(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. workers sue Monsanto claiming herbicide caused cancer

Reuters — A U.S. farm worker and a horticultural assistant have filed lawsuits claiming Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide caused their cancers and Monsanto intentionally misled the public and regulators about the dangers of the herbicide. The lawsuits come six months after the World Health Organization’s cancer research unit said it was classifying glyphosate, the active weed-killing […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Liberals, NDP say would clarify foreign takeover rules

Winnipeg | Reuters –– Canada’s Liberal and New Democratic parties, vying to replace the governing Conservatives in a tight three-way election race, both say they would clarify rules around foreign corporate takeovers if they win. Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, campaigning in Winnipeg on Tuesday, said foreign investors need clearer rules around takeovers. “(Conservative Prime Minister […] Read more


(Tkeban Jahannes photo courtesy AtlantaGa.gov via Flickr)

Producer groups lobby for TPP deal in Atlanta

Several Canadian grain and livestock commodity groups have representatives in Atlanta this week pressing for federal negotiators to keep Canada in play on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Trade ministers from the 12 TPP countries — also including the U.S., Mexico, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam — are meeting in […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Glencore reported moving ahead on ag stake sale

Commodities firm Glencore, the owner of Prairie grain-handling heavyweight Viterra, is reported as already moving forward on plans to bring minority investors into its ag business. Glencore announced earlier this month it plans to tame the debt it’s racked up in its recent major expansions, partly through sales of assets and new shares. Those assets, […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Richardson to build in S. Alta. inputs market

Prairie grain handler Richardson International is moving to shore up its presence in southern Alberta’s crop inputs market with a new dealership. The Winnipeg company announced Wednesday it will build a new crop inputs centre at Three Hills, about 65 km east of Olds, starting this fall to open and begin operating next spring. “The […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Canola crush margins improve

CNS Canada –– Canola crush margins have shown some improvement over the past week, despite rising futures prices, as strength in product values and a weakening Canadian dollar should be boosting the profitability of the domestic crush sector. Crush margins provide an indication of the profitability of the product values relative to the seed cost […] Read more




Winnipeg-based Legumex Walker’s pulse plants are Scoular’s first major play in the Prairie crops sector. (Dave Bedard photo)

Grain handler Scoular on hunt for more Canadian buys

Winnipeg | Reuters — U.S. crop handler The Scoular Co. is looking to acquire stakes in grain and oilseeds facilities in Western Canada, fresh off agreeing to its first major purchase in the crop-growing belt, the private company’s chief operating officer said Monday. Scoular last week agreed to pay $94 million for the special crops […] Read more