Ford’s 2018 Super Duty King Ranch Crew Cab pickup. (Ford.com)

Ford scrambles to restart truck production after fire at supplier

Detroit | Reuters — Ford Motor Co. is working with a key supplier to shift some parts production from Michigan to Ontario, after a fire and subsequent parts shortages forced the automaker to halt manufacturing of its highly profitable full-size pickups, according to sources familiar with the companies’ plans. The supplier, Chinese-owned Meridian Magnesium Products, […] Read more



Kabuli chickpeas. (PulseCanada.com)

Chickpeas seen making Prairie comeback

CNS Canada — Chickpeas should see a resurgence in Western Canada this spring, as farmers who hadn’t seeded the crop for a number of years shift some acres back from other pulses. “We sold a sizeable amount of chickpea planting seed,” said Colin Young of Midwest Grain at Moose Jaw. After an excellent quality year […] Read more




The Elbe River at Oberrathen, southeast of Dresden. (CIA.gov)

Germany plans to toughen conditions for insecticide use

Berlin | Reuters — Germany plans to make it more difficult for farmers to use crop insecticides in a bid to preserve biodiversity, an environment ministry document showed. “Insect biomass has fallen by more than 75 per cent in the last 27 years in Germany,” according to the paper seen by Reuters on Wednesday, saying […] Read more





Environment Canada on April 30 released this forecast map for the probability of above-normal precipitation for the period of May through July 2018.

May showers likely to leave growers unsatisfied

CNS Canada — Canada’s Prairies can expect to see regular rainfall in most regions during May, but it likely won’t be enough to offset dry conditions recorded over the past several months. According to Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc. in Kansas City, the first half of May should see average rainfall amounts in most […] Read more