Horticulture – Page 65

French MNAs take EU-Canada trade deal to court

By Reuters, GFM Network News February 21, 2017

Paris | Reuters — More than 100 French left-wing lawmakers decided Tuesday to appeal to the country’s Constitutional Council to block a contentious free trade deal between the European Union and Canada. Supporters of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) say it will boost economic growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. […] Read more

Syngenta’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo courtesy Syngenta)

Crops

Canada’s competition watchdog clears Syngenta takeover

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News February 14, 2017

Canada’s farmers aren’t likely to see less competition for their crop chemical dollars if the owner of Adama Canada buys Syngenta, the Canadian antitrust watchdog has ruled. The Competition Bureau on Tuesday issued a “no action” letter for the takeover of Syngenta by China National Chemical Corp. (ChemChina), saying the deal is “unlikely to result […] Read more

Crops, Markets

Grainews editor, investment columnist Andy Sirski, 73

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News February 13, 2017

Memorial services will be held Friday in Winnipeg for Andy Sirski, the ag rep turned farm writer who encouraged Prairie producers to expand their views of financial planning beyond the farm gate. Sirski was best known to farmers in his role as editor of Grainews from 1995 to 2006 and as the farm journal’s “Off-Farm […] Read more

Snow on farmland at Turtle Lake in northwestern Saskatchewan on Oct. 14, 2016. (Lisa Guenther photo)

Crops, Weather

Saskatchewan snowpack points to below-normal runoff

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News February 9, 2017

Thanks to above-normal temperatures that drew down much of Saskatchewan’s snowpack in January, the province now sees “below normal runoff potential” in most areas outside the southeast. Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency on Thursday released its 2017 preliminary outlook for spring runoff, noting the province has another six to 10 weeks of possible snowpack development. The […] Read more

The UPA mounted a public campaign to put pressure on the provincial government to reconsider its plans for the farmland tax credit program. (UPA.qc.ca)

Livestock

Quebec’s winter trails to remain open as tax reform halted

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News February 3, 2017

Snowmobile trails going through farmland owned by members of Quebec’s Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) will remain open as the province hits the brakes on changes to its farmland property tax credit plan. UPA members had recently pledged to revoke previously-permitted access to their land for snowmobile trails starting Monday (Feb. 6) in a dispute […] Read more

Livestock, Machinery

Quebec farmers to shut snowmobile trails in tax dispute

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News February 2, 2017

Members of Quebec’s general farm organization plan to revoke permission for snowmobilers to use their land starting Monday, in protest over the province’s planned reforms to its farmland property tax credit. L’Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) said Wednesday it had been planning such a move in late 2016 but on Dec. 20 had asked members […] Read more

Livestock, Reuters

Australia, New Zealand pledge to salvage TPP

By Reuters, GFM Network News January 23, 2017

Reuters — Australia hopes to salvage the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) by encouraging China and other Asian nations into the agreement in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to pull his country out of the pact, its trade minister said on Tuesday. New Zealand’s trade minister said ministers from the remaining TPP countries would […] Read more

Sonny Perdue with wife Mary during a rain prayer service in 2007. (SonnyPerdue.Georgia.gov)

Crops, Reuters

Trump to name ex-Georgia governor as ag secretary

By Reuters, GFM Network News January 19, 2017

Washington | Reuters — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will name former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue as his nominee for secretary of agriculture on Thursday, a senior transition official saidn Wednesday. Perdue, 70, served on Trump’s agricultural advisory committee during his presidential campaign. His nomination, which must be confirmed by the Republican-led Senate, will complete Trump’s […] Read more

Ontario Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal (Photo courtesy OMAFRA)

Crops

Greig: A year of farm policy decisions ahead for Ontario

By GFM Network News January 16, 2017

Ontario’s agriculture minister stands by his decision to halt a process that was expected to open up how processing tomatoes are priced in the province. Jeff Leal’s decision, announced in August, resulted in a Dec. 21 threat from Ontario’s largest tomato processors to significantly cut back their tomato purchases from Ontario farmers in 2017. Processing […] Read more

A YourLink tower outside Weyburn, Sask. (YourLink.ca)

General, Machinery

Xplornet buying YourLink

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News January 14, 2017

One of Canada’s biggest providers of rural broadband is set to expand its space in the Saskatchewan market by buying rural high-speed wireless provider YourLink. New Brunswick-based Xplornet Communications on Monday announced an all-cash $28.75 million deal with Victoria-based Vecima Networks for the “remaining assets” of Vecima’s YourLink business. YourLink, based in Saskatoon, is a […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans, corn fall on harvest pressure

U.S. livestock: Hog futures slide in technical correction

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Acknowledging the past, seeking a better future

GFM Network News