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Saskatchewan MP David Anderson, shown here at a 2014 event hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Prevention of Genocide, has announced he won’t seek re-election in October. (DavidAnderson.ca)
Crops

Former Conservative ag critic won’t run again

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A former Conservative agriculture critic best known for his work on the Canadian Wheat Board file won’t return to the House of Commons after this fall’s election. David Anderson, MP for the southwestern Saskatchewan riding of Cypress Hills-Grasslands since 2000, announced Monday he won’t seek re-election on Oct. 21. Anderson, 61, didn’t give a specific […] Read more
(ThamKC/iStock/Getty Images)
Crops, Markets

U.S. EPA sends proposed new E15 rule to White House

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Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Monday it had sent a draft of its proposed rule allowing year-round sales of higher ethanol blends of gasoline to the White House Office of Budget for review. The rule expanding sales of so-called E15 was promised by President Donald Trump late last year […] Read more
Andria Karstens of Climate FieldView.
Crops

Whether you trust it or not, precision agriculture is here to stay

Many farmers continue not to use precision agriculture tools because of trust concerns and complexity challenges

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Precision agriculture is designed to help growers obtain planting and harvest data, satellite imagery, drone images and soil data and bring that all together in a way that’s easy to use, says Andria Karstens with Climate Fieldview at the 2019 Precision Agriculture Conference and Ag Technology Showcase held recently in London. It’s great information in […] Read more
A rye crop is roller crimped before organic soybean planting.
Crops

Riding the learning curve on organic no-till

Farmers are pushing the boundaries of roller-crimping winter rye and direct seeding soybeans behind

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Planting soybeans into a just-terminated cover crop of winter rye is gaining popularity among Ontario’s organic community, as farmers strive to introduce minimum-till strategies into their rotations. No-till planting has so far not become common in any other crops under organic production — in which farmers typically rely upon tillage instead of chemical inputs to […] Read more
A proposal is on the table to determine whether royalties on saved seed should be included in new regulations.
News

Opinion: Better case needed for farm-saved seed royalties

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Given that seed companies have the ability to negotiate contracts to collect royalties, the definitive argument for government regulation to sanction royalties applied to saved seed has yet to be made. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is in the midst of a consultation process on a proposal to determine whether royalties on saved seed should be […] Read more
CBOT May 2019 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)
Crops, Markets

U.S. grains: Soybeans firm on trade deal hopes

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Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures climbed on Monday amid news reports that Beijing and Washington are close to settling a lingering trade dispute, a breakthrough that could boost China’s demand for U.S. soy and other agricultural products. Corn also rose, pulling away from a three-month low struck in the previous session. Wheat prices […] Read more
(Dave Bedard photo)
Livestock, Machinery

FCC offers up new Starter Loans

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“Preferential” loan rates are available to young farmers or agribusinesspeople planning start-ups through a new Farm Credit Canada lending program. Lawrence MacAulay, addressing the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s annual meeting Wednesday in Ottawa when he was still federal minister of agriculture, unveiled the federal ag lending agency’s new Starter Loan Program. The program, according to […] Read more
Mary Robinson. (Foodintegrity.ca)
Crops

CFA elects new chief

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The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has elected its first-ever female president in a changing of the guard at its latest annual meeting. Mary Robinson, past-president of the Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture, was elected president Wednesday at the CFA’s AGM in Ottawa. She replaces Ron Bonnett, the organization’s president since 2010. Keith Currie, president […] Read more
CBOT May 2019 wheat with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)
Crops, Markets

U.S. grains: Wheat posts steepest weekly decline in half a year

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Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat prices fell on Friday and posted their steepest weekly decline since late August as technical selling and competitive global supplies pressured prices. Soybean and corn prices rose, rebounding from earlier losses, but gains were capped on concerns surrounding strong export competition. The most-active wheat contract on the Chicago Board […] Read more

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