(Resource News International) — Canada’s livestock and meat industries continue to wait for details on how the $50 million promised for Canadian slaughterhouses in the federal budget will be distributed. In the meantime, however, groups are engaging in a bit of wishful thinking as to how they would like to see it used. Jim Laws, […] Read more
Meat industries have wish list for slaughter funds
B.C. port workers ratify new agreement
(Resource News International) — Representatives from both the union for about 450 British Columbia dock and ship workers and their employers confirmed Friday that union members have ratified a new collective agreement after months of mediated negotiations. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union of Canada (ILWU) Local 514 took a ratification vote Feb. 24 but […] Read more
GrainWorld: Input costs to ease toward summer
Winnipeg (Resource News International) — Farmers who are able to wait until late spring or early summer to buy fertilizer are likely to see lower prices, David Asbridge told participants at the Canadian Wheat Board’s annual GrainWorld conference in Winnipeg. Asbridge is the client development manager and senior economist for Doane Advisory Services in St. […] Read more
GrainWorld: Expect more instability, price swings
Winnipeg (Resource News International) — The Canadian agriculture industry can expect to see more instability and price spikes in grain and oilseed futures markets going forward, Prof. Alex McCalla told participants at the Canadian Wheat Board’s annual GrainWorld conference here Monday. Many analysts believe that structural changes combined with a series of market “shocks,” or […] Read more
Obama warns on “Buy America,” gives hope for COOL
(Resource News International) — While the new U.S. administration decides whether it will re-open the debate on country-of-origin-labelling (COOL) legislation, Canadian livestock groups hope President Barack Obama’s recent warnings on “Buy America” provisions show a commitment to pragmatism, not ideology. COOL legislation was thrown into limbo Jan. 22 when Obama put a hold on all […] Read more
No surprises seen in StatsCan stocks report
(Resource News International) —Statistics Canada’s grain and oilseed stocks in all positions report for the period ended Dec. 31, 2008 held no surprises for the industry on Thursday. Instead, the high and, in some cases, record total stocks numbers were largely in line with expectations given high seeded acres and strong yields during the 2008-09 […] Read more
B.C. port labour talks to resume Feb. 12
(Resource News International) — Federally appointed mediators have set Feb. 12-13 as the next dates for contract negotiations between Local 514 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union of Canada (ILWU) and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA). The two groups have been trying for months to draft a new collective agreement and avoid […] Read more
Flaherty’s budget confirms ag spending plans
(Resource News International) — Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s 2009 federal budget, announced in the House of Commons Tuesday, confirmed $550 million in agriculture funding as had been announced Friday by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. That amount is split between a $500 million agricultural flexibility plan and $50 million to improve Canada’s livestock slaughter capacity. The […] Read more
Still no breakthrough in B.C. port labour talks
(Resource News International) — Companies that had hoped for an end to uncertainty caused by the ongoing threat of a strike at B.C.’s busiest ports saw their hopes frustrated again as another weekend came and went without news of a collective agreement for roughly 450 dock and ship workers employed at B.C.’s Lower Mainland, Vancouver […] Read more
Budget to include $1.55B in ag and rural funding
(Resource News International) — The 2009 budget to be unveiled Jan. 27 by Stephen Harper’s Conservative government has pencilled in $1.55 billion in funding for agricultural programs and rural communities, according to statements by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in a media conference Friday. Ritz said the government has earmarked $500 million for an Agricultural Flexibility […] Read more
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