Buenos Aires | Reuters – U.S. farmers could receive cash payments from a planned $12 billion aid package as soon as late September, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told Reuters on July 28, warning that the program will not make tariff-hit farmers whole. Perdue said in an interview on the sidelines of the G20 meeting […] Read more
U.S. says farmers could get cash aid by Oct. but will not be made whole
CP conductors, engineers ratify four-year deal
Conductors and engineers for Canadian Pacific Railway have voted for labour peace following a 33-hour strike in late May. CP’s 3,100-odd conductors and engineers, represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), announced July 20 they have voted to ratify a four-year agreement. Almost 63 per cent of eligible employees cast electronic ballots in the […] Read more
UPL to buy crop chem firm Arysta
Indian chemical manufacturer UPL has raised the financial backing for an all-cash deal to become what’s expected to be the world’s fifth biggest crop chemical firm. UPL on July 20 announced it will pay $4.2 billion to buy 100 per cent of Arysta LifeScience — the maker of Everest and Inferno herbicides, among other products […] Read more
G20 ag ministers slam protectionism, pledge WTO reforms
Buenos Aires | Reuters — Agriculture ministers from the G20 countries criticized protectionism in a joint statement on Saturday, and vowed to reform World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, but did not detail what steps they would take to improve the food trade system. In the statement, they said they were “concerned about the increasing use […] Read more
Drought’s effects linger on Prairies
CNS Canada — After a dry growing season last year in Western Canada, effects of the drought are still evident with news that most livestock producers won’t be doing a second cut of hay. “Pastures and hay fields didn’t get the moisture that they needed to really recharge over that winter period and get a […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soy rises on export prospects
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose on Friday, notching their second straight weekly gain, bolstered by signs of strong export demand, traders said. Wheat futures were mixed, with winter wheat contracts easing while spring wheat contracts firmed amid concerns about crop shortfalls. Corn closed slightly firm after trading both sides of unchanged during […] Read more
NAFTA teams ready to ‘start solving’ stalled issues, Mexico says
Washington | Reuters — Mexican Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo said on Friday that the negotiating teams for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) are ready to kick off talks again after they stalled last month. NAFTA talks between the U.S., Mexico and Canada had stalled since June when the U.S. imposed tariffs on Mexican […] Read more
Scout your winter wheat
Wheat often doesn’t get the focus of other crops on the farm, but it might pay to get back to basics
Do you devote enough time to your winter wheat crop? Experts from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs are wondering. They’re curious enough to make the basics of winter wheat disease management a key part of the University of Guelph’s recent Diagnostic Days event in Ridgetown. Why it matters: OMAFRA staff remind […] Read more
AGT managers seek to take company private
CNS Canada — Plans are afoot to take publicly-traded Saskatchewan pulse and specialty crop processing firm AGT Food and Ingredients private. AGT, in a release Thursday, said it has received a non-binding proposal from a senior management group, led by company CEO Murad Al-Katib, to acquire all its issued and outstanding common shares. The proposal […] Read more
Dwindling diesel supplies could boost price
CNS Canada — Strong global demand and a looming North American harvest could send diesel prices higher in coming months. According to one energy analyst in Chicago, farmers may want to buy some fuel before prices get too high. “We’re telling our people to hedge some of your exposure, because we do think that, barring […] Read more
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