U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Canadian Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture Jose Calzada (l-r) speak at the Port of Savannah, Ga. on June 20. (Stephen B. Morton photo courtesy Georgia Ports Authority)

NAFTA agriculture ministers see ‘few’ differences over trade

Garden City, Ga. | Reuters — The U.S., Canada and Mexico have “relatively few” differences on agricultural trade, agriculture ministers from the three countries said in a joint statement after meeting Tuesday to discuss the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. However, some “irritants” are present for each country in the runup to […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Deadline extended for comment on cash ticket deferral

Public consultations on the income tax treatment of deferred grain cash tickets, with an eye toward “potential elimination” of farmers’ option to defer grain income, have been extended by two months. The federal government on Tuesday said the consultation, first announced in Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s March budget and due to end Wednesday, will instead […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Flax Council cautions on seed integrity

With the latest official acreage estimates showing a jump in flax acres across much of Western Canada, the Flax Council of Canada is urging caution. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s latest Seeded Acreage Report is expecting 1.1 million acres to go into the ground this year, putting pressure on seed supplies, and putting the integrity of […] Read more



(Photo courtesy United Soybean Board)

Manitoba crop groups officially on merger track

Five Manitoba-based crop producer associations, nearly all of which already work out of the same building, have a memorandum of understanding to work toward forming a single merged grower group. The Manitoba Corn Growers Association (MCGA), Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers Association (MPSG), National Sunflower Association of Canada (NSAC) and the Manitoba Wheat and Barley […] Read more






(Dave Bedard photo)

Higher prices could give flax acres a chance

CNS Canada — Strong demand for Canadian flax, combined with small production, has driven prices up, which could tempt producers making seeding choices this spring. Last year, the amount of flax seeded in Canada was down about a third from the previous growing season. As a result, stocks are short, despite large carryover. Demand, however, […] Read more