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(Mahindra.com)
Crops, Machinery

Ottawa to back new tractor plant in Quebec

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A federal fund to help communities diversify from the asbestos business will help finance a major tractor manufacturer’s first facilities in Canada. Navdeep Bains, the minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), on Tuesday announced a “repayable contribution” of $350,000 for Mahindra Canada-Est to put up a 22,000-square foot industrial building at Adstock, […] Read more
Rail cars arrive at Glencore’s Puerto Prodeco coal depository in Colombia. (Glencore.com)
Crops

Glencore sees renewables not cost competitive until mid-century

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London | Reuters — Renewable energy will not be cost competitive with fossil fuels until 2050, Glencore said on Tuesday, much later than energy organizations forecast and supporting the mining and trading giant’s case for continued investment in coal. Glencore, whose non-mining holdings include Canadian grain handler Viterra, has said coal is still an investment […] Read more
(Cia.gov)
Crops

Canada, China agree to tighten trade ties

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Ottawa | Reuters — Canada and China said Thursday they would start exploratory talks on a free trade pact, but gave few details about a possible extradition treaty for Chinese fugitives which has triggered criticism in Canada. Canada’s Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, elected last year, is trying to improve ties and increase trade with […] Read more
Shoal Lake Wild Rice, whose processing facility just east of Winnipeg is shown here in 2014, is one of several firms exporting Canadian-grown wild rice to buyers worldwide. (Manitoba Co-operator photo by Shannon VanRaes)
Crops

Systems set to ship Canadian wild rice to China

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Canadian wild rice producers, warehousers and processors interested in exporting to China now have a certification system in place to do so, clearing the way for Chinese market access. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Thursday released details of a new certification program in which the agency can approve Canadian wild rice processing, warehousing and […] Read more
(CropScience.Bayer.ca)
Crops

U.S. lawmakers skeptical of ag chemical, seed merger wave

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Washington | Reuters — U.S. lawmakers expressed concern on Tuesday over a wave of mergers among companies that sell farmers their seeds, herbicides and insecticides, worrying that the deals could lead to higher prices and less innovation at a time of dropping farm incomes. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said the proposed mergers […] Read more
An Agrium fertilizer distribution facility west of Portage la Prairie, Man. (Dave Bedard photo)
Crops

Tough farm conditions right time for merger, Agrium CEO says

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Reuters — Plunging crop and fertilizer prices may not have hit rock bottom yet, and the market’s weakness makes it the right time to merge leading farm input suppliers, the CEO of Agrium said on Tuesday, making his pitch to skeptical investors for a US$26 billion union with PotashCorp. “Are we at the bottom yet? […] Read more
(Dave Bedard photo)
Crops

U.S. EPA says glyphosate likely not carcinogenic

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Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday said its current position on glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide, is that the chemical is not likely carcinogenic to humans. The agency’s “proposed” position on the controversial chemical was outlined in a 227-page paper it published on the regulations.gov website, which […] Read more
Crops, Machinery

Farm Business Communications in online award running

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The online arm of Winnipeg ag journal publisher Farm Business Communications (FBC) is representing at this fall’s Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPAs). The COPAs, to be presented Nov. 7 in Toronto, are a juried competition to promote and support Canada’s digital publishing industry, and are operated by Mississauga-based publishing sector magazine Masthead. Finalists for the […] Read more

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