Andre Corbould (centre), shown here briefing then-Governor General Michaelle Jean (r) in Whistler, B.C. during the 2010 Olympics, is Alberta’s new deputy agriculture minister. (GG.ca)

Alberta names new deputy ag minister

Alberta’s deputy provincial environment minister, a civil engineer and 28-year veteran of the Canadian Forces, has been named the province’s new top agriculture bureaucrat. Premier Rachel Notley on Tuesday put through an order in council appointing Andre Corbould as Alberta’s deputy minister of agriculture and forestry effective Wednesday, replacing Beverly Yee. Corbould, the province’s deputy […] Read more

Aviation firms report Brazil’s use of crop dusters to be rising at a rate of three per cent per year. (Embraer video screengrab via YouTube)

Brazil cracking down on unmonitored agriculture planes

Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazilian federal prosecutors have demanded civil aviation authorities change regulations to increase oversight of agriculture airplanes such as crop dusters, which they claim can be used to smuggle drugs and agro-chemicals. Prosecutors are calling for the mandatory introduction of a transponder equipment to monitor such planes, and have suggested new […] Read more

(CanopyGrowth.com)

Canada prepares for legal pot with new license class, labels

Toronto | Reuters –– Canada’s health regulator on Monday set out thresholds for a new class of cannabis cultivation and processing licenses, and outlined strict requirements for the packaging and labeling of recreational marijuana ahead of its legalization this year. The proposals were published in a document released by Health Canada, taking into account feedback […] Read more

A freight train at Manchac, La., about 75 km east of Baton Rouge. (CN.ca)

U.S. rail regulator tackles railroads over customer complaints

Reuters — The top U.S. rail regulator has asked major railroads for information on service levels before meeting disgruntled shippers and other customers over complaints about service delays and higher costs. In letters to the CEOs of the railroads, dated Friday and posted Monday on the U.S. Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) website, the regulator requested […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

Enjoy stable diesel market while you can, analyst says

CNS Canada — The short-term outlook for the diesel market in North America calls for current prices to remain largely untouched through spring planting — but it could change drastically after that. According to Tom Kloza of the Oil Price Information Service in New Jersey, prices for diesel could even get higher than crude oil. […] Read more

Greenhouses, adversely affected by electricity rates in Ontario, are expected to be large users of the GreenON Agriculture Retrofit program.

Is GreenON for you?

The new energy efficiency program for barns, greenhouses and grain dryers has a quick first intake period

A new program to help fund energy efficiency improvements in enclosed agriculture buildings has been launched, but the timeline for the first intake is short. Applications are now being accepted for the GreenON Agriculture Retrofit funding program, through March 26. The program is administered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA), and other […] Read more


(Monsanto.com.cn)

China conditionally approves Bayer’s Monsanto deal

Beijing | Reuters — Bayer on Tuesday secured conditional approval from China’s commerce ministry for its planned acquisition of the world No. 1 seed company Monsanto, chalking up a victory in an onerous struggle to win over watchdogs across the globe. The ministry also ordered the German drug and crop chemicals maker to spin off […] Read more

(PrairieMushrooms.com)

Mushroom grower Highline expands westward reach

Canada’s biggest mushroom grower is set to further expand its market space in Western Canada with a deal for a West Coast competitor. Highline Mushrooms of Leamington, Ont. announced Wednesday it will buy Prairie Mushrooms of Langley, B.C. for an undisclosed sum. Highline, which has operated since 1961 and was taken over in 2016 by […] Read more