When should you consider switching corn and plant a shorter-season hybrid? That’s a question many growers in some southwestern regions of Ontario are wrestling with as the calendar pushes ever closer to June. Spring weather conditions in many areas of the province have been good and planting is proceeding at a strong pace. However, heavy… Read More
Month: May 2018
In a relatively short period of time the potential U.S./China trade war has shifted to becoming a “trade truce.” In potentially very good news for U.S. farmers, agricultural commodities could be one of the major beneficiaries. President Donald Trump is demanding an additional $25 billion in U.S. ag exports to China, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue… Read More
We’ve hit the half-way mark of this next-to-last week of May and the weather has improved slightly in a few areas of the Prairies, as tinder-dry areas such as Brandon, MB, and Regina, SK, got some much needed rain. In today’s episode of RealAg Radio, host Shaun Haney is joined by Patti Miller, chief commissioner of… Read More
While consumer opinion is split on the health and safety of food and food ingredients derived from genetic modification (GMOs), the majority of Canadians support labeling foods that contain GMOs, according to a recent survey by Dalhousie University. Researchers at the university, led by Sylvain Charlebois, surveyed 1,046 Canadians in an effort to measure “attitudes… Read More
The average size of a new grain bin in Western Canada has grown dramatically in recent years. 1,650 bushel flat-bottom bins, while still needed in some cases, are turning into relics of the past. “Right now, the average bin going up is around 25,000 bushels,” says Lorne Grieger of the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI),… Read More
CN Rail says it is moving ahead with a previously discussed plan to purchase 1,000 new grain hopper cars over the next two years following the passage of Bill C-49 in Parliament earlier this week. “This substantial investment in higher capacity payload hopper cars, with up to 10 per cent more capacity than the older… Read More
Montreal-based dairy giant Saputo has announced the purchase of Shepherd Gourmet Dairy, based at St. Marys, Ontario, for $100 million. Employing about 90 people, Shepherd Gourmet is known for its specialty cheeses, including feta, sheep’s milk ricotta, and Skyr Icelandic-style yogurt. Saputo says the purchase enables the company’s Canadian dairy division to increase its presence… Read More
Shaun Haney kicks off Wednesday’s show talking about the best hole-in-the-wall restaurants in rural towns (send him your favourite at the email address below or in a tweet with #RealAgRadio). From there, the show includes: Today’s ag news, including royal assent for the federal government’s long-awaited transportation legislation — Bill C-49, as well as the… Read More
The Canadian government has taken a step toward ratifying the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). International Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne tabled the text of the 11-country trade deal in the House of Commons on Tuesday. However, the government must still introduce and pass a bill to implement the agreement before Canada can… Read More
For all the talk of a late, late spring, we sure have caught up in a hurry. While there are areas hurting for moisture nearly across Canada, some regions have had near-ideal planting conditions and even a timely rain or two, post-seeding. What’s got croppers curious this week? Peter Johnson, host of Wheat Pete’s Word,… Read More
Farm and grain industry groups are giving a big thumbs-up to the federal government for finally passing Bill C-49. The Transportation Modernization Act received royal assent on Wednesday, after gaining final approval from the Senate late Tuesday. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay will be joined by grain industry stakeholders at a Richardson elevator just north of Winnipeg… Read More
The only grain-handling terminal in Canada with direct service from a U.S. railroad has been recognized by BNSF Railway as one of 12 rail-loading sites in North America that are primed for more business. Ceres Global Ag Corp, which owns the Northgate Terminal along the Canada-U.S. border in southeast Saskatchewan, says the terminal has received… Read More
Year-round grazing may mean different things to different people, but to Doug Wray, it essentially means providing ‘locally grown’ sustenance to his herd — that is, feeding where the forage was grown. Wray implements strategies like swath grazing and bale grazing to achieve his goals, driving the cost of winter feeding down to about $0.80/head/day… Read More
Tuesday’s show, with host Shaun Haney: Today’s ag news, with Kelvin Heppner, including MPs rejecting amendments to Bill C-49 again, optimism about exports in U.S.-China trade, and Deere raising prices Bern Tobin on the Ontario election, with polls showing NDP momentum Ted Siefried of Zaner Ag Hedge on the market’s response to China news Kevin… Read More
The federal government’s transportation bill, which includes changes to railway legislation welcomed by farm and grain industry stakeholders, gained final approval from the Senate late Tuesday, after bouncing back and forth several times between the House of Commons and the Senate. Among other measures, the bill gives shippers the right to charge railways with penalties… Read More