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U.S. puts duties on phosphate from Morocco, Russia
Reuters — The U.S. Department of Commerce said Tuesday it would set preliminary duties on phosphate fertilizer imports from Russia and Morocco, after launching an investigation to determine if producers in these countries were receiving unfair subsidies. The department set preliminary duties of 23.46 per cent on imports from Morocco’s OCP Group and other producers […] Read more

Buhler pulls Farm King manufacturing back to Canada
Work to halt at Minnesota plant early next year
Winnipeg farm equipment maker Buhler Industries is relocating its Farm King manufacturing work back to Canada from the U.S. this winter. After consolidating its U.S. manufacturing this summer into one plant at Willmar, Minn., about 140 km west of Minneapolis, the company said Thursday it will also halt production at Willmar in early 2021. Buhler, […] Read more

Return home stalled for some foreign workers
Seasonal foreign workers face uncertain timeline to return home due to pandemic-related border crossing restrictions
Seasonal foreign workers face uncertain timeline to return home due to pandemic-related border crossing restrictions
In the spring Ontario farmers were concerned COVID-19 border closures would stymie efforts to get the much-needed foreign workers into Ontario. Now it appears the pandemic might be hindering efforts to get those same workers back home to their families. Why it matters: Smooth operation of the seasonal foreign worker program is critical to the […] Read more
Agriculture education evolves to fit modern needs
Colleges are offering shorter courses in regional settings to help fill the need for practical skills
Colleges are offering shorter courses in regional settings to help fill the need for practical skills
Post-secondary agriculture education in Ontario is diversifying to meet the labour and skill needs of the industry. Shorter, concentrated offerings are expected to help fill the need for more employees in agriculture. Why it matters: Agriculture education options for practical training have been limited, especially in the regions where potential farm workers live. Much has […] Read more
Genomics research moving Ontario hazelnuts closer to production
Researchers continue to learn how to adapt hazelnuts to Ontario’s climate
A genomics-based research project at the University of Guelph is moving the establishment of an Ontario hazelnut industry one step closer to reality. Hazelnut development work has been underway in the province for about a decade, driven by farmers seeking new crops to grow and a large confectionary company keen to source their key ingredient […] Read more

Two more ‘murder hornets’ turn up on B.C. mainland
One nest found last month in neighbouring U.S. town
Beekeepers in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland are asked to keep an eye out for so-called “murder hornets” after two were found in the region within a week. A single Asian giant hornet was found Saturday at Aldergrove, near the intersection of Fraser Highway and Highway 13 — about five km from where […] Read more

AgriStability in Bibeau’s sights as ministers’ meeting booked
Removing reference margin limit a palatable option
Federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) ministers of agriculture are scheduled to meet Nov. 20 and 27 to discuss improving business risk management (BRM) programs. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie Claude Bibeau said she is confident counterparts from Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia will be willing to contribute their share to make significant improvements to AgriStability, the […] Read more

U.S. House ag leader loses election, unsettling Midwest farm sector
Chicago | Reuters — Democratic U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, chair for the House of Representatives’ agriculture committee, failed to win re-election in Minnesota on Tuesday, a loss some agriculture leaders said could hurt the U.S. Midwest grain belt. Though Democrats retained control of the House and therefore will again chair the committee, Peterson’s exit could […] Read more

Canadians will pay more for local food, but don’t necessarily look for it
Younger people said they were more likely to pay a premium
A new study says that four of five Canadians are willing to pay more for locally produced food. The study, conducted by the Dalhousie University Food Analytics Lab in cooperation with Caddle is based on survey data from more than 10,000 Canadians. While Canadians said they were willing to pay more, they also were found […] Read more

Tech firm aims to boost regenerative ag through A.I., machine learning
Terramera proposes to cut emissions, sequester carbon through efficiencies
A Vancouver ag tech firm is pitching a proposal to both public- and private-sector investors that would use Microsoft technology to help the ag sector “pull carbon from the air.” Terramera on Monday put forward a $730 million proposal for an initiative it calls the Global Centre for Regenerative Agriculture, which would oversee efforts to […] Read more