Southwestern Alberta MP John Barlow, shown here at a parade in 2016, is again the federal Conservatives’ agriculture critic. (JohnBarlowMP.ca)

Conservatives’ Barlow to return as federal ag critic

NDP, Bloc incumbent critics to return

A former agriculture critic for the federal opposition Conservatives will again handle the file when the House of Commons resumes sitting in two weeks. Conservative leader Erin O’Toole on Tuesday named John Barlow, MP for the southwestern Alberta riding of Foothills, as shadow minister for agriculture, agri-food and food security. As ag critic, Barlow replaces […] Read more

Photo: iStock/Getty Images

U.S. farm co-op CHS to pay members to enrol in Bayer carbon farming program

Reuters – Agricultural seeds and chemicals supplier Bayer AG is expanding its carbon farming program to members of U.S. farm cooperative CHS Inc, boosting incentives for members to participate in the program, the companies said on Wednesday. The agreement will make it easier for CHS’s 75,000 farmer-members to enrol in Bayer’s Carbon Program, an early […] Read more



Lynne Schoenau beside a front-end loader depositing a bucket full of topsoil taken from a slough onto a Rebuilding Productivity in Eroded Knolls research plot in May 2020.

Move soil to where it’s needed most

Landscape restoration can restore productivity on eroded knolls and hilltops

You could say it’s an old idea that’s new again. The idea is taking topsoil from where it has accumulated in low areas and putting it on badly eroded knolls or hilltops to increase the productivity of a field. University of Manitoba soil scientist David Lobb maintains that’s something farmers in hilly regions of China […] Read more


Should you till after a drought?

Should you till after a drought?

Q & A with an expert

Q: What factors should be considered with fall tillage following a drought? A: Fall work might include tillage operations for fertilizer and herbicide applications. Other tillage operations might include vertical tillage for residue management and tillage to break up surface compaction. The question after a drought is, “Should I till?”  Many parts of Western Canada […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

White House not ruling out a U.S. carbon tax

Option 'not off the table' despite Manchin comment

Washington | Reuters –– The White House on Tuesday said it has not ruled out a carbon tax as a possible option for fighting climate change, even though U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, a critical holdout in the closely divided Senate, said he was not discussing the topic in talks about U.S. spending and infrastructure bills. […] Read more



After a sustained period of uncertainty, economists predict the world economy is primed for strong growth.

Editor’s Column: Economic outlook offers lots of positive news, some challenges, loads of optimism

It’s been about a year and a half since the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions aimed to contain it caused what Aaron Goertzen calls the “deepest and fastest recession in modern economic history.” Goertzen is the senior economist and director of BMO Financial Group. Fortunately, we’re now in the recovery phase. “The labour market has […] Read more


CME December 2021 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle retreat from one-month high

Corn futures weigh on feeder cattle

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed lower on Monday, hit by profit-taking and technical selling after the benchmark December contract hit a one-month high on Friday, traders said. A stronger close in corn futures pressured feeder cattle futures. CME December live cattle futures settled down 0.55 cent at 130.425 cents/lb. […] Read more

File photo of the Port of Montreal. (Guy Banville/iStock/Getty Images)

Canada concerned about supply chain issues, watching ports ‘closely’

Reuters –– Canada is concerned about the challenges facing global supply chains and is watching the country’s ports very closely, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Thursday. Freeland, speaking to reporters in Washington after meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, said she was broadly optimistic about the strength of Canada’s economic recovery […] Read more