The Canadian agricultural newswires are jumping today as Viterra's shares were temporarily halted on the TSX due to what the company calls "expression of interest." I have made calls around the country and two names continue to pop up. Glencore and ADM have been on the tip of everyone's tongue all day. Many of you... Read More
Category: Western Canada
The best and the most valuable advice comes from people who have actually been in the situation that they're giving advice about. So when a topic as touchy and as potentially difficult as succession comes up, you need that "first hand experience" type of advice. Lee Markert brought that advice to producers when he spoke... Read More
The current beef-trade relationship between the U.S. and Canada is the best it's been in a long time. That's good. We do a lot of business with the U.S. and from a geographical perspective, there is a "convenience factor" that will always keep that relationship somewhat open no matter the issue. However, even with that... Read More
It's been a while since we heard anything on the Bill 36 front. In fact, the last big news regarding Alberta's Land Stewardship Act was that it was to be suspended pending a review by the government's property rights task force. Well, the review process is finished and it appears as if Premier Allison Redford's... Read More
The United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization's Agricultural Outlook for 2011-2020 shows a continued trend of rising and volatile food prices spurred on by increased demand in emerging markets. Holding up that strong demand is productivity that is barely keeping pace with the growth in those markets. Population growth in countries like India and China... Read More
Choosing financial software for your business is a custom fit kind of operation. There are a number of things to consider when you make that choice that are uniquely tied to your business, allowing you to expand and grow without having to switch programs. Ideally, your software should be as customizable as your business. With... Read More
The cattle feeder is in the business of managing cattle feed intake and feed efficiency. It's a make or break venture that operates on getting cattle to convert feed to mass as quickly and efficiently as possible. It's a process that in recent years has had some tight margins associated with it, making feed efficiency... Read More
The face of the Canadian immigrant has changed. What was once a predominantly European population has shifted. There are now more people coming from India, Africa, China and other countries. With that shift comes a shift in eating habits and a resultant demand for foods that fit those habits. Filling those demands is where the... Read More
Giveaways are a pretty common thing at most farm shows. There's always a chance that you can score yourself a hat, a jacket or even an iPad. Those things are great, but a 130,000 dollar tandem truck is on another level altogether. This year at AgExpo in Lethbridge Alberta, one extremely lucky farmer drove away... Read More
Almost 36 hours after leaving New Zealand, we arrived in Amsterdam at 6:00 am February 25th. We took a train to Rotterdam, then a bus to our hotel where we met up with all of the 2012 Nuffield Scholars. Over the past 3 days, I’ve gotten to know farmers from the UK, Ireland, France, India,... Read More