Reading Time: 4 minutes San Diego | CNS Canada — “Building partnerships and growing markets” was the theme of the National Ethanol Conference in San Diego — a theme members of the U.S. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) believe aligns well with an increased focus on national security and protectionist policies under new President Donald Trump. Speaking Tuesday, the head […] Read more
U.S. ethanol sector pumped on Trump
ICE weekly outlook: Canola sturdy, but watching beans
Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada — ICE Futures Canada canola contracts drifted lower during the week ended Wednesday, but are still holding up rather well compared to the U.S. soy complex. “Canola is very sturdy,” said Ken Ball of PI Financial in Winnipeg, noting the Canadian oilseed has gained about $55 per tonne relative to the U.S. markets […] Read more
Kraft walks away from ‘friendly’ bid for Unilever
Reading Time: 3 minutes New York | Reuters –– U.S. food company Kraft Heinz withdrew its proposal for a US$143 billion merger with larger rival Unilever, the companies said Sunday, raising questions about whether Kraft will turn its focus to another target. Kraft had made a surprise offer for Unilever to build a global consumer goods behemoth — an […] Read more
Austere empire-building weighs on Kraft’s Unilever bid
Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters — Buyout firm 3G Capital managed to build a consumer empire with a market value of over US$140 billion in just seven years. Yet its ruthless approach to costs may end up hampering 3G-backed Kraft Heinz’s US$143 billion bid for Unilever Plc. 3G made its name in corporate America by orchestrating large debt-laden acquisitions […] Read more
Newfoundland expands Crown land base for farming
Reading Time: 2 minutes CORRECTED, Feb. 28, 2017 — The Newfoundland and Labrador government plans to boost the amount of land available to the province’s farmers by allocating more Crown land for development. The province’s Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods announced Thursday it has now identified 62 “agriculture areas of interest” to date, totalling about 158,150 acres. The […] Read more
FCC launches new loan for young agri-businesspeople
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canada’s federal farm lending agency is expanding its loan offerings in agribusiness and agrifood with a new program aimed at young businesspeople. Farm Credit Canada’s Young Entrepreneur Loan, launched Thursday in Ottawa during Canada Agriculture Day celebrations, will offer financing of up to $1 million per qualified applicant under age 40, at closed variable rates […] Read more
Canada’s farm income to dip, but remain above average
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Canadian farmers’ incomes will decline seven per cent in 2017, falling for the second year in a row but remaining at above-average levels, the country’s agriculture department predicted on Friday. A drop in North American cattle and calf prices from record highs in 2015 is the main reason for the two-year dip, Agriculture […] Read more
Canola crush margins continue downward slide
Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada — Canola crush margins have continued their downward slide, falling to their lowest levels in 10 months over the past week. As of Friday, the Canola Board Crush Margins calculated by ICE Futures Canada were at about $86 above the March contract, which compares with levels a month ago of roughly $126. Crush […] Read more
When you need great crop advice
Some tips on choosing the right person to help navigate the maze of new crop varieties and technologies
Reading Time: 5 minutes There was a time when growing crops was fairly straightforward. You planted in spring, sprayed in summer and harvested in fall. There weren’t all that many varieties to choose from. Chemical inputs were limited. The provincial guides to field crop protection were only a few pages long. Today, there are scores of registered varieties and […] Read more
Large number of vessels waiting to load at West Coast
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — A large backlog of ships is waiting to load grain at Canada’s West Coast due to a combination of poor weather, early arrivals and railroad logistical issues. The Port of Vancouver lineup included 26 vessels as of Tuesday, according to the latest weekly report from the federal Grain Monitoring Program administered by […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
