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Exemptions, extensions to be granted for rail crossing upgrades

New amendments would exclude low-risk field-to-field crossings

Some farmer-owned field-to-field grade crossings over Canadian rail lines are now expected to be exempted altogether from looming federal requirements for safety upgrades. Proposed amendments to the Grade Crossings Regulations, announced June 18 by Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, this week cleared their 30-day public comment period. The amendments are expected to tweak rules which were […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Hot, dry weather creates ‘significant uncertainty,’ AAFC says

MarketsFarm — Supply/demand balance sheets for Canada’s major crops only saw minor adjustments in the latest update Tuesday from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, with hot and dry growing conditions leading to “significant uncertainty” on the state of the country’s 2021-22 crops. Total field crop production in the country was forecast to decrease due to a […] Read more


CBOT September 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (black line) and K.C. September 2021 wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat climbs on deteriorating crop conditions

Corn rises as U.S. crop rating misses consensus

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures climbed on Tuesday to a two-month peak after official data underscored poor conditions for drought-hit U.S. spring wheat. Chicago corn gained, as a lower-than-expected weekly crop rating focused attention back to dry conditions in parts of the Midwest. Soybeans rebounded after being pressured by falling crude oil prices […] Read more

(Conservis.ag)

Telus, Rabobank ag arms buy into farm data aggregator

Companies join in on deal for Minneapolis-based Conservis

The agriculture arms of one of Canada’s major telecoms providers and a major Dutch bank and financial services firm are taking a stake in a tech firm in the business of gathering on-farm data into a single window. Telus Agriculture and Rabo AgriFinance, which is headquartered in St. Louis and serves U.S. farm customers, announced […] Read more


CBOT September 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (black line) and MGEX and K.C. September 2021 wheats (green and orange lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat climbs as drought persists

Soybeans ease on pressure from broader commodity markets

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures gained on Monday, climbing to a 2-1/2- month high, supported by dry weather in parts of U.S., Canadian and Russian growing areas that raises global supply worries. Soybeans eased after last week’s gains, pressured by broader losses in outside markets, though weather uncertainty underpins the oilseed. Chicago Board […] Read more

File photo of the produce section at a Canadian grocery store. (FatCamera/E+/Getty Images)

Industry-led code of conduct for food retailers on horizon

Fees create 'uncertainty' for producers, processors

A report from a federal-provincial working group says the retail sector has levied an increasing number of fees on suppliers, and is proposing the formation of a code of conduct as a potential solution. Canada’s agriculture ministers are now calling on industry to lead the process. They had formed the working group to study the […] Read more


Screenshot of Parrish and Heimbecker’s Quill Lake, Sask. elevator. (ParrishAndHeimbecker.com)

Rail upgrades planned for P+H elevator

Eastern Saskatchewan elevator's rail spot expanding

Winnipeg grain firm Parrish and Heimbecker plans to boost throughput at one of its eastern Saskatchewan elevators with upgrades to its rail car loading systems. Privately-held P+H said Thursday it plans to expand to a 100-car spot, up from 50, at its elevator at Quill Lake, Sask., about 60 km east of Humboldt. Work on […] Read more

CBOT September 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with  20-day moving average (yellow line) and MGEX and K.C. September wheats (green and orange O/H/L/C). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat posts biggest weekly climb in six years

Weather woes in North America, Russia, Europe spur concerns

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures rose about three per cent on Friday and recorded their largest weekly gain in six years as parched conditions for North American spring wheat and adverse weather in Europe and Russia stoked concern about global supplies. Soybean futures ended higher on uncertainty about U.S. crop weather, while corn […] Read more



File photo of the flags of Canada and its provinces and territories at Canada Place in Vancouver. (lilly3/iStock/Getty Images)

Request line open for AgriRecovery drought plans, Bibeau says

Formal ask needed to trigger process: ag minister

Canada’s federal agriculture minister says the government is “ready to receive formal submissions” from provinces for AgriRecovery plans to help Prairie farmers and ranchers up against significant droughts this summer. Marie-Claude Bibeau, summarizing discussions from Thursday’s online meeting with provincial and territorial (FPT) agriculture ministers, said the formal requests “are needed to trigger the process,” […] Read more