Cargill close to resolving slow grain payments to farmers

Cargill is closer to fixing problems with paying farmers promptly for their delivered grain. "They [Cargill] have worked through most of the issues," Canadian Grain Commission spokesman Remi Gosselin said in an interview Tuesday. "Our understanding at the grain commission is that there should be no issues on a go-forward basis for future deliveries and[...]

New B.C. youth work rules: Heavy lifting, ag chem handling out

"Light farm and yard work" are deemed appropriate for workers at ages 14 and 15 under new employment standards taking effect in British Columbia this fall. The province on Wednesday announced changes to its Employment Standards Act, which have been through the development and consultation stages since 2019, have now been finalized and will take[...]


Ontario names new ag minister in shuffle

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has drawn another aggie from his existing cabinet to replace Ernie Hardeman as his agriculture minister. Ford on Friday announced a major cabinet shuffle, dropping Hardeman, the long-time MPP for Oxford, from the cabinet table and naming Lisa Thompson as minister for agriculture, food and rural affairs. Thompson, who until Friday[...]

U.S. requests CUSMA dispute panel on Canadian dairy quotas

Washington | Reuters -- The Biden administration on Tuesday escalated a simmering trade dispute with Canada over dairy import quotas, requesting that the first dispute settlement panel under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement be formed to review the matter. The U.S. Trade Representative's office said its complaint alleges that Canada was improperly allocating CUSMA tariff-rate import quotas[...]


Feds to legislate end to Montreal port strike

A strike by longshore workers at the Port of Montreal faces federal back-to-work legislation billed Tuesday as the government's "least desired course of action." Labour Minister Filomena Tassi on Tuesday announced the introduction of Bill C-29, which "would end the work stoppage at the Port of Montreal and ensure the safe resumption and continuation of[...]

Manitoba crop conference recovers allegedly phished funds

The organizers of one of the last big Prairie farm events held before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic have recovered funds temporarily lost to an alleged phishing scam. The CropConnect Conference -- an annual crop production and farm management conference co-organized by Manitoba grain, oilseed and pulse grower groups -- has received back almost[...]


Trump's payments to farmers hit all-time high ahead of election

Chicago | Reuters -- U.S. President Donald Trump is assuring a bumper year for farmers as the Nov. 3 election approaches, with record government subsidies projected to make up more than a third of farm income in 2020. The aid programs could be key to Trump's chances of success in swing states such as Wisconsin,[...]

Canadian Financial Close: Canadian dollar slightly lower at midweek

By MarketsFarm WINNIPEG, Oct. 30 (MarketsFarm) - The Canadian dollar was lower on Wednesday following the Bank of Canada and United States Federal Reserve interest rate announcements. The dollar finished the day at US$0.7603 or US$1=C$1.3152, compared to Tuesday when it closed at US$0.7648 or US$1=C$1.3075. Financial markets an hit all-time high following the Fed’s[...]


How a major U.S. farm lender left a trail of defaults, lawsuits

Harrod, Ohio | Reuters -- After completing a credit review in a half-hour phone call, a BMO Harris Bank underwriter cleared US$12 million in loans for Ohio corn and soybean producer Greg Kruger in 2013. Kruger had initially asked for a $2 million loan to build a grain elevator. But the Chicago-based bank, one of[...]

Federal Tories' former associate ag critic takes lead chair

Andrew Scheer's federal Conservatives will have a familiar face in the agriculture critic's chair when the House of Commons reconvenes next month. Scheer on Friday named John Barlow, the MP for the southwestern Alberta riding of Foothills, as the lead opposition critic for agriculture and agri-food. Barlow replaces Quebec MP Luc Berthold, who takes up[...]