Ont. organic corn gets production insurance plan

Ontario's provincial crop insurance and ag funding agency has launched a new production insurance plan for organic corn grown in the province. Agricorp's new plan, announced this week, "recognizes the crop's higher market value," the agency said. Eligible varieties include all commercial corn grown for organic grain or silage, not including sweet corn, popcorn, seed[...]




BASF, Monsanto plan joint moves on dicamba-tolerant crops

Seed and ag chem firms BASF and Monsanto have agreed to work jointly on development of dicamba-tolerant cropping systems they expect to have available in Canada by mid-decade. The two companies' agreement, announced Monday, grants each company reciprocal licenses to the other's work and gives Monsanto a supply line for BASF's formulated dicamba herbicides. The[...]

N.S. steps in on Annapolis Valley ag land rezoning

Citing the "lack of clarity" in a municipality's plans, the Nova Scotia government will hold a ministerial review of a proposal to rezone some protected farmland in the Annapolis Valley. According to a provincial release Friday, the Municipality of the County of Kings applied last month to have just under 380 acres of land between[...]

Que. launches financing program for young farmers

The Quebec government and a pair of development capital funds in the province have officially launched an investment fund to help young farmers get start-up financing. Fonds d'investissement pour la releve agricole (FIRA) got its official kickoff Friday in Orford, Que. during the annual conference of the young farmers' group Federation de la releve agricole[...]


U.S. corn, soy, wheat fall in quake’s wake

U.S. grain futures fell after an earthquake in Japan raised fears that the world's third largest economy would slow commodity purchases, extending a sell-off in which wheat prices notched their biggest weekly loss in more than two years. Grain companies bought the futures at the dips but were still overwhelmed by heavy selling by funds,[...]