It would allow them to drive almost any form of motor vehicle to and from the farm.

These licenses with be issued with condition code “P” meaning the driver must comply with farmer restrictions.

Applicants must successfully complete a knowledge and road test, vision screening and submission of a driver’s medical assessment. However, they will not be required to complete pre-licensing training.

Drivers must meet all other requirements of a class one driver’s licence, including the air brake (Q) endorsement.

Farm commodity groups have been pushing the provincial government for less-costly class one licensing procedures for producers and their employees for some time.

According to the Alberta Motor Association, a class one licence allows holders to drive almost any type of vehicle other than a motorcycle, which requires a class six licence.

The holder of a farm-restricted class one driver’s licence may operate class one vehicles only within Alberta and while engaged in necessary transportation (including return trips, picking up materials, etc.) for the delivery of animals, farm products, grains or farm produce to:

• the farmer’s farm, if those commodities are to be used by the farmer in the operation of the farm;
• a market, if the commodities being transported were either grown or raised by the farmer on the farmer’s farm, and;
• transporting material or equipment owned and used by the farmer in the operation or maintenance of their farm.

These restrictions apply for those eligible for the licence as a family member. Additionally, the family member may operate the vehicle or combination of class one vehicles on behalf of the eligible farmer(s) listed in the application, but only as a family member.

Further information, including how to apply, is available at alberta.ca.

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Ford CEO Jim Farley made the announcement Tuesday via Twitter, after company officials said last month that AM would be dropped from new non-commercial vehicles.

“After speaking with policy leaders about the importance of AM broadcast radio as a part of the emergency alert system, we’ve decided to include it on all 2024 (Ford and Lincoln) vehicles,” Farley wrote.

Owners of any electric Ford vehicles not currently equipped with AM reception would receive a free software update to enable it, he added.

The announcement from Canada’s biggest automaker by total sales comes after farmers on both sides of the border expressed concern over the possible loss of AM.

With many rural areas too remote for FM broadcasts, and satellite radio and internet technology not yet universally adopted, AM remains one of the only accessible in-vehicle media for Canadian farmers.

One of the major concerns was the future of emergency broadcasts — for which AM radio remains the only option in many rural areas of Canada.

Farley said Tuesday that Ford will “continue to innovate to deliver even better in-vehicle entertainment and emergency notification options in the future.”

Darrin Qualman, director of climate crisis policy and action for Canada’s National Farmers Union (NFU), described Ford’s latest decision as “a positive step.”

However, he said, AM radio “is so important to rural residents and others that it should not be left to the marketing decisions of corporations such as Ford.”

Communications spectra such as AM, FM and cellular are public property, he noted, and are “licenced to corporations and other entities on the requirement that they will act in the public interest. That responsibility should be made clear to automakers as well.”

Michigan-based Ford’s decision also comes as a bipartisan group of U.S. congresspeople brings forward a bill that would regulate U.S. automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their new vehicles at no additional charge.

That bill’s sponsor, Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts, said in a statement Tuesday that Ford’s reversal “reflects an overdue realization about the importance of AM radio, but too many automakers are still going the wrong direction.”

Markey noted he had previously written to 20 of the world’s leading automakers, of whom eight responded they will not include AM radio in new vehicles.

Companies such as Tesla, Mazda and Volkswagen have removed AM receivers from their electric vehicle (EV) lines, citing electromagnetic interference the EV drivetrain can create with the AM signal.

Representatives from Kubota, John Deere and Stellantis — the parent company of brands such as Chrysler, Jeep and Ram — all previously said in emailed statements to Glacier FarmMedia they do not plan to phase out AM from their vehicles.

— Jonah Grignon reports for Glacier FarmMedia from Ottawa; includes files from Glacier FarmMedia Network staff.

— Article updated May 29 to include comment from NFU’s Darrin Qualman.

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The major Detroit pickup truck brands are sitting on growing inventories of unsold vehicles, according to Cox Automotive data provided to Reuters.

As supply-chain bottlenecks ease, the resolve among Detroit’s automakers to keep inventories tighter than before the pandemic will be tested. Automakers could have to choose between reducing output to avoid price cuts, or offering richer discounts to pump up sales volumes, dealers said.

GM dealers have over 100 days’ supply of Chevy Silverado pickups in stock, reflecting more vehicles on the ground and a seasonally slow pace of sales, according to Cox. Inventory levels are over 100 days’ supply for rival Stellantis’ Ram half-ton and heavy-duty pickups. Ford has 92 days’ worth of F-150s in stock, according to Cox data.

A GM spokesman said Cox’s numbers do not accurately reflect GM’s inventory situation. GM does not disclose detailed inventory figures. However, he said GM is acting to support its pricing strategy, which relies on keeping inventories leaner than in the past.

Stellantis said in a statement it had no downtime planned at any of its North American plants, but constantly reviewed its inventory levels and would make production adjustments as needed.

Industry consultants J.D. Power and LMC Automotive forecast on Friday that U.S. car and light truck sales for February would reach a 14.6 million-vehicle annualized pace. That is up from a year ago, but still well below pre-pandemic levels.

February sales growth was led by a 54 per cent increase in sales to fleet customers, Power and LMC said.

Overall inventories of unsold vehicles are still low, but “are still not sufficient to fulfill demand each month,” Thomas King, president of the data and analytics division at J.D. Power, said in a statement.

GM said its decision to idle the Fort Wayne, Indiana assembly plant that builds Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks for two weeks starting March 27 was done to maintain “optimal inventory levels with our dealerships.”

Who blinks first?

GM, Ford and Stellantis dominate the U.S. large pickup market, and for the past two years have been raising prices on their trucks to record levels as supply-chain snags limited production.

Dealers contacted by Reuters said that now, some customers are waiting for better deals, or are postponing purchases because the combination of high prices and higher interest rates put vehicles out of reach. The automakers face a choice between cutting prices using bigger rebates or subsidized loans, or keeping inventories tight.

“What they’re doing is playing what I call the blink game — whoever blinks first. Especially for trucks,” said Ohio dealer Rhett Ricart, whose Ricart Automotive Group sells Ford and GM trucks at different stores.

Brad Sowers, president of Jim Butler Auto Group in Missouri, said high prices are hitting demand. However, he wrote in an email, “manufacturers do not want to flood the market and be forced to quadruple incentive spending to drive demand that will reduce their margins.”

Some discounts are showing up in the large pickup segment. Ram is offering 2.9 per cent financing for 72-month loans on certain Ram 1500 trucks.

Power and LMC said fewer vehicles were sold in February above their manufacturer suggested prices, and that the average discount rose 4.7 per cent to US$1,335 a vehicle. That is still well below pre-pandemic levels, Power-LMC said.

— Reporting for Reuters by Joseph White and Ben Klayman in Detroit; additional reporting by Kannaki Deka in Bangalore.

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The latest cash-and-stock offer at $44.40 per share, will allow Ritchie to tap into a growing market for heavy machinery and equipment, salvaged cars, trucks and motorcycles, as well as auto parts (all figures US$).

Chicago-based IAA’s online auction systems specialize in the marketing of “total-loss, damaged and low-value” vehicles and equipment, while Burnaby, B.C.-based Ritchie Bros. operates online and live auction markets in several sectors, including farm equipment, for which it has five live-auction facilities in Western Canada and seven in the U.S.

IAA shares rose 4.9 per cent in morning trade, while Ritchie Bros.’ Toronto-listed shares were up three per cent.

The improved offer comes at a time when many companies are reducing costs and initiating layoffs in face of a potential economic downturn.

Shareholders of both the companies had initially pushed back the deal, set to be Ritchie’s biggest, and raised concerns about the poor structuring of the combination.

However, on Monday, IAA’s largest shareholder Ancora supported the revised bid. The activist investor had earlier questioned the sales process and the absence of a go-shop period.

Ritchie also said that Starboard Value chief Jeffrey Smith will join its board, with the activist investment firm making a $500 million investment.

“We look forward to benefiting from Jeff’s expertise and working together as we complete this transaction,” said Ann Fandozzi, CEO of Ritchie Bros.

Under the revised offer, IAA stockholders would receive $12.80 in cash, up from $10 earlier, and 0.5252 Ritchie Bros. share for each IAA share, down from 0.5804.

Ritchie made the initial offer in November, valuing the company at about $7.3 billion, including debt. That announcement triggered a large-scale selloff by investors, sending Ritchie’s stock down 18 per cent.

The deal will be put to vote for shareholders of both companies on March 14. The shares underlying Starboard’s investment will not be voted at the meeting, Ritchie said.

— Reporting for Reuters by Priyamvada C and Aishwarya Nair in Bangalore.

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The problem: How to modernize the largest combustion pickups to keep demand strong and profits flowing, without over-investing at a time when automakers need to spend on developing electric vehicles and battery factories.

At Ford, many of the newest things about the new Super Duty relate to connectivity and business productivity software that Ford hopes will generate revenue over the life of the vehicle. Ford CEO Jim Farley has stressed the importance of software-driven features and is hiring more executives with digital commerce experience.

Ford will install 5G modems in 2023 model Super Duty trucks to enable services such as driver behavior monitoring and digital paperwork systems for fleet operators. Dashboards have been reprogrammed to make it easier for companies that install specialized equipment such as hoisting arms to connect controls for their gear into the truck’s displays. Onboard scales will measure payloads and the new Super Duties will have more power plugs.

The Super Duty, General Motors’ rival Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD heavy duty pickups and heavy duty versions of Stellantis’ Ram pickup are among the most profitable vehicles sold today by the Detroit Three automakers, or any rival.

Ford said the Super Duty franchise generates “more revenue than many Fortune 500 companies, including Southwest Airlines, Marriott International or Nordstrom.” Southwest reported $15.8 billion in revenue for 2021 (all figures US$).

Powered by big diesel or gasoline engines, Super Duty prices start at $41,240, but can range up to more than $100,000 for a fully loaded model.

Heavy-duty pickups such as the Super Duty and Silverado HD do dirty work in oil fields and on construction sites. But many are sold to individuals who use them to tow large trailers, and want the same connectivity and comfort features they would expect in a luxury SUV.

For now, battery electric powertrains cannot provide the same towing capability and driving range for heavy-duty pickups as combustion powerplants. Both Ford and GM are upgrading existing engines and transmissions, but not investing what it would take to develop new powertrains from scratch.

Ford on Tuesday unveiled the latest generation of the Super Duty at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, not far from the factory where most Super Duty trucks are built.

Ford said Tuesday it will spend $700 million modernizing its Kentucky truck plant, and expects to hire another 500 workers at the plant to support Super Duty production.

One day ahead of Ford’s Super Duty reveal, Chevrolet outlined a list of improvements to its Silverado HD heavy pickup line, which trails the Super Duty in sales.

Chevrolet said it will now offer only a 10-speed Allison transmission on its heavy duty Silverado trucks. The 6.6-litre diesel engine’s horsepower and torque get a boost, and certain models get upgraded interiors with bigger display screens.

— Joe White is Reuters’ automotive industry correspondent in Detroit.

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Barra made her comments during the automaker’s annual shareholder meeting.

GM is pursuing a two-track strategy: Investing heavily in electric vehicles for North America, China and other markets, and funding those investments by trying to maximize profits from its North American combustion pickup truck and large SUV lineups.

Barra said GM is planning higher-priced versions of its Silverado large pickup and its large SUV models.

GM and its Detroit rivals Ford and Stellantis rely heavily on sales of large pickup trucks and SUVs for global profits. High U.S. gasoline prices in the past have undermined consumer demand for relatively inefficient models.

Nominal pump prices hit an average of above US$5 a gallon for the first time ever last week, the federal government said Friday.

GM is ramping up production of EVs. Barra said the Cadillac Lyriq electric sport utility is sold out through 2023.

In response to shareholder questions, Barra said the “clear priority” for using cash generated by its operations is to “accelerate our EV plans.” She did not rule out share buybacks or other approaches to returning cash to shareholders.

GM still expects to increase production this year by 25-30 per cent, despite continuing pressure on semiconductor supplies globally. Barra said GM is working to redesign vehicles to reduce the number of processors required by 95 per cent.

Barra serves as GM’s board chair and CEO. GM shareholders overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to separate those roles.

— Joe White is a Reuters global automotive sector correspondent in Detroit.

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“It’s very strange,” said Susanne Leclerc of MarketMaster Ltd. in Alberta. “You see stories like that (reporting on feedlots running low on grain), then you talk to buyers and they’re full and don’t need anything.”

She added that the market was very volatile, with domestic barley prices seeing wide swings depending on localized coverage needs. She added that demand was very hand-to-mouth in the current environment.

“The fluctuations are more erratic than they’ve ever been in the past, but we’re seeing that in all the markets,” Leclerc said.

“For producers, targets are your best friend in any of these markets,” she said, adding “let people know what you have left, because the fluctuations are so huge.”

While there is some volatility, Leclerc said barley and feed wheat bids were generally looking a little softer, which she saw as a sign that end-users may not be as short of feed as thought.

“There are so many factors at play that make it hard to know what the truth is,” she added. “I don’t know what to make of this situation.”

In comparison to most years, supplies are down, but Leclerc said it was hard to know how much barley there is relative to the need. “If we’re bringing up so much corn, how much barley or wheat do we really need?” she asked.

Broader political unrest, including tensions between Ukraine and Russia, were also in the background of the feed grain market given the influence on corn and wheat futures.

The transportation issues, such as increased freight costs, seasonal railway slowdowns and difficulties finding trucks/truckers, were also backing their way into the grain markets and could influence prices going forward.

— Phil Franz-Warkentin reports for MarketsFarm from Winnipeg.

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The mandate, imposed by Ottawa to help curb the spread of the virus, has cost six Canadian trucking companies about 10 per cent of their international drivers, and many are hiking wages to lure new operators during what they said is the worst labour shortage they have experienced.

Within the next two weeks, consumers will see “there’s not as many choices on the shelves,” said Dan Einwechter, CEO of Challenger Motor Freight Inc in Cambridge, Ont.

“Eventually the prices will be passed on from the sellers of those products, because we’re passing on our increases to them,” he said.

Canada’s inflation rate hit a 30-year high of 4.8 per cent in December and economists said the vaccine mandate may contribute to keeping prices higher for longer. In the United States, inflation surged seven per cent on a year-on-year basis in December, the largest rise in nearly four decades.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has championed vaccine requirements for federal employees, has resisted pressure from industry to delay or drop the mandate that was announced in November.

The vaccine requirement to enter Canada started on Jan. 15, and the one to enter the United States begins on Saturday.

Since more than two-thirds of the US$650 billion in goods traded annually between Canada and the United States travels on roads, truckers were deemed essential workers until now and traveled freely even when the border was closed for 20 months.

Trudeau defended the mandate on Wednesday, saying Canada was “aligned” with the United States, its largest trading partner.

“We will continue to make sure that we are getting what we need in Canada while, as always, putting the safety and health of Canadians as our top priority,” Trudeau said.

As many as 32,000, or 20 per cent, of the 160,000 Canadian and American cross-border truck drivers may be taken off the roads by the mandate, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) estimates. The industry was short some 18,000 drivers even before the mandate, CTA said.

“We raised our base rate for cross-border drivers effective Jan. 1 by almost 20 per cent… and it didn’t gain us any drivers,” said Rob Penner, CEO of Winnipeg-based Bison Transport. “There’s more freight than there is people right now.”

Canada’s transport ministry said in a statement the measure was not negatively affecting the supply of goods, while cross-border truck traffic had not varied significantly since the mandate came into effect.

Bad timing

The six executives who manage nearly 9,200 trucks between their companies and have a combined 173 years in the industry say strong demand for freight during a labour shortage will inevitably translate into higher prices for consumers.

“We’ve been oversold by five or 10 per cent, depending on the day, for the last four or five months … The timing of all this couldn’t have been worse,” said Mark Seymour, CEO of Kriska Transportation Group in Prescott, Ont.

Canadian firms see labour shortages intensifying and wage pressures increasing, according to a Bank of Canada survey released on Monday. Investors increasingly expect the central bank to raise interest rates next week for the first time since 2018.

Fresh foods are particularly sensitive to freight problems because they expire rapidly, though all imports from the U.S. could be affected, the trucking managers said.

“We have to move the milk, we have to move food. But the rates are going to be much higher,” said Doug Sutherland, president of Sutherland Group Enterprises in Salmo, B.C.

“Inflation is going to be the biggest impact of what’s going on here.”

— Reporting for Reuters by Steve Scherer in Ottawa; additional reporting by David Ljunggren.

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Upon completion of the plan, CNH Industrial shareholders will receive one Iveco Group common share for every five common shares held in the parent company, CNH said in a statement.

CNH Industrial’s controlling shareholder Exor, the holding company of Italy’s Agnelli family, will become Iveco Group’s largest shareholder with around 27 per cent of common shares and 42.5 per cent of voting rights.

Iveco Group, headed by CEO Gerrit Marx, is now set to be incorporated as a stand-alone company on Jan. 1, with its shares starting trading on the Milan bourse on Jan 3.

Truck, bus, specialty and defence vehicles and powertrain operations will fall under the newly-created Iveco Group. CNH Industrial, whose other brands include Case IH and New Holland, will focus on its farm machinery and construction equipment businesses after the spin-off.

Iveco’s deal mirrors a similar move by Daimler, which earlier this month completed the spin-off and listing of its truck operations, while in 2019 Volkswagen listed its truck unit Traton, which houses brands including Man and Scania.

— Reporting for Reuters by Giulio Piovaccari.

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Reuss told an investor conference GM is working with seven chip suppliers on three new families of microcontrollers that will reduce the number of unique chips by 95 per cent on future vehicles.

The supplier partners include Qualcomm, STM, TSMC, Renesas, NXP, Infineon and ON Semi, he said.

Most of GM’s future investment in the new microcontroller families “will flow to the U.S. and Canada,” Reuss said.

Vehicle manufacturers around the world have been coping much of the year with shortages of semiconductor chips that control everything from heated seats to infotainment systems.

Those shortages in some cases have caused GM and other automakers to build, then park unfinished vehicles until missing chips finally arrive and can be installed. In other cases, vehicles are being delivered to customers without some of the usual features.

“We see our semiconductor requirements more than doubling over the new few years,” with the arrival of new electric vehicles and complex driver assistance systems such as UltraCruise, Reuss said.

The new microcontrollers will consolidate many of the functions now handled by individual chips, which not only will reduce cost and complexity, but “will drive quality and predictability,” he said.

The new microcontrollers will be built in high volume — as much as 10 million units a year, Reuss said.

A GM spokesperson told Reuters that the company is “trying to develop an ecosystem that is much more resilient, more scalable and always there to meet our needs.”

Earlier Thursday, Ford Motor Co. and chip manufacturer GlobalFoundries Inc. said they plan to work together to boost supplies for the automaker’s vehicles and the broader U.S. auto industry.

— Reporting for Reuters by Paul Lienert in Detroit.

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