Researchers in Newfoundland harvested the province’s first-ever canola field in September 2016. (Gov.NL.ca)

Newfoundland expands Crown land base for farming

CORRECTED, Feb. 28, 2017 — The Newfoundland and Labrador government plans to boost the amount of land available to the province’s farmers by allocating more Crown land for development. The province’s Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods announced Thursday it has now identified 62 “agriculture areas of interest” to date, totalling about 158,150 acres. The […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

FCC launches new loan for young agri-businesspeople

Canada’s federal farm lending agency is expanding its loan offerings in agribusiness and agrifood with a new program aimed at young businesspeople. Farm Credit Canada’s Young Entrepreneur Loan, launched Thursday in Ottawa during Canada Agriculture Day celebrations, will offer financing of up to $1 million per qualified applicant under age 40, at closed variable rates […] Read more

Gordon (Happy Jack) Johnson, deceased 1945, onetime manager of the Mexico Ranch at Steveville, Alta., which was owned by Lord Beresford. Photo taken about 1915.

History: Old Cow-Wagon Days

Reprinted from the June 1950 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Old Cow-Wagon Days By E. J. (Bud) Cotton, 2022 – 27th St. S.W., Calgary, Alta. ‘The summer of 1909 found us with our chuck wagon drifting a herd of beef steers among the coulees and flats of the Kneehill and Rosebud creeks in Alberta. We had picked the herd up early that spring from the […] Read more





Syngenta’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo courtesy Syngenta)

Canada’s competition watchdog clears Syngenta takeover

Canada’s farmers aren’t likely to see less competition for their crop chemical dollars if the owner of Adama Canada buys Syngenta, the Canadian antitrust watchdog has ruled. The Competition Bureau on Tuesday issued a “no action” letter for the takeover of Syngenta by China National Chemical Corp. (ChemChina), saying the deal is “unlikely to result […] Read more

Vegreville’s giant pysanka is a well known landmark in eastern Alberta. (Vegreville.com)

Viterra plans new eastern Alberta elevator

Glencore’s Prairie grain handling arm Viterra plans to stake a new claim in the northeastern Alberta market with a new high-throughput elevator at Vegreville. The company announced Monday it has picked up the necessary regulatory approvals and expects to start construction along Canadian National Railway (CN) track this spring. The elevator is expected to have […] Read more


Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence director to retire

Newsmakers from the February 2017 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Marty Carpenter, the director of the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence at Canada Beef in Calgary is set to retire March 1. He received his Certified Chefs de Cuisine designation in 1991 but for the past 23 years his career has focused totally on marketing Canadian beef with the Alberta Beef Producers, the Beef Information […] Read more