Prairie wheat and barley growers can expect to be able to commit to forward contracts for deliveries beyond August 2012 as soon as a federal government bill is passed to wind down their single marketing desk. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz’s bill, introduced Tuesday in the House of Commons, has been redubbed the Marketing Freedom for […] Read more
Tories’ bill maps out endgame for CWB’s single desk
Klassen: Feeders maintain upward trend
Heavier feeder cattle were steady to $2 per hundredweight (cwt) higher last week while calves under 600 pounds were up as much as $2 to $3 in some instances. Despite the softening of the nearby fed market, buying interest for feeders improved as the April and June live cattle futures made fresh contract highs. A […] Read more
Board lays out needs for CWB 2.0 as legislation looms
The Canadian Wheat Board has mapped out what it will need from Ottawa to survive, with legislation to end the board's single marketing desk for Prairie wheat and barley now on the House of Commons' notice paper for Tuesday. The board has "identified concrete requirements for any new entity to succeed -- and the federal[...]
Manitoba to flow ag services through online portal
Manitoba farmers will soon be able to use an online service-delivery system to register for programs or apply for services offered by the provincial ag department. The province on Monday rolled out AccessManitoba, a new system meant to allow businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals to register for programs and submit online applications or payments, and to […] Read more
Lentil market looking bleak
A lack of demand in western Canadian lentils, poor quality and farmers wanting higher crop prices are all contributing to a dim market outlook for the commodity, according to one industry participant. “Farmers want the moon, they’re not going to get the moon, so there’s not much going on,” said Allan Wagner, managing director at […] Read more
Antibiotic residue test for milk gets federal support
An Edmonton firm working on a device to allow dairy producers to quickly detect antibiotic residues in milk on-farm will get over $350,000 in federal development funding. The support for SciMed Technologies is to flow through the federal Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). The company's new testing kit "will ensure quality control at all stages[...]
Que. cheese, berry processors get forestry town loans
A federal fund to encourage diversification in Quebec communities tied to the forestry sector will put up loans for an Asbestos-area cheesemaker and a Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes berry processor. Fromagerie l’Oiseau Bleu, based at Asbestos, will get $500,000 in repayable funding from the Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec’s Forest Economies (TISQFE). The startup company plans […] Read more
Best basis for canola in southern Manitoba
Tight canola supplies in southern Manitoba are leading to some very attractive basis levels in the region, as at least one crushing plant is actively looking to secure more supplies. The Bunge canola crusher at Altona, Man. is currently offering basis opportunities of $5 under the November futures, and had been as tight as $2[...]
Sask. auger maker buys Sask. auger mover maker
The owners of auger maker Sakundiak Equipment have bought a manufacturer of hydraulic auger movers in a bid to offer a “more complete grain movement package.” WGI Westman Group, the Winnipeg-based owner of Sakundiak and bin makers Behlen and Meridian, among other manufacturers, announced Thursday it has bought Hawes Agro of Saskatoon for an undisclosed […] Read more
U.S. hog, poultry firms to extend use of feed wheat
The surprise drop in U.S. corn feed demand this summer may be only the beginning of a year-long reduction as chicken and hog producers break a long-held aversion to blending more wheat into rations. What initially began as a summer fling with an unprecedented premium for corn prices over wheat has turned into an enduring […] Read more
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