Locomotive and rail car maintenance, repair and inspection staff at Canadian National Railway (CN) plan to take a strike vote early next week, their union said Thursday. Unifor, the largest union at CN with over 4,800 members, said Thursday it will hold the vote over a period of up to three weeks, and would set […] Read more

Repair, inspection staff at CN prep for strike vote

Double-cropping project aims to cut Indian lentil imports
Researchers on a project in India and Bangladesh say they hope it will greatly reduce their lentil imports. Farmers in the project are growing lentils in fields left fallow after rice harvests, with the help of a research and training project by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). In a […] Read more

Cow-calf producers asked to take survey
The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is asking every cow-calf producer in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to complete the Western Canadian Cow-Calf survey. The deadline to complete the survey is Feb. 28. It can be filled out online but the website also provides an option to print the survey and mail it postage-free. First […] Read more
U.S. buyer completes takeover of ag chem firm Arysta
U.S. industrial chemical producer Platform Specialty Products Corp. has sealed its deal to buy ag chemical firm Arysta LifeScience for about US$3.5 billion (C$4.35 billion). Miami-based, publicly-traded PSPC, which in the past year has bought ag chem firms Agriphar Group and Chemtura AgroSolutions, announced its plans to buy the Dublin-based multinational Arysta business last fall. […] Read more

U.S. ‘intransigence’ continues in WTO COOL hearing: officials
The U.S. government’s defense of its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) rule still shows “blatant protectionism and intransigence” according to Canadian officials at what’s expected to be the law’s last appearance before the World Trade Organization (WTO). U.S., Canadian and Mexican officials appeared Tuesday in Geneva before the WTO Appellate Body, where the U.S. hopes to overturn […] Read more

Ag equipment maker Buhler cutting production, staff
Winnipeg farm equipment manufacturer Buhler Industries is reducing its workforce and paring back production ahead of an expected drop in farm incomes. The company, whose brands include Versatile tractors and Farm King implements, announced its first-quarter financials Friday for the period ending Dec. 31, booking net profit of $1.5 million on fourth-best quarterly revenue of […] Read more

CP engineers, conductors halt strike
Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) and its unionized conductors, engineers, trainmen and yardmen agreed Monday to binding arbitration in their contract talks, ending a strike the day after it began. The end of the strike, which began Sunday just after midnight, comes under the threat of federal back-to-work legislation, which was due to be tabled Monday […] Read more

Zilmax cleared for component feeding in Canada
Canada has granted the makers of cattle feed additive Zilmax an expanded product label that allows for component feeding at the lower end of its dosage range — and draws the line for a maximum rate in complete feed. Merck Animal Health on Friday announced approval from Health Canada’s Veterinary Drugs Directorate (VDD) to update […] Read more

Railway back-to-work legislation going to Commons
Back-to-work legislation to halt a day-old strike by engineers and conductors at Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) is scheduled for introduction Monday in the House of Commons. Federal Labour Minister Kellie Leitch is booked on the Commons’ order paper for Monday to introduce “An Act to provide for the continuation and resumption of rail service operations.” […] Read more

CP’s engineers, conductors on strike
Engineers, conductors, trainmen and yardmen for Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) are on strike after 11th-hour talks ended Saturday night without a new agreement. “Picket lines are now being set up across Canada and the rail shutdown is happening,” Doug Finnson, president of the workers’ union, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), said in a release […] Read more