The new not-for-profit agency running Saskatchewan’s brand inspection, registry and livestock dealer licensing services is set to boost its fees in the new year. Livestock Services Corp. of Saskatchewan (LSS) will raise its brand inspection fee by 75 cents per animal effective Jan. 2, to $2.75. LSS’ fee for registering or renewing a brand will […] Read more
Sask. to raise brand inspection, registration fees
Mandatory minimum grain handle extended
A new order-in-council will extend the federal government’s mandatory minimum weekly grain handle for Canada’s big two railways through March, just as the previous order expires. Federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz on Saturday announced the mandatory minimums, which expired Saturday, are extended until March 28, 2015. The new order, however, adjusts the […] Read more
Ex-Viterra CEO to lead Dreyfus’ commodities business
The CEO who stitched Viterra together from Canada’s Prairie pools has been named to lead Louis Dreyfus’ global commodities business. Mayo Schmidt was announced Friday as the new CEO of Louis Dreyfus Commodities (LDC), the “D” of the four “ABCD” companies dominating the global grain business. Schmidt takes the reins at Rotterdam-based Dreyfus effective Jan. […] Read more
U.S. to appeal latest WTO loss on COOL
Canada will have to wait up to three more months before it can impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods over Washington’s mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) law on meat from imported livestock. The U.S. government on Friday filed a notice of appeal against the latest ruling by a World Trade Organization (WTO) compliance panel, which last […] Read more
Hi-Pro buying, shutting Lethbridge feed mill
The livestock feed business in southern Alberta is set for consolidation as feed miller Hi-Pro Feeds moves to buy, then close, a fellow feed mill. Hi-Pro, the former feed milling business of grain handler Viterra, announced Wednesday it’s bought New-Life Mills’ Lethbridge feed plant for an undisclosed sum, will hire three New-Life employees and will […] Read more
Rail engineers, conductors seek mediation with CP
With just over a month before their contract expires, rail engineers and conductors represented by the Teamsters Union want a mediator to restart “stalled” bargaining with Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) said Friday it has filed a mediation request with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). “The negotiations have […] Read more
Ontario proposes deep cuts to farmers’ neonic use by 2017
Ontario’s new goal to ban most use of neonicotinoid pesticides in corn and soybean crops by 2017 has yielded bouquets from the province’s beekeepers — but left crop growers feeling stung. Following up on Premier Kathleen Wynne’s orders to her agriculture and environment ministers in their mandate letters in September, the province on Tuesday announced it will consult on […] Read more
Alta. Wildrose ag critic joins Tories
The agriculture and rural development critic for Alberta’s official Wildrose opposition has crossed the floor to the governing Tories. Little Bow MLA Ian Donovan announced his defection from the Wildrose on Monday to the Progressive Conservatives alongside Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA Kerry Towle, Wildrose’s critic for human services and seniors. “In order to maintain my integrity, […] Read more
Farm websites earn national honours
Farm Business Communications’ ventures in cyberspace have earned national honours for the Winnipeg farm publishing house at the Canadian Online Publishing Awards. The awards, presented Thursday in Toronto in an event organized by Canadian media magazine Masthead, go to websites in three divisions: Blue (scholarly, farm, business-to-business), Red (consumer) and Green (news media). Four of […] Read more
Man. farmers to get compensation for swamped land
Farmers around southern Manitoba’s Portage Diversion whose fields were submerged by the province’s flood-control efforts this summer can expect some compensation. The province on Wednesday pledged up to $1.15 million to compensate growers following last summer’s use of the Portage Diversion to help regulate water flow and protect rural and urban residents along the Assiniboine […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
