The federal government has named its arbitrator to settle a new contract between Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) and its conductors, engineers, trainmen and yardmen. Labour Minister Kellie Leitch on Monday appointed lawyer and professional mediator George Adams as the arbitrator and mediator for talks between CP and its 3,800 unionized running trades workers, represented by […] Read more
Arbitrator named for CP talks with running trades
Owen Sound, Baie-Comeau in revamped port sale program
Two ports hosting grain terminals are up for sale and possibly divestiture under a new federal program to get out of the port business. Transport Minister Lisa Raitt on Friday announced a new Ports Asset Transfer Program (PATP) to “facilitate the transfer” of port facilities to other owners or levels of government, naming 50 ports […] Read more
Tests turn up avian flu at third Ont. poultry farm
Already under preventive quarantine, a turkey farm in southwestern Ontario’s Oxford County is now believed to have the province’s third avian flu outbreak in poultry. On its website Friday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it was notified Thursday that presumptive H5 avian flu had been detected at the farm in tests by the University […] Read more
Agrium to shed California UAN plant
Fertilizer and ag retail firm Agrium plans to sell off its fertilizer upgrading plant in northern California. The Calgary company announced Thursday it “intends to divest” the West Sacramento plant sometime this year. On average, over the past couple of years, the plant has produced about 200,000 tonnes of nitrogen solution products, Agrium said. Agrium […] Read more
U.S. animal feed giant to snap up Ridley
Canadian/U.S. livestock feed firm Ridley Inc. is set to become part of animal nutrition giant Alltech’s total mixed ration. Lexington, Ky.-based Alltech on Thursday announced a friendly cash deal to buy all outstanding Ridley shares at $40.75 each, for a total payout to Ridley shareholders of about $521 million. Ridley’s TSX-traded shares closed Wednesday at […] Read more
CN, CP book higher grain revenues in Q1
A bump in gross revenue from grain handling helped to improve first-quarter results for both of Canada’s big two railways. Canadian National Railway (CN) on Monday reported overall net income of $704 million on $3.098 billion in revenue for the quarter ending March 31, up from $623 million on $2.693 billion in the year-earlier period. […] Read more
Second avian flu control zone set up in SW Ontario
A federal control zone has been officially set up for a 10-kilometre radius around the Oxford County chicken farm that’s home to Ontario’s second outbreak of H5N2 avian flu. This control zone, which covers ground in both Oxford County and Waterloo County, is an “internationally accepted practice,” meant to allow export business to continue from non-infected […] Read more
Oliver budget boosts capital gains exemption, trade funds
A higher lifetime capital gains exemption on sales of farm property, accelerated capital cost allowance for food processing equipment and, further out, more money to boost agrifood exports are among the offerings for farmers in Tuesday’s federal budget. Federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver on Tuesday described his 2015 Economic Action Plan as “a balanced budget, just […] Read more
No emergency debate on CWB sale
Members of Parliament won’t be having a debate on the sale of the former Canadian Wheat Board anytime soon. Andrew Scheer, speaker of the House of Commons, on Monday rejected the request from Pat Martin, the New Democrats’ MP for Winnipeg Centre, for an emergency debate on CWB’s planned sale of a 50.1 per cent […] Read more
Ont. chicken farm’s avian flu confirmed as high-path H5N2
The avian flu that swept a broiler breeder chicken operation in southwestern Ontario’s Oxford County has been confirmed as highly pathogenic H5N2. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Sunday its lab tests in Winnipeg have confirmed the virus’ pathogenicity and subtype. The farm, southwest of Kitchener, was quarantined Saturday after preliminary tests confirmed a […] Read more
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