Ontario’s agriculture minister stands by his decision to halt a process that was expected to open up how processing tomatoes are priced in the province. Jeff Leal’s decision, announced in August, resulted in a Dec. 21 threat from Ontario’s largest tomato processors to significantly cut back their tomato purchases from Ontario farmers in 2017. Processing […] Read more
Greig: A year of farm policy decisions ahead for Ontario
As Trump meets biotech CEOs, farm advisers fret over empty USDA spot
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has left the agriculture secretary as the last department head to be named to his cabinet, while a meeting with the chief executives of two agribusiness giants gave a hint at a roster of farm issues the incoming president will face. Trump met on Wednesday with the […] Read more
Syngenta, ChemChina submit remedy proposals to EU
Hong Kong/Beijing | Reuters — China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina) and Swiss pesticides and seeds group Syngenta have proposed remedies to the European Union’s competition watchdog to address concerns over their US$43 billion merger agreement. The European Commission’s website showed “commitments” submitted on Monday, which typically means the parties have proposed remedies such as asset […] Read more
EU regulators delay ChemChina/Syngenta decision
Brussels | Reuters — European Union antitrust regulators have extended the deadline for a decision on ChemChina’s proposed buy of Swiss pesticides and seeds group Syngenta by 10 working days, to April 12. Syngenta said in a statement the two companies had asked for the extension to allow “sufficient time for the discussion of remedy […] Read more
Farm development charges could set worrying precedent
A rural municipality north of Kitchener, Ont. wants the region’s growing farms to pay more of the cost to fix its crumbling roads, which could set a worrisome precedent for farmers. The Township of Mapleton is struggling to find ways to pay for road upgrades and is proposing to add a development charge for agriculture […] Read more
Diesel prices to start edging up in 2017
Commodity News Service Canada – An improving U.S. economy and a global deal to limit oil production should give diesel prices a boost in the coming year. “We’ve been blessed with low diesel prices the past few years but we’re probably looking at higher prices in the New Year,” said Phil Flynn of Price Futures […] Read more
Christmas storm watch
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement warning of a Colorado low expected to hit southern Manitoba Christmas Day. “There is still some uncertainty, but models are in much better agreement at this time as to the track of this low pressure centre placing it over South Dakota late on Christmas Day (Sunday December […] Read more
CRTC makes broadband a basic service
Gatineau | Reuters — Broadband internet access will be considered a basic service in Canada, the country’s telecom regulator said Wednesday, setting a higher target for download speeds and creating a fund that could see providers paying more to help meet those goals. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) said it was establishing a […] Read more
Syngenta, DuPont patent new herbicide chemistry class
The crop chemical arms of DuPont and Syngenta are working together on a new class of herbicide chemistry they’ve jointly patented and taken to the “pre-development” stage. DuPont Crop Protection and Syngenta announced Monday they’ve published a joint patent, titled “Substituted cyclic amides and their use as herbicides,” and expect to launch herbicides based on […] Read more
Duration limit lifted from foreign worker program
Canadian farm groups are among the sectors hailing Ottawa’s decision to axe the cumulative duration rule, or “four-in, four-out” policy, which stood to sideline temporary foreign workers from the Canadian market. The federal government announced last Tuesday (Dec. 13) it would lift the restriction, effective immediately. The cumulative duration rule had been in place in […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
