Canadian fertilizer firm Agrium, stymied by public opposition to its plans for a joint-venture urea plant on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, will instead take a stake in a new plant already built nearby, with plans to expand it. In a deal announced Monday with the Egyptian government, EAgrium, the joint venture between the Calgary company, three […] Read more
Agrium to buy rather than build in Egypt
CWB rips Alta. single desk report
An Alberta government report that seeks to discredit the claimed economic merits of the Canadian Wheat Board’s single marketing desk uses “false assumptions and selective data” to undermine the CWB’s value, according to the board’s CEO. “This study is badly flawed,” Ian White said in a CWB release Friday. “The authors have made sweeping assumptions […] Read more
P.E.I. farm leader named to NFPC
John Griffin, president of the W.P. Griffin farm on Prince Edward Island, has been named to the National Farm Products Council (NFPC) for a four-year term. Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced Griffin’s appointment Friday, saying his “knowledge and experience as an innovative leader in Canadian agribusiness will prove invaluable as the council continues its […] Read more
Monsanto looks to sell BST
Monsanto has announced that it is pursuing a divestiture of its bovine somatotropin (BSt) dairy hormone, sold under the trade name Posilac. Monsanto says cows supplemented with Posilac produce an average of 10 lb. more milk per day. “While Posilac is a strong product for the business, we believe repositioning the business with a strategic […] Read more
Malting Barley Values Down in Mid-Month PRO
Due to uncertainty in malting barley prices as harvest progresses, the Canadian Wheat Board has issued a special mid-month malting barley Pool Return Outlook (PRO) for the 2008-09 crop year. Projected values are down $15 per tonne from the July 24, 2008 PRO. The Select CW two-row is projected at $345 per tonne ($7.51/bu), down […] Read more
Sask ag ministry sees rapid armyworm emergence in July
Saskatchewan Agriculture has observed little emergence of Bertha armyworm in June but higher temperatures resulted in rapid emergence in July. The provincial ag deparment monitors the emergence of Bertha armyworm moths during the growing season using a pheromone trapping system. The accompanying map displays the cumulative male moth counts collected in traps set up in […] Read more
Federal government calling for unlimited third party spending in CWB elections
The Harper government is proposing regulatory changes that would repeal a section of the regulations for the election of directors of the Canadian Wheat Board. The move would throw open the door for unlimited spending by third parties in the debate by, “… removing the current $10,000 spending restriction on advertising expenses in place for […] Read more
Canada objects to COOL rule
Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has vowed to analyze the recently-released U.S. Department of Agriculture’s country-of-origin labeling (COOL) rule to “determine the economic impacts on integrated North American markets.” In a July 30 statement, Ritz expressed disappointment with U.S. COOL legislation, saying it “may discriminate against Canadian products.” He also hinted at possible trade action […] Read more
Ontario funds local food initiative
The Ontario government is making a total of $12 million available over four years through the Ontario Market Investment Fund to help promote consumer awareness of Ontario-produced foods and to encourage Ontarians to buy locally. A government release said the program will help develop opportunities through trade events, marketing campaigns and industry research initiatives that […] Read more
Farm leaders, politicians respond to WTO talks collapse
Following the collapse of WTO negotiations earlier this week, Canadian farm leaders and politicians have largely reinforced their previous positions. Trade minister Michael Fortier was quick to say trade remains at the top of the government agenda, despite the fact that Canada was the lone holdout on some measures around supply-managed agricultural commodities. “Canada is […] Read more
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