The federal Conservatives have tapped one of their rookie Quebec MPs as the new agriculture critic for Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. Andrew Scheer, elected in May as the Tories’ new leader, on Wednesday announced his first shadow cabinet with Luc Berthold, the MP for Megantic-L’Erable, as agriculture and agri-food critic and John Barlow, MP for […] Read more
Federal Tories look east for ag critic
StatsCan production survey timing likely to skew results
CNS Canada — Production of Canada’s major crops is generally expected to be down on the year after an adverse growing season in many areas. However, actual production may not end up as low as the estimates set to be released by Statistics Canada on Thursday, due to the timing of the survey. The survey […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn hits contract low ahead of big harvest
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn futures fell to contract lows for the fifth straight session on Tuesday on technical selling linked to the approaching harvest of a bumper U.S. crop, traders and analysts said. CBOT wheat futures also notched life-of-contract lows before reversing slightly higher on bargain buying while soy prices […] Read more
CSX tackling service issues, CEO tells rail regulator
Detroit | Reuters — CSX Corp. said it is dealing with service issues even as it forges ahead with a controversial overhaul of its network that has led dozens of trade groups to call for an investigation into disruptions at the No. 3 U.S. railroad. In a letter released by the regulator on Monday, CSX […] Read more
Koch to seek Saskatchewan Party leadership
A long-time Prairie agriculture policy player who last year became Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall’s seniormost bureaucrat has joined the race to replace him. Alanna Koch, who farms with her husband at Edenwold, Sask., about 40 km northeast of Regina, announced her candidacy Monday for the leadership of the province’s governing Saskatchewan Party. Koch was the […] Read more
Richardson buying two Alberta crop input retailers
Two independent crop input retailers in northeastern Alberta will become part of Richardson Pioneer’s ag retail chain starting Friday. Richardson on Monday announced it will buy Webb’s Crop Services Ltd. at Vermilion and Agro Guys Inc. at Forestburg, about 165 km southwest of Vermilion, for undisclosed sums. Both deals are expected to close Thursday, with […] Read more
Whole Foods slashes prices on some produce
Los Angeles/Chicago | Reuters — On its first day as part of Amazon.com, organic grocery chain Whole Foods Market slashed prices on popular items like avocados and apples on Monday by a third as it bid to shake off its “Whole Paycheque” reputation for high prices. In another sign of changes to come, a display […] Read more
Harvey’s rains sending fuel prices higher
Houston | Reuters — U.S. fuel prices surged on Monday as two more Gulf Coast refiners cut output and a third considered reductions, leaving more than 13 per cent of the country’s refining capacity offline after Tropical Storm Harvey flooded plants and shut seaports. The storm swung back over the Gulf of Mexico on Monday […] Read more
Toromont to buy Cat dealer Hewitt
Reuters — Toromont Industries said Monday it would buy privately held Hewitt Group for about $1.02 billion in cash and shares to expand its network of heavy equipment dealers in Eastern Canada. Through the deal, Concord, Ont.-based Toromont will acquire Hewitt’s 45 Caterpillar dealerships in Quebec, the Maritimes, Labrador and Ontario, increasing the number of […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat, corn drop to contract lows
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat and corn futures dropped to life-of-contract lows on Monday, weighed down by technical selling and abundant global supplies, traders and analysts said. Chicago Board of Trade September wheat futures fell about 2.4 per cent, settling down 9-1/2 cents at $4, in a bear-spreading decline as some investors dumped spot […] Read more
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