File photo of barley being unloaded at a grain terminal in Ukraine on June 23, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Igor Tkachenko)

EU ag commissioner pushes for extension of Ukraine grain import ban

Restrictions due to expire Friday

Brussels/Bucharest | Reuters — The EU agriculture commissioner said on Tuesday said he believes the European Commission should extend a temporary ban on Ukraine imports into five neighouring EU states, as the measure helped boost exports outside the bloc. Ukraine has become entirely dependent on alternative European Union routes, called Solidarity Lanes, for its grain […] Read more

File photo of a small boat flying the Lebanese flag at a marina in Tripoli as a cargo vessel sails in the distance. (Joel Carillet/iStock/Getty Images)

Ukraine asks Lebanon to bar Syrian ship carrying ‘stolen’ corn

Corn taken from multiple storage units, Ukraine alleges

Beirut | Reuters — Ukrainian officials on Thursday asked Lebanon to bar a Syrian state-owned cargo ship carrying allegedly stolen Ukrainian grain from docking in Lebanon’s Tripoli port, according to the Ukrainian embassy and a diplomatic note seen by Reuters. The Ukrainian mission said in comments to Reuters that the Finikia was transporting 6,000 metric […] Read more


Trucks wait for crossing into Poland at the Rava-Ruska border checkpoint in Ukraine’s Lviv region on April 17, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Roman Baluk)

EU sets Ukraine grain import restrictions in five countries until June 5

Supports pledged for farmers in those countries

Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission said on Tuesday it set restrictions until June 5 on imports of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed to ease the excess supply of these grains in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The EU executive arm said that during that period, Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and […] Read more

(Orchidpoet/iStock/Getty Images)

Go bigger on interswitching pilot, grain groups urge Ottawa

Railways say the measure creates inefficiencies; farm groups say the opposite is true

Farm groups from across the country are asking producers to lobby federal ministers and MPs and urge them to super-size a government proposal for what’s called ‘extended interswitching.’ The measure, part of this spring’s federal budget, essentially gives grain shippers a choice in which railway they deal with (as long as the competitor’s line is […] Read more


Trucks wait for crossing into Poland at the Rava-Ruska border checkpoint in Ukraine’s Lviv region on April 17, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Roman Baluk)

Deal reached to resume Ukraine grain transit with five EU countries

Agreement includes support package for local farmers

Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission said Friday it had reached a deal in principle to allow transit of Ukrainian grain to resume through five European Union countries that had imposed restrictions. Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia cited concerns that grain from Ukraine meant to be exported to other countries had ended up […] Read more

(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Railways push back on feds’ proposed interswitching revival

Railways also oppose ban on replacement workers

With Easter less than two weeks away, an Easter egg in the federal government’s 2023 budget calls for a new pilot program to again provide Prairie grain shippers with extended interswitching. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s budget, released Tuesday, laid out a list of investments to “further strengthen Canada’s transportation systems and supply chain infrastructure.” A […] Read more


File photo of Highway 363 near Moose Jaw, Sask. (Mysticenergy/iStock/Getty Images)

Spring road bans loom across Prairies

Mid-March weight limits pending for heavy trucks

MarketsFarm — The looming spring melt across Western Canada will likely disrupt some grain and livestock movement over the next few weeks, as seasonal spring road restrictions come into effect across the Prairies. Spring road restrictions set axle weight limits for vehicles moving on certain roads to reduce the damage heavier loads can cause during […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Prices slip during quiet January

Shortages of trucks, drivers still trouble cattle sector

MarketsFarm — With January being a quiet time there’s isn’t a whole lot of direction for feed grains, according to Brandon Motz of CorNine Commodities at Lacombe, Alta. Prices for feed barley and wheat have been slowing slipping, he said — especially with feedlots not having to buy and farmers not needing to sell — […] Read more


(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Railways over revenue cap in drought year, CTA finds

CN, CP now owe $5.7 million in overages, penalties

Despite a dramatically lower Prairie grain handle in the last crop year, the Western Grains Research Foundation can expect a $5.7 million gift card from Canada’s big two railways by the end of next month. The Canadian Transportation Agency, which sets the maximum revenue entitlements (MREs) each crop year for Prairie grain handled by Canadian […] Read more