to Farm Credit Canada's Mid-Year Land Value report. Tight supply has continued to support land appreciation for now, says FCC chief economist J.P. Gervais.... Read More

Manitobans voted for change in their provincial election on Tuesday, electing a majority New Democrat government led by Premier-designate Wab Kinew after seven years of Progressive Conservative rule. As of early Wednesday, the NDP was elected or leading in 34 seats, with the PCs holding 22, and the Liberals down to only a single seat.... Read More

The federal and Saskatchewan governments have announced funding of $5 million for the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre in Saskatoon. The funding, delivered through the Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Partnership (SCAP), will support the Food Centre's work to enable the continued growth of value-added revenue and agri-food exports in the province over the next five years.... Read More

Details on anticipated AgriRecovery programs to assist drought-stricken livestock producers in Alberta and Saskatchewan could be coming soon — possibly in the next week, according to Saskatchewan's agriculture minister. Federal officials signalled back in August that they had agreed to move ahead on offering AgriRecovery disaster relief programs together with the Alberta and Saskatchewan governments.... Read More