Prince Edward Island’s minister of agriculture and fisheries has quit the post after announcing his decision not to seek re-election. Alan McIsaac, the MLA for Vernon River-Stratford since 2007 and the province’s ag minister since 2015, announced Wednesday he won’t run in the next provincial election, scheduled for October next year. “Given this, I feel […] Read more

P.E.I. names new agriculture minister

Flax Council of Canada to shut office
The national promotional agency for Canada’s flax industry plans to move forward without a bricks-and-mortar office starting next month. The Flax Council of Canada announced Monday its downtown Winnipeg office, which it shares with the Manitoba Flax Growers Association, will close effective Jan. 31. Going forward, the council said it will “continue to operate on […] Read more
History: Alberta’s 1950 Master Farm Families Named
Reprinted from the November 1950 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
By Lorne Stout, Calgary, Alta. Three prominent cattlemen were among five Alberta Master Farm Family winners for 1950. And the honours were even between the major beef breeds. Emil Cammaert of Rockyford, winner from southern Alberta, is a Shorthorn breeder; Roy Ballhorn, who took the Central Alberta award, is one of Canada’s most prominent Aberdeen-Angus […] Read more

Canada to probe claims of Turkish pasta dumping
Three Canadian makers of dry wheat pasta have got their wish for a probe into whether competing products from Turkey are being dumped into the Canadian market. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced Tuesday it has launched an investigation into whether certain pasta products originating in or exported from Turkey are being sold at […] Read more

B.C. to block hunting attractants from out-of-province
Anyone planning to hunt in British Columbia may soon be blocked from bringing in urine and other materials from other provinces’ farmed elk and cervids, in a bid to keep chronic wasting disease (CWD) in check. The provincial government recently opened a public comment period, running until Jan. 19, on a list of changes it […] Read more

Equipment firm Buhler’s year-end ledger improves
Improved sales in the North American market have helped push the 2017 results for Canadian farm equipment maker Buhler Industries back into the black. The Winnipeg-based company, which makes Versatile tractors and Farm King implements, on Friday booked year-end net income of about $500,000 on gross revenue of $312 million, up from a $2.7 million […] Read more

Lakehead University to operate Thunder Bay ag station
The not-for-profit Thunder Bay Agricultural Research Station’s quest for a longer-term operating plan has ended with a new operator, and a new name. The Ontario government recently announced it will transfer the TBARS’s operating and research programming responsibilities to Thunder Bay-based Lakehead University, which will now operate the site as Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station […] Read more

PotashCorp, Agrium get last blessing for Jan. 1 wedding
Two major Canadian players in the global fertilizer industry now have what they say is the final blessing they need to close their merger deal Jan. 1, on two already-met conditions. Saskatoon-based Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Calgary-based Agrium Inc. announced Wednesday they’ve received clearance from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to close their […] Read more

Loans pledged for wildfire-damaged Alberta farms
Ranchers and farmers in two southeastern Alberta municipalities hit by wildfire in mid-October may soon be able to apply for interest-free rebuilding loans. The province’s Agriculture Financial Services Corp. (AFSC) on Wednesday announced loan applications will be available Jan. 8 for eligible producers in Cypress County and the MD of Acadia. Applications under the Hilda […] Read more

Outside panel named for farm risk management review
A panel of 11 “external” experts from across the country has been picked to offer guidance and feedback on a federal/provincial review of farm business risk management (BRM) programming. The panel’s appointment follows an agreement by federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers back in July to launch a review of BRM programs, assessing those programs’ […] Read more