The numbers that decide how much revenue Canada’s big two railways get to keep from Prairie grain handling have been marked downward for the 2020-21 crop year. The Canadian Transportation Agency last week announced it will set the volume-related composite price index (VRCPI) at 1.4202 for Canadian National Railway (CN) and at 1.4205 for Canadian […] Read more
Fuel, labour to pull grain freight cost indices lower
CP's share buybacks also a factor in its VRCPI
Ontario extends fruit, forage insurance premium deadlines
Extension offers 'flexibility,' Agricorp says
Ontario fruit and forage growers who have production insurance premiums due this month will now have until June 30 to pay, the province said Monday. The extended premium payment deadline applies only to production insurance plans for fruit, strawberries and asparagus — and to the forage rainfall insurance plan, which uses rainfall as an indicator […] Read more
Cargill’s High River plant reopens with two slaughter shifts
Cutting line to resume Wednesday
Cargill’s southern Alberta beef packing plant, estimated to be responsible for over a third of Canada’s beef processing capacity, restarted Monday after a two-week COVID-19-related shutdown — but at a quicker pace than previously expected. The company said in a statement Monday it is resuming operations at the High River plant “with two shifts” in […] Read more
B.C. health officials order two more poultry plants closed
Over 50 COVID-19 cases found at Superior Poultry
Health officials in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley have ordered two more poultry processing plant closed after multiple cases of COVID-19 were confirmed among employees. Fraser Health announced April 24 it had ordered Superior Poultry Processors of Coquitlam to close after two employees of the chicken processing plant tested positive for the coronavirus. The health district […] Read more
New Brunswick ag groups rip province’s ban on foreign workers
Risk during pandemic 'simply too great,' premier says
New Brunswick farmers who employ temporary foreign workers (TFWs) are calling for the provincial government to reverse its new COVID-19-related ban on entry of TFWs who haven’t yet arrived. The provincial government on Tuesday updated a mandatory order under its pandemic state of emergency to restrict TFWs from entering the province. The new restriction doesn’t […] Read more
Major Ontario pork packer expects to re-open Monday
Conestoga Meats went offline April 27
The hog slaughter and processing plant billed as Ontario’s second-biggest pork producer expects to be back in business Monday after a week-long COVID-19-related shutdown. Conestoga Meats, based at Breslau, just east of Kitchener, notified hog farmers and shippers on Friday that it would suspend “most operations” during the week of April 27 to May 1, […] Read more
Canada’s Farm Show postponed
New date not yet set for former Farm Progress Show
One of Canada’s biggest agricultural events has crossed itself off the 2020 summer calendar due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada’s Farm Show, which rebranded in December from its former Canada’s Farm Progress Show identity, announced Monday it has officially postponed to an as-yet unconfirmed date. The annual show, organized by the Regina Exhibition Association (REAL), […] Read more
P.E.I. plans AgriStability top-up, AgriInsurance discount
Province also pledges potato storage funding
Prince Edward Island’s response to COVID-19 includes plans to pump up its farmers’ coverage level under the federal/provincial AgriStability income stabilization program. The P.E.I. government on Thursday announced a support package for farmers including $8.8 million over two years in additional business risk management (BRM) program funds. That includes paying the provincial portion of the […] Read more
Saskatchewan to bump up AgriStability interim payouts
Allowable percentage of final benefit raised
Saskatchewan farmers hoping to boost cash flow with an AgriStability interim payment can now apply to get up to three-quarters of their final payment for 2020. The Saskatchewan and federal governments announced an agreement Friday to increase the 2020 AgriStability interim benefit payment percentage to 75 per cent for producers in that province, up from […] Read more
Calgary Stampede cancelled for 2020
Province's limits on gatherings cover all major summer events
Alberta’s confirmation that its restrictions on gatherings include all annual summer events has led organizers of the Calgary Stampede to cancel the event for the first time in 97 years. “As a community celebration, the cancellation of our annual event comes with our community and public health and safety front of mind,” Stampede president Dana […] Read more
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