The looming rail strike: How we got here

The rail lockout: How did we get here?

In the days since August 9, panic has begun setting in within the agricultural industry. The country has never seen a labour dispute that resulted in a strike or lockout from both of Canada’s rail companies. With harvest ramping up, a suspension of rail services would be disastrous for the industry.



Aerial view of the soon to be functional green ammonia plant on R&L Acres near Sperling Manitoba.

Green, farm-produced anhydrous ammonia in the home stretch

FuelPositive’s technology will soon be producing anhydrous ammonia using water, air and hydro on a Manitoba farm

Glacier FarmMedia – After two years of delays, the world’s first on-farm green ammonia plant is weeks away from producing fertilizer. In mid-June, Ontario clean energy company FuelPositive announced that pieces were in place for its pilot project at R&L Acres near Sperling, Man. Why it matters: Aside from reducing emissions, producing anhydrous ammonia on […] Read more





Lack of better options may push biofuel-driven demand onto soybeans, but soybeans are a meal-heavy option.

Feed markets and the ‘big oil deficit’

Biofuel boom likely to spill into lower meal prices

Glacier FarmMedia – Food and feed are the main sources of global demand for crops but climate-related policies could tip that apple cart. Governments are making legislative overtures to boost production of biofuels. In Canada, that includes the Canadian Clean Fuels Regulation, which lays out rules for fuel production and aims to encourage development of […] Read more


Manitoba Law Courts building.  Photo: Don Norman

Former Manitoba man sues Bayer for causing his cancer

A Calgary man who lived on a farm in Carman, Man., as a child has filed a lawsuit saying chemicals he was exposed to resulted in a cancer diagnosis. The plaintiffs in the case are Kevin Giesbrecht and his common-law spouse, Jennifer McAlpine, who now live in Calgary. According to court documents, Giesbrecht lived on […] Read more

Large tractor sales gain ground in March

Large tractor sales gain ground in March

It’s too early to tell if uptick is the start of a long-term trend

In Canada, unit sales of 100+ horsepower tractors grew 2.7 per cent in March compared to the same month last year. In the U.S., unit sales of the same machinery class jumped for the second straight month. American large tractor sales grew 3.2 per cent in March compared to year-ago numbers, following February’s increase of 2.8 per cent.