Construction Archives

Farm building code updates will drive insurance increases

Added costs such as fire separation areas and bracing affect replacement value

By Stew Slater March 9, 2025

Glacier FarmMedia — An unintended consequence of planned upgrades to Canada’s National Farm Building Code (NFBC) may be higher farm insurance rates. That’s because, regardless of how the insured structure is built, if destroyed it will have to be rebuilt to the new and more complex code. An Ontario member of the Canadian Farm Building […] Read more

Peter and John
(shown here)
Comben brought
some of their
models and custom
dioramas to the Ag
in Motion farm
show at Langham,
Sask., in July.

Equipment, Machinery

Custom scale model displays

Brothers personalize scale model farm equipment displays and machines

By Scott Garvey October 5, 2022

Most farm offices have a shelf with a few die-cast models of favourite tractors or farm machines. And when Christmas approaches, the parts departments of nearly every equipment dealership begin stuffing the shelves with all kinds of farm toys and models. They make great gifts for everyone from young kids to grandpa — or maybe […] Read more

A restoration company vehicle sits in a flooded field at Abbotsford, B.C. on Nov. 30, 2021. (Photo: Reuters/Jennifer Gauthier)

General, Machinery, Weather

AgriRecovery underway for flood-battered B.C. farms

Feds, province put up $228 million

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News February 8, 2022

The federal and British Columbia governments’ response to last fall’s destructive flooding now includes what’s said to be the biggest farm disaster recovery package in the province’s history. Provincial Agriculture Minister Lana Popham and her federal counterpart Marie-Claude Bibeau on Monday announced cost-shared funding of $228 million for the Canada-B.C. Flood Recovery for Food Security […] Read more

A view of BHP’s potash mine project north of Jansen, Sask. (BHP.com)

Crops, Markets

BHP approves Saskatchewan potash project’s completion

Major miner expects to produce about 4.4 million tonnes of fertilizer per year

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News August 17, 2021

After over a decade of development and digging, one of the world’s biggest mining and metals companies has granted its Saskatchewan potash mining project the go-ahead to completion and full production. Australian-British mining firm BHP announced Tuesday its board has approved its potash mine about 60 km southeast of Humboldt, near Jansen, Sask., for another […] Read more

Crops, Machinery

Brandt to buy Deere dealership chain Cervus

Regina firm to pay $302 million in all-cash deal

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News August 16, 2021

The world’s biggest privately-owned chain of Deere construction and forestry equipment dealerships is set to expand its reach into Deere farm equipment in a major way. Brandt Tractor, the equipment sales arm of the Regina-based Brandt Group, on Monday announced an agreement to buy all of publicly-traded Cervus Equipment Corp. for $19.50 a share, valuing […] Read more

Production is being fine-tuned at Roquette’s pea processing plant near Portage la Prairie. (Photo courtesy Roquette Canada)

Crops, Markets, Peas

Pulse weekly outlook: Roquette pea plant readying for full operation

By GFM Network News March 26, 2021

MarketsFarm — Operations at the Roquette pea processing plant just west of Portage la Prairie, Man. have been underway since the end of 2020, according to Michelle Finley of Roquette Canada. The company is working toward full operation at the world’s largest pea plant by early 2022, she said. “To date we have picked up […] Read more

A view of Anchorage, Alaska from Cook Inlet. (RobsonAbbott/iStock/Getty Images)

Crops, Reuters

Trump issues permit for Alaska-to-Alberta railway

By Glacier FarmMedia staff, Reuters, GFM Network News September 30, 2020

Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a presidential permit for a private-sector proposal to build a railway from northeastern Alberta’s oil sands to ports in Alaska, a project that still faces numerous hurdles. Trump said over the weekend on Twitter he would issue the permit, which he signed on Monday but […] Read more

Sides of pork in cold storage. (Agnormark/iStock/Getty Images)

Livestock, Markets, Reuters

Meat leads Canadian industrial producer prices higher in May

By GFM Network News June 30, 2020

Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian industrial producer prices rose 1.2 per cent in May on higher prices for meat, fish and dairy products, Statistics Canada said on Monday, as supply chain disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic and increased demand boosted meat prices. The gain in producer prices followed four months of consecutive decreases and […] Read more

Crops, Machinery

Brandt buys GeoShack’s Ontario business

Deal makes equipment firm the exclusive Topcon dealer for Canada

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News June 8, 2020

Farm, forestry and construction equipment maker Brandt is about to buy itself a lock on the market for Topcon GPS equipment in Canada. The Regina-based Brandt Group announced Wednesday it has reached a deal to buy the assets of GeoShack Canada Co. and the Canadian assets of Inteq Distributors, both owned by Dallas-based Ultara Holdings. […] Read more

Construction presses on at Roquette’s pea-processing plant at Portage la Prairie, Man. (Roquette photo)

Crops, Markets, Peas

Pulse weekly outlook: Manitoba pea plant construction continues

By GFM Network News April 24, 2020

MarketsFarm — Work continues on Roquette’s pea processing plant at Portage la Prairie, Man., where the French plant-protein firm says measures have been taken to meet health and safety regulations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. “Beginning in early March we proactively started collaborating with contractors on COVID-19 prevention measures, such as increased cleaning of communal spaces […] Read more

Alberta crop conditions improve: report

U.S. grains: Corn sets contract lows on expectations for big US crop

U.S. livestock: Cattle strength continues

GFM Network News