Lana Popham. (B.C. NDP via Flickr, license at Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

B.C. ag minister, critic expected to win re-election

NDP projected to form majority government

British Columbia’s incumbent agriculture minister and opposition ag critic both appear set to head back to the provincial legislature as the New Democrats are projected to end three years of tentative minority governing. John Horgan’s NDP, which in 2017 overturned a minority Liberal government with the help of the Green Party, was projected Saturday evening […] Read more

(Martin Farming photo courtesy Scoular Co.)

Southwestern Ontario elevator to handle Scoular grain

Martin Farming to take grain at new elevator

Scoular Co. has set up a new delivery point for southwestern Ontario growers from whom it buys grain. The Omaha-based, privately-held grain firm announced Thursday it has made a deal with Martin Farming — which operates at Paris, just northwest of Brantford — that will direct grain to Martin’s new 22,000-tonne-capacity elevator. The agreement “allows […] Read more


(Olymel video screengrab via YouTube)

Shutdown urged for Quebec pork plant after COVID-19 death

Union calls on Olymel to close site for at least two weeks

The union for over 1,000 workers at a major Quebec hog slaughter plant is calling on the owner to temporarily close the facility against a COVID-19 outbreak now blamed for the death of an employee. Le Syndicat des travailleurs d’Olymel Vallee-Jonction-CSN said Wednesday the death of a worker earlier this week led it to demand […] Read more

(Pierre-Olivier Valiquette/iStock/Getty Images)

Four Quebec farm programs’ payments to roll early

FADQ to pay out $9.1 million on four programs on Nov. 1

Four provincial farm development programs in Quebec are to pay out to over 5,000 farm businesses a month ahead of schedule. La Financiere agricole du Quebec (FADQ), the provincial ag lending agency, announced Wednesday it will pay out about $9.1 million to businesses participating in the four programs effective Nov. 1. FADQ noted it made […] Read more


BHP’s Saskatchewan potash mine project is set up north of Jansen, about 65 km southeast of Humboldt. (BHP.com)

BHP covers added costs for potash project

Long-awaited decision by BHP board now expected mid-2021

“Challenges” in completing the shafts for its Saskatchewan potash project have led the world’s biggest mining company to top up the project budget by 10 per cent. BHP, in an operational review document released Tuesday for its quarter ending Sept. 30, said its board has approved another $272 million to complete the watertight concrete and […] Read more

A wireworm in a potato in close-up. (MegaV0lt/iStock/Getty Images)

Wireworms a target for first Group 30 insecticide in Canada

BASF picks up registration for two broflanilide products

The list of insecticides cleared for use in Canadian crops now includes its first Group 30 chemistry, as BASF makes plans to launch it in new wireworm control products next year. BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions on Monday announced approval from Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) for broflanilide, a GABA-gated chloride channel allosteric modulator. […] Read more


BMO in May 2020 announced an agreement to sell its 107-year-old downtown Winnipeg building to the Manitoba Metis Federation for use as a new Metis Nation Heritage Centre. (File photo by Dave Bedard)

BMO regroups ag banking business

Ag-focused national banking team put in place

With COVID-19 serving to “accelerate” changes in the industry, BMO Bank of Montreal says it has reset its farm banking work under the oversight of an expanded national agriculture and agribusiness banking team. BMO announced the new team approach Oct. 14, describing it as “a national team of agriculture banking specialists — team members with […] Read more

File photo outside Viterra’s downtown Regina office building. (Glacier FarmMedia photo by Dave Bedard)

Viterra to replace western Saskatchewan elevator

Grain firm going bigger at Biggar

Grain firm Viterra’s asset investment plan has moved onto Biggar things. Regina-based Viterra announced Monday it’s starting construction “immediately” on a new “state of the art” elevator about two km northeast of its current elevator at Biggar, Sask., about 90 km west of Saskatoon. The new concrete facility will have storage capacity of 34,000 tonnes […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Manitoba cattle sector gets COVID-19 AgriRecovery

Program to help offset costs from 'extraordinary feed period'

Manitoba cattle producers whose usual markets for finished cattle were temporarily out of reach this spring and summer may now be able to offset some of the resulting extra feed bills. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and her Manitoba counterpart, Blaine Pedersen, on Thursday announced the 2020 Canada-Manitoba Finished Cattle Feed Assistance Program, an AgriRecovery […] Read more

Louise and Percy Schmeiser. (Mary Lou Schechtel photo courtesy Mongrel Media)

Farmer and activist Percy Schmeiser, 89

Thorn in Monsanto's side also the subject of a new major film

Funeral services are to be held and livestreamed Saturday for Prairie farmer, businessman and activist Percy Schmeiser, best known for his ultimately unsuccessful court battles with the company behind Roundup Ready canola. Schmeiser, who farmed at Bruno, Sask., about 90 km east of Saskatoon, died Tuesday at age 89. According to Saskatchewan media, he had […] Read more