A rendition, by Genitique, of the planned biomethanization plant to be built at Warwick, about 65 km southeast of Trois-Rivieres. (Groupe CNW/Energir)

Quebec ag co-op to power up on dairy cattle manure

About a dozen Quebec dairy farms will be getting their collective manure together next year for the province’s first-ever ag co-operative devoted to renewable natural gas. Coop Agri-Energie Warwick, launched Monday, plans to start construction this spring on a $12 million biomethanization plant which will take in slurry and manure from dairy cattle mixed with […] Read more

Laurie Stanton, of Stanton Farms near Ilderton, is planning to build a second methane digester to create renewable natural gas.

Ontario farmers seeing revenue opportunity in biogas digesters

Renewable natural gas contracts are making new methane capture projects profitable again

Renewable natural gas produced in biogas digesters is emerging as an opportunity for Ontario farmers to capture revenue from waste. Natural gas utilities in British Columbia and Quebec have requested proposals to supply scrubbed methane from biogas digesters for customers willing to pay more for natural gas with a lower carbon footprint. Why it matters: […] Read more

(Video screengrab from BJordan.liberal.ca)

Rural development strategy sought in federal shuffle

Rural economic development has been given a promotion at the federal level in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s latest cabinet shuffle. In the shuffle, following the departure of Treasury Board president Scott Brison from cabinet, Trudeau on Monday called up Bernadette Jordan, MP for the southern Nova Scotia riding of South Shore-St.Margaret’s, to head a newly […] Read more

Natural gas lines will need to be built to move the gas to areas of Ontario that don’t have it.

Province aims to clear regulatory block to natural gas expansion

A new act will allow a mix of investment options to fund more natural gas access

The Ontario Conservative government is opening up the way to greater investment in natural gas infrastructure in Ontario that don’t have it. Premier Doug Ford announced at the 2018 International Plowing Match (IPM) in Pain Court that a new Natural Gas Act would be introduced soon that will allow for public, private and consumer investment […] Read more

(Fertilizer Safety and Security Council)

Farmers wait for fertilizer prices to fall amid oversupply

CNS Canada — As more fertilizer plants are built around the world and U.S. corn acreage shrinks, the typical thinking holds that prices for urea and nitrogen should fall, but that hasn’t been the case so far for Canadian farmers. “They’re more on the steady side,” said Todd Lewis, president of the Agricultural Producers Association […] Read more


(OntLA.on.ca)

Ontario budget seeks tax flexibility for on-farm processing

The Ontario government has balanced its budget for the first time in since 2008 — but Thursday’s budget contained little news for agriculture and rural Ontario. Finance Minister Charles Sousa’s budget mostly highlighted agriculture programs that had already been announced, and maintains $100 million in funding for the provincial Risk Management Program, which helps offsets […] Read more

(Fertilizer Safety and Security Council)

Fertilizer expected to be pricier by springtime

CNS Canada –– Relatively cheap natural gas has helped push down fertilizer prices for Canadian farmers over the past winter, but that should change by springtime. One Manitoba farm leader noted urea fertilizer that went for $545 per tonne last August could now be acquired for $445 per tonne. “Phosphate fertilizer was going for $721 […] Read more



Rentech Nitrogen, whose East Dubuque fertilizer plant is shown here, is set to be sold to fellow nitrogen producer CVR Partners. (RentechInc.com)

CVR to buy Rentech arm in N fertilizer merger

Reuters — Nitrogen fertilizer producer CVR Partners said Monday it would buy Rentech Nitrogen Partners for US$533 million, excluding debt, as global fertilizer makers scale up at a time when increased supplies weigh on nitrogen prices. The deal creates North America’s fifth-largest nitrogen producer, vaulting the companies past Norway-based Yara International. It comes less than […] Read more