Montreal-based dairy giant Saputo has announced the purchase of Shepherd Gourmet Dairy, based at St. Marys, Ontario, for $100 million. Employing about 90 people, Shepherd Gourmet is known for its specialty cheeses, including feta, sheep's milk ricotta, and Skyr Icelandic-style yogurt. Saputo says the purchase enables the company's Canadian dairy division to increase its presence... Read More
Category: News
The Canadian government has taken a step toward ratifying the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). International Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne tabled the text of the 11-country trade deal in the House of Commons on Tuesday. However, the government must still introduce and pass a bill to implement the agreement before Canada can... Read More
The only grain-handling terminal in Canada with direct service from a U.S. railroad has been recognized by BNSF Railway as one of 12 rail-loading sites in North America that are primed for more business. Ceres Global Ag Corp, which owns the Northgate Terminal along the Canada-U.S. border in southeast Saskatchewan, says the terminal has received... Read More
The federal government's transportation bill, which includes changes to railway legislation welcomed by farm and grain industry stakeholders, gained final approval from the Senate late Tuesday, after bouncing back and forth several times between the House of Commons and the Senate. Among other measures, the bill gives shippers the right to charge railways with penalties... Read More
Last week we heard House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) lay down a Congressional schedule deadline for a NAFTA 2.0 deal of May 17th. The negotiators did not meet the deadline and in fact, it was ignored like it never existed. Each country is spinning their version of what is left to do to complete this... Read More
The issue: The Canadian government says it is closely monitoring U.S. biofuel policy discussions, but isn't publicly saying whether it would challenge a proposed policy that the Canadian biofuel industry says would amount to an export subsidy for American ethanol. As part of the ongoing negotiations between U.S. energy and agriculture interests over the future... Read More
Inocucor Corporation, a startup company that specializes in microbial products for crop and soil health, has announced it is changing its name to Concentric Ag Corporation. The company, which has facilities in Manitoba, Quebec and Colorado, says its new name means "having a common centre" and "symbolizes growth and vitality in nature like rings in... Read More
The European General Court issued a verdict on Thursday upholding the European Commission's decision in 2013 to restrict the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments (neonics). The ruling is seen as a win for the movement to restrict European farmers' access to the chemicals used to prevent pest damage to crops. Neonic manufacturers Bayer and Syngenta,... Read More
Grain Farmers of Ontario wants to see a targeted growth strategy, a focus on business risk management programs, funding for an educational farm demo site, and signed trade agreements out of the next Ontario government. GFO also says it would like to see an exemption on farm fuel costs associated with Climate Change regulations of... Read More
There was an expectation that U.S. sales of farm machinery would improve in 2018 but not necessarily that Canadian sales would be weaker. Yet, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers' (AEM) flash report for April, Canadian sales of tractors and combines have been weaker this year than last. Note: the numbers are based on... Read More