Fertilizer firm Agrium, riding the rise in demand due to high crop prices, has posted a record US$195 million net profit for what’s usually a “seasonally slow” first quarter. The Calgary company’s Q1 earnings, released Friday, were made on $1.1 billion in sales (all figures US$), compared to a net loss of $11 million on […] Read more
Demand spurs record Q1 for Agrium
Untying food aid may short farmers: NFU
Canada’s decision to completely decouple its food aid from requirements to source that aid domestically could short farmers both in developing countries and here at home, the National Farmers Union warns. The federal government on Wednesday opened up its food aid procurement policy to allow up to 100 per cent of its food aid to […] Read more
Prairie bee expert Cam Jay, 79
Memorial services were held Thursday for University of Manitoba entomologist Cameron Jay, whose work helped western beekeepers retain their colonies over Prairie winters. Jay, who was born at Lauder in southwestern Manitoba and raised in Hamilton, Ont., was a faculty member at the U of M’s department of entomology from 1961 to 1991, including a […] Read more
P.E.I. launches commission on farming’s future
Prince Edward Island expects to draft a long-term vision for its agriculture industry through a new commission on the future of agriculture and agri-food in the province. “It is apparent that the current commodity model of production is not working for producers in this province,” Agriculture Minister Neil LeClair said Thursday in launching the commission. […] Read more
Agrium’s UAP bid clears U.S. regulators
An agreement between fertilizer firm Agrium and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission will allow the Calgary company to go ahead and take up shares tendered to its bid for U.S. ag retailer UAP. The FTC has accepted the agreement for public comment and given notice to Agrium that its required waiting period is now over […] Read more
SW Sask. program focuses on secure water supply
A new water infrastructure program for farmers and ranchers in Saskatchewan’s dry southwest will focus on cutting the impact of drought by securing water supplies for the future. The $6 million program, pledged in the provincial budget in March, will include three prongs: emergency short-term supply, permanent on-farm supply and long-term wells to serve farmers […] Read more
Lakeside losses bite into Tyson’s Q2
Higher operating costs and losses at its Lakeside Packers plant at Brooks, Alta., have hit U.S. meat packer Tyson Foods in its second-quarter results, the company reported Monday. The company said in its report for the second quarter ending March 29 that its operating results for Q2 and for the first half of the year […] Read more
Que. moves on new terms for farm supports
Quebec’s provincial cabinet has tapped Deputy Ag Minister Michel Saint-Pierre as the government’s point man on reworking income security programming for Quebec farmers. Saint-Pierre was appointed Thursday as associate general secretary to the provincial executive council, effective May 17. His mandate, the province said, will also involve concluding a new agreement on the operation of […] Read more
Sow cull already halfway to goal: CPC
Two weeks after opening for business, the federal cull breeding swine program has had enough uptake to get it over halfway to its target. The Canadian Pork Council, which is administering the cull on behalf of the federal government, said Wednesday that over 75,000 breeding animals were committed to the program in its first two […] Read more
Viterra names new chairman
Montreal banker Thomas Birks has been elected the new chairman of the board at Canada’s largest grain company. Birks joined the board of what was then Saskatchewan Wheat Pool in 2005, before the Regina company’s merger last year with its larger rival Agricore United under the name Viterra. He is currently president of merchant bank […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
