Lorne Hehn, shown here in an undated photo, was a southern Saskatchewan farmer before becoming UGG’s president in Winnipeg in 1981. (Grainews file photo)

Former UGG, CWB chief Lorne Hehn, 79

Lorne Hehn, at his funeral last week, was remembered as the Saskatchewan farmer-turned-businessman who led the Canadian Wheat Board toward its next-to-last incarnation as a farmer-controlled marketing agency. Hehn, who died Sept. 16 at age 79, had farmed at Markinch, about 65 km north of Regina, and was involved in several farm organizations, becoming a […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Cargill Q1 profit jumps despite commodities slump

Chicago | Reuters — Global commodities trader Cargill Inc. effectively navigated tumbling commodities markets and volatile currencies to turn in a 20 per cent gain in first-quarter profit, the privately held company said Wednesday. The Minnesota-based company’s grain and oilseed supply chain and energy businesses were standouts in the quarter ended Aug. 31, in stark […] Read more


(SABMiller.com)

SABMiller rejects Labatt owner’s takeover approach

Brussels/London | Reuters –– SABMiller, the world’s second largest brewer, has promptly rejected an improved takeover proposal from Anheuser-Busch InBev, saying its 68 billion-pound (C$136 billion) valuation was “very substantially” under par. Refusal of the offer, made public Wednesday after earlier proposals were refused privately, opens the door to a week of intense wrangling before […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Monsanto slashing 2,600 jobs, buying back shares as sales fall

Reuters — Monsanto, one of the world’s largest seed and agrichemical companies, said Wednesday that it was slashing 2,600 jobs and restructuring operations to cut costs in a slumping commodity market. The company, which said it expected low prices for agricultural products to squeeze results well into 2016, also reported a much wider quarterly loss […] Read more



(Lisa Guenther photo)

CBOT weekly outlook: Corn, soy rest on USDA report

CNS Canada –– The short-term fate of corn and soybean futures at the Chicago Board of Trade rests on an upcoming supply and demand report, according to one analyst. Long-term, traders are watching global weather patterns, which could put crops at risk. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will release its monthly World Agricultural Supply […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Agrium)

Slowdown in sales softens fertilizer market

CNS Canada — A lack of buying throughout North and South America has put fertilizer prices under pressure, but so far, no one is lining up to capitalize on the weakness, according to an industry watcher. “Farmers aren’t in the mood to buy fall fertilizer. I think they’re more uncertain this year than they normally […] Read more

Green peas. (PulseCanada.com)

Pulses: India needs more pulses

CNS Canada — A few highlights in the Canadian and world pulse markets on Wednesday, Oct. 7. • Average protein levels for peas in Western Canada are coming in below the year-ago level, according to early sample data from the Canadian Grain Commission as of Oct. 1. Of the samples collected to date, the mean […] Read more



In praise of water, and beavers

In praise of water, and beavers

It frustrates me as I travel around the country witnessing how human nature can be so misguided. Sometimes we can be short sighted and forget that we need to look at the big picture.  Even though we mean no harm, some of our agricultural practices can cause more damage than we think. Today, I would […] Read more