CHS Inc., the biggest farm co-operative in the U.S., is seen gaining a competitive edge against private and publicly-traded grain firms from changes to tax law affecting sales of U.S. farmers’ crops and livestock. (CHS Inc. photo)

Major U.S. grain firms fear harm from new tax law

Chicago | Reuters — The new U.S. tax law is poised to drive more control over the nation’s grain supply to farmer-owned co-operatives, provoking concern among ethanol producers and privately run grain handlers that they could be squeezed out of the competition to buy crops. Until now, the co-operatives, private companies and publicly traded firms […] Read more

(UFA.com)

UFA to shut down outdoor outfitter business

Alberta farmers’ co-operative UFA is set to get out of an “increasingly competitive” space in the retail sector by closing its outdoor supply chain Wholesale Sports. The co-operative, which bought what was then a seven-store chain in 2008, announced Thursday it would start inventory liquidation sales Friday at all 12 of its remaining Wholesale Sports […] Read more


(OlympicDairy.com)

Agropur to take control of Iogo, Olympic yogurt maker

Ultima Foods, the Canadian maker of Iogo and Olympic yogurt products, is set to become the sole property of Quebec dairy producers’ co-op Agropur. Agropur and Agrifoods International Co-operative, which combined their yogurt manufacturing and marketing operations in 1993 to form Ultima as a 50-50 joint venture, announced a deal Thursday which will see Agropur […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Farm sales to co-ops to count for small business deduction

Changes to federal tax law that were meant to block “multiplication” of the small business deduction for corporations won’t apply to farmers’ sales to co-operatives. The federal government on Friday released draft amendments to the Income Tax Act, which would allow qualifying farmers and fishers selling to agricultural and fisheries co-operatives to be eligible for […] Read more

Coop federee president Ghislain Gervais speaks to the co-operative’s AGM Feb. 23 in Quebec City. (CNW Group/La Coop federee)

Coop federee cracks $6 billion mark in revenues

Revenues for expansion-minded Quebec agrifood and retail co-operative La Coop federee crossed the $6 billion mark in fiscal 2016, leading to a substantial jump in patronage dividends to producers. The co-operative at its annual meeting reported earnings, before patronage dividends and income taxes, of $275.44 million on $6.335 billion in revenues for fiscal 2016, up […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Scotsburn ice cream business sale to Agropur cleared

Canada’s biggest dairy co-operative has been given the all-clear to close its deal for an Atlantic dairy co-op’s ice cream business. Agropur Co-operative on Thursday announced it has bought the assets of Truro, N.S.-based Scotsburn Co-operative Services, which include the company’s plants in Truro and in Lachute, Que. as well as the Scotsburn brand name. […] Read more

(LaCooperationAgricole.coop)

InVivo pursues co-op alliances to vie with grain, chemical giants

Paris | Reuters — France’s InVivo wants to expand international partnerships with other co-operatives, including in joint buying of crop supplies and shipping fixtures, as it tries to compete with global grain trading and chemical firms, its CEO said on Wednesday. InVivo, a grouping of 220 agricultural co-operatives and one of the largest exporters of […] Read more