The Alberta government’s caucus lead on emergency medical services (EMS) reform has been promoted to handle the agriculture file in a post-election cabinet shuffle. RJ Sigurdson, MLA for the constituency of Highwood, just south of Calgary, was sworn in Friday by Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani as Alberta’s new minister of agriculture and irrigation, replacing Nate Horner. […] Read more
Calgary-area MLA named Alberta’s new ag minister
RJ Sigurdson to handle ag file, Horner moves to finance
Canada gets in on U.S. trade challenge of Mexico’s GM corn ban
Canada to have third party role in CUSMA dispute consultations
A U.S. challenge under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico free trade agreement (CUSMA), against Mexico’s planned ban on genetically modified corn, will now also have Canada at the table. Rob Stewart, Canada’s deputy minister for international trade, wrote Friday to U.S. and Mexican trade officials, formally announcing Canada’s intent to take part in the CUSMA dispute settlement consultations […] Read more
Degelman buys grain bagging, milling equipment firm Renn
Alberta equipment maker's staff to continue with Degelman
Regina ag implement maker Degelman Industries has bought into the grain bagging and grain milling equipment business with a deal for Alberta manufacturer Renn Mill Center. Degelman, in a release Thursday, said it recently bought the Lacombe, Alta. company for an undisclosed sum and will keep Renn’s existing employees and management in place. In business […] Read more
Philippines to host Canada’s Indo-Pacific ag office
AAFC/CFIA base to be set up in Manila, Bibeau says
Canada’s agriculture department and food safety agency will carry out their part of the federal government’s Indo-Pacific strategy from a new office in Manila, Philippines. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced the office’s location Wednesday in Ottawa during a meeting with the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA), which represents Canada’s export-dependent ag commodity groups on […] Read more
Ontario extends deadline to lock in RMP coverage
Final date to secure coverage moved to June 30
Grain and oilseed growers and cattle, hog, sheep and veal producers in Ontario now get until June 30 this year to secure coverage under that province’s Risk Management Program (RMP). The province on May 29 announced the deadlines for grain and oilseed producers to submit their completed RMP applications and make any coverage changes — […] Read more
Animal care council won’t update livestock transport code of practice
NFACC says 'no further action' pending
After over four years’ publicly funded work to develop an updated national code of practice for livestock transport for Canada, the National Farm Animal Care Council has called a halt. In an information update dated May 1, NFACC said its board has now decided “no further action will be taken” by the council to update […] Read more
Alberta ag minister, ag critic hang onto seats in election
Governing UCP retains smaller majority
Alberta’s incumbent agriculture minister and official opposition ag critic both appear set to return to the legislature as Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservatives (UCP) are expected to form a majority government. At about 1 a.m. Alberta time on Tuesday, Smith’s UCP was elected or leading in 49 of 87 constituencies; all remaining 38 went to […] Read more
Canada’s combine sales up in April
Small tractor sales drag on total retail movement
Retail sales of combines in both Canada and the U.S. showed a marked increase in April this year while the market for sub-compact tractors continues to soften, new data shows. The count for April 2023 from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) puts self-propelled combine sales in Canada at 166, up 50.9 per cent from […] Read more
Olymel to idle multiple Prairie hog barns
Packer cites 'continued financial losses' in sector
Pork packer Olymel is preparing to dial back its hog production in Western Canada by shuttering six of its sow units in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Olymel, the agrifood arm of Quebec’s Sollio Cooperative Group, announced Friday it has served 80 employees with layoff notices at five sow units in Alberta and one in Saskatchewan. The […] Read more
Agco, Kubota sign onto U.S. right-to-repair pledge
Firms join Deere, CNH in pacts with Farm Bureau
Two more major ag equipment makers have signed onto a framework that would grant farmers and independent repair shops in the United States reasonable access to the means to repair their machines. The Washington, D.C.-based American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) on Monday announced it had reached memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with equipment firms Agco and […] Read more
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