A perennial sticking point in work stoppages and labour disputes at Canada’s two major railways is expected to be at least somewhat addressed within the next two and a half years. Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau on Nov. 25 announced what’s billed as the first updates to the Duty/Rest Rules for Railway Operating Employees since […] Read more
Federal work/rest rules to be updated for railway workers
More clarifications coming, Teamsters say
Ontario hog set-aside plan underway
AgriRecovery program taking applications through March
Ontario hog farmers can now apply for AgriRecovery toward feed costs for hogs held back from sale when certain pork packers went into COVID-19-induced slowdowns. Agricorp, the province’s ag program delivery agency, on Nov. 25 announced the Canada-Ontario COVID-19 2020 Hog Maintenance Feed Initiative, which started effective Nov. 6 and will run through to March […] Read more
Grain, seed corn growers get access to seasonal worker program
Maple syrup also added to national commodity list
Growers of grains, oilseeds and seed corn and maple syrup producers may be able to get in on the federal Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) for the 2021 season. Federal Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough announced Nov. 27 the national commodity list (NCL) would be expanded to include seed corn, oil seed, grains and maple syrup […] Read more
Alberta offers equivalency plan, grants for aspiring truckers
Province to cut Class 1 qualifying time for Class 3 drivers
The Alberta government plans to reduce the entry fees — and the time required — for some drivers wanting to level up to become Class 1 truckers. Provincial Transportation Minister Ric McIver on Nov. 26 announced a new “Experience and Equivalency” program that’s expected to reduce the time required for Class 3 drivers to upgrade […] Read more
Ag publishing house Issues Ink sold
Farms.com buys Winnipeg media company
Online ag information company Farms.com has taken another step into Canadian print media by buying ag publishing and consulting company Issues Ink. Winnipeg-based Issues Ink publishes Germination, Spud Smart, the Alberta Seed Guide, European Seed and Seed World. Its Seed World Group division also includes Seed World Create, a consulting unit providing marketing and communications […] Read more
Richardson to boost Peace region grain handle
New elevator in progress west of Grande Prairie
Prairie grain handler Richardson Pioneer has started work on a new elevator to expand its access to the southern reaches of northwestern Alberta’s Peace region. The Winnipeg company said Thursday it expects to complete a new high-throughput grain elevator by fall next year on Canadian National Railway (CN) track at Huallen, about 35 km west […] Read more
Expansion underway on Brandon fertilizer terminal
More storage to be added at three-year-old facility
Federated Co-operatives (FCL) has started expansion work at its next-to-new fertilizer terminal in western Manitoba, to boost its capacity by almost a third. FCL announced Monday it has budgeted $5 million to add 9,000 tonnes of capacity at the Co-op Fertilizer Terminal at Brandon, bringing its maximum storage to 36,500 tonnes. Work began at the […] Read more
Four-way Seeds Canada merger approved
Four organizations to amalgamate in February without CSGA on board
A merger of four Canadian seed industry organizations has been cleared to proceed without its fifth partner. Members of the Canadian Plant Technology Agency (CPTA), Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada (CSAAC), Canadian Seed Institute (CSI) and Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) have voted in favour of amalgamation, the groups announced Wednesday. An inaugural board […] Read more
Viterra brand goes worldwide
Glencore Agriculture begins rebranding in most countries
Glencore Agriculture has officially taken the name of its Canadian subsidiary as its own worldwide. Glencore Agriculture, co-owned by commodity firm Glencore and two Canadian public-sector pension fund investment firms, announced Monday it has started to use the name Viterra — and a new brand, “Viterra: The Agriculture Network” — in most of the 37 […] Read more
Grain Farmers of Ontario to wind down wheat pool
Programs to end after 2020 marketing year
The remnants of Ontario farmers’ former single wheat marketing desk are set to disappear at the end of the 2020 crop marketing year. Grain Farmers of Ontario, which inherited the pooling system from one of its heritage organizations, the Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board, announced Tuesday it will wind down its wheat pool and its […] Read more
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