Three Prairie farmers have been appointed to the Canadian International Grains Institute’s six-member board, just one of many changes to the institute in the wake of the end of the Canadian Wheat Board’s wheat and barley sales monopoly Aug. 1. Cigi, which teaches customers how to use Canadian crops, was founded in 1972 by the […] Read more
Cigi names three farmers to board
Appeal court upholds “marketing freedom” law
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz didn’t break the law by introducing legislation last fall to end the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly on the sale of Prairie wheat and barley, the Federal Court of Appeal ruled Monday. “We are pleased with this decision,” Ritz said in an email. “The Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act is in […] Read more
AAFC to clarify wheat, barley checkoff authority
The federal government plans to sign an agreement with the Alberta Barley Commission laying out how farmers’ money from a proposed new interim wheat and barley checkoff for research and market development is spent. "ABC and AAFC (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) intend to enter into an agreement that will specify what dollars-per-tonne amounts that ABC […] Read more
CROP CHECKUP: Fungicide season has begun
Winter wheat is at, or near the stage, for applying fungicides to protect it from various leaf diseases — and spring wheat isn’t far behind. According to Holly Derksen, a plant pathologist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) at Carman, some winter wheat fields were at the flag leaf stage last week and […] Read more
Assess frosted crops before spraying herbicide
Some Manitoba crops were damaged by frost May 29 and early indications suggest most will recover, but where there has been damage farmers should hold off applying herbicides. Farmers considering spraying should wait 24 to 48 hours to avoid further injury, says Nasir Shaikh, a weed specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) […] Read more
CWB fleshes out wheat pricing options
Grain companies including the government-owned Canadian Wheat Board had new contracts and pricing options for Prairie wheat, barley and durum on display here at a recent farmer meeting as the open market approaches Aug. 1. So far, the new CWB will be the only company continuing to offer pooling options. Official told farmers it’s aiming […] Read more
Feds move again on “modernizing” Grain Commission
Regulatory makeovers for the Canadian Grain Commission are on the federal government’s radar, again. Last month the commission announced its latest proposals for "modernizing" itself and the Canada Grain Act it administers. The public has until March 23 to respond. The commission, established in 1912, is Canada’s grain industry watchdog, ensuring the quality of grain […] Read more
Saskatoon wooing grain export development agency
Fears that scrapping the monopoly-powered Canadian Wheat Board could undermine Winnipeg’s dominance of grain-sector office space have been bolstered, with news Saskatoon wants the Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi) to move there. The offer came Nov. 29 during a meeting with Saskatoon economic development group representatives, Rex Newkirk, Cigi’s director of research and business development, […] Read more
U.S. wheat wants access to Canadian elevators
Canada is considering changes to its wheat quality control system making it easier for American farmers to ship wheat north of the border after the Canadian Wheat Board loses its monopoly Aug. 1. "We are working on an initiative that will see the grading systems more in parallel," Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz told reporters Feb. […] Read more
CWB ready to compete, expecting to be profitable
The Canadian Wheat Board will succeed in an open market, its CEO Ian White predicts. "I’ve got no doubt we can run a viable business," White said in an interview in his office last week. "We hope it will be profitable in its first year. That’s what we’re targeting." The board always said the single […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
