(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Plans afoot to move hay from East to drought-hit West

CFA, BFO spearheading Hay West-style initiatives

Farm groups are spearheading new plans to get livestock feed from Eastern Canada to drought-damaged regions of the western provinces and northwestern Ontario. Details are still pending, but the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) announced Aug. 12 it has started work on a “Hay West” initiative to get surplus hay “to those struggling in the […] Read more

Snow cover in southern Manitoba has been sparse this winter, as shown across this field east of Starbuck, Man. (MarketsFarm photo by Glen Hallick)

Wet or dry spring ahead? Depends on where in Canada

MarketsFarm — There will be increased in risk of flooding this spring in British Columbia, western Alberta and parts of Eastern Canada, according to a report Friday from AccuWeather. Meanwhile, dry conditions are expected to continue across the Prairies. AccuWeather’s report forecasts below-normal temperatures for B.C. and western Alberta going into spring. That could delay […] Read more


Forecast probability of above-normal precipitation for the period from December 2020 through February 2021. (Environment Canada)

Seasonal forecast calls for more snow

MarketsFarm — Most of Canada should see above-normal snowfall over the next three months, according to updated seasonal forecasts released Monday from Environment Canada. Weather maps show a 40 to 60 per cent probability of more precipitation than normal across much of the country from December through February, with the heaviest accumulations expected in Quebec. […] Read more



A container terminal in Halifax. (CN.ca)

CN sees eastern network revival on supply chain diversity, ports

Montreal | Reuters — Canadian National Railway, the country’s biggest railroad, is banking on growth in consumer products and supply-chain diversification in Asia, to revive traffic on its underutilized eastern Canadian rail lines, the company’s CEO told Reuters Friday. Coronavirus, which hit China’s industrial production, along with U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, are further leading […] Read more

Members of the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory block tracks serving Via Rail at Tyendinaga, Ont., east of Belleville, on Feb. 13, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Chris Helgren)

CN halts rail traffic in East due to protests

Grain groups seek dispute resolution or enforcement of court orders

Canadian National Railway (CN) is shutting down its Eastern Canada operations due to ongoing blockades on its rail lines in Ontario. The company announced Thursday it’s been “forced to initiate a disciplined and progressive shutdown” in the region, which means “stopping and safely securing all transcontinental trains across its Canadian network.” The decision “may imminently […] Read more


The U-shaped Dot A-U1 “loads” a SeedMaster row-crop planter on to its platform during the demonstration at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. (Ralph Pearce photo)

Pearce: Autonomous platform makes Eastern Canada debut

It’s been dubbed “the future of agriculture” and for the first time, farmers in Eastern Canada had the opportunity to see the Dot A-U1 Power Platform with in-field demonstrations at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. The precision ag system, designed by Dot Technology Corp., attracted considerable attention going through its paces during the annual ag showcase, […] Read more

The USDA building in Washington, D.C. (Art Wager/iStock/Getty Images)

USDA makes some changes to Canadian, world crop estimates

MarketsFarm — Corn planting in Canada has been a struggle this year much like for farmers in the U.S., according to Tuesday’s world agriculture supply and demand estimates (WASDE) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA’s May WASDE report estimated Canadian corn production at 15.4 million tonnes, but wet conditions in Eastern Canada saw […] Read more


(Arysta.cl)

Arysta plans market expansion in Western Canada

CNS Canada — Arysta LifeScience, a crop chemical company known in Western Canada for its line of Everest products, now wants to become a household name for Prairie farmers. Platform Specialty Products, Arysta’s parent company, last Aug. 24 announced plans to separate its agricultural solutions and performance solutions segments. Platform Specialty chairman Martin Franklin said […] Read more