Canada exports about $3.3 billion worth of raw foods, grains and oilseeds to China.

Fire and ice

Straight from the hip with Brenda Schoepp

The imagery of fire and ice is indicative of the current political status of our nation when it comes to trade. Between the blistering outbursts and cold responses there is imbedded a little dance with the dragon that may ultimately determine our economic well-being. Trump’s fire and brimstone proclamations will collapse with the mountain on […] Read more



Red lentils. (Photo courtesy U.S. Dry Pea and Lentil Council)

Lack of buyer interest leaves lentil market without pulse

CNS Canada — Lentil buyers are keeping to the sidelines as mixed weather reports from India bring an element of turbulence into the market. Crop conditions in India are generally favourable, keeping Canada’s old- and new-crop lentil markets quiet, said Bobby Leavins of Rayglen Commodities in Saskatoon. New-crop buyers are showing little interest until India’s […] Read more

Palmer amaranth. (United Soybean Board photo)

Minnesota probes Palmer amaranth’s sudden appearance

Chicago | Reuters — Minnesota has launched an investigation to find the source of seed mixes contaminated with weed seeds after the aggressive, herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth weed was found on 30 areas planted in a federal conservation program. The weed grows very fast, reaching up to eight feet in height and can hold back commercial […] Read more


Syngenta’s Interaction Centre at Stein, Switzerland. (Syngenta.com)

EU said set to approve ChemChina bid for Syngenta

Brussels | Reuters — ChemChina is set to secure conditional EU antitrust approval for its US$43 billion bid for Swiss pesticides and seeds group Syngenta, two people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The deal — the largest foreign acquisition by a Chinese company — is important for China, the world’s largest agricultural market, […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Jason Gizen)

Fire guts Saskatchewan town’s last elevator

Residents of Prelate, Sask. had a rude awakening Tuesday as the village’s last grain elevator, owned by Paterson Grain, was engulfed in flames. Calls to 9-1-1 started coming in at 5:48 a.m. Tuesday, according to Jason Gizen, a local volunteer firefighter and pedigreed seed grower. Gizen lives in the house closest to the elevator and […] Read more



(Richardson Pioneer via YouTube)

Richardson buys eastern Saskatchewan input shop

Prairie grain firm Richardson Pioneer has added to its share of the eastern Saskatchewan crop input retail market with a deal for Crop First Agro. Financial terms aren’t being disclosed for the deal between privately-held Richardson and Crop First Agro, an independent retailer at Grenfell, Sask., about 100 km south of Yorkton, except that the […] Read more


Brazil to open farmland, airlines to foreign buyers

Brasilia | Reuters — President Michel Temer will propose legislation to lift restrictions on foreign ownership of airlines and agricultural land in Brazil as he strives to pull the economy out of a two-year recession, government sources said on Monday. Temer’s centre-right government plans to send Congress a bill allowing 100 per cent foreign ownership […] Read more

The Canadian Grain Commission building on Main Street in Winnipeg. (File photo)

More commissioners named for Grain Commission

The Canadian Grain Commission’s deck of commissioners has been refilled with two farmers with long resumes in Prairie farm policy. The federal government on Friday announced governor-in-council appointments to the CGC for Doug Chorney, as assistant chief commissioner, and Lonny McKague as commissioner. Their appointments, both effective Feb. 13, follow the announcement earlier this month […] Read more