(Country Guide file photo)

Lower loonie helps farmers, but only so much

Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada — The slumping price of oil continues to weigh on the Canadian dollar, while at the same time providing a boost to Canadian grain prices. Out-of-country buyers tend to more attracted to Canadian grain and wheat when the loonie is low, as they can get more product for their money. However, one market […] Read more

(CN.ca)

CN’s 2015 grain handle down, grain revenue up

Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian National Railway’s (CN) fourth-quarter and full-year ledgers show lower traffic, but increased revenue, from its grain and fertilizer business in 2015, en route to record full-year earnings. Montreal-based CN on Tuesday reported overall net income of $3.538 billion on $12.611 billion in total revenues for 2015, up from $3.167 billion on $12.134 billion for […] Read more


(PortMetroVancouver.com)

Canada to sign TPP, but undecided on ratification

Reading Time: < 1 minute Ottawa | Reuters –– Canada’s new Liberal government will take the “technical step” of signing a 12-nation trade deal next week but has not yet decided whether to formally ratify the agreement, Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland said Monday. Canada is one of 12 nations that initialed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in early October after years […] Read more

(PortoDoItaqui.ma.gov.br)

Vessel demand concerns extend Baltic index fall

Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying industrial commodities, extended its record low run to a 14th straight session on Friday on persistent vessel glut and weak demand. The overall Baltic Dry Index, which gauges the cost of shipping dry bulk including iron ore, cement, grain, coal […] Read more


(CPR.ca)

CP books more Prairie grain revenue at year-end

Reading Time: 2 minutes Higher grain revenue on Canada’s Prairies helped lead to record full-year revenues and offset a lower fourth-quarter gross for Canadian Pacific Railway (CP), as the company warned of substantial job cuts ahead. The railway on Thursday reported overall net income of $1.352 billion on record revenue of $6.712 billion for 2015, down from $1.476 billion […] Read more

Hurdles still ahead for food-approved canary seed

Reading Time: 3 minutes CNS Canada — Canary seed has been ruled fit for human consumption by Health Canada — a victory for an industry working toward that goal for years — but it’s just one step of many to get canary seed onto plates. Canary seed, until now used almost exclusively as birdseed, has received novel food approval […] Read more


(Portosdobrasil.gov.br via Flickr)

Ocean freight cost index breaks another floor

Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada — The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) continues its downward slide, dropping below 400 points for the first time ever as ocean freight rates struggle to find their bottom. The BDI was quoted at 394 points on Wednesday, marking a new low since records began in 1985. The index was trading above 1,200 as […] Read more

(CIA.gov)

Switzerland asks voters not to ban farm derivatives trade

Reading Time: < 1 minute Zurich | Reuters –– Switzerland’s government on Tuesday urged voters to reject a campaign to ban trading in agricultural derivatives, saying the well-meaning attempt to alleviate world hunger would not succeed and only jeopardize Swiss jobs and tax revenue. The “No Speculation with Food” initiative is subject of a binding referendum on Feb. 28 under […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. cracks down on intake of added sugar, saturated fat

Reading Time: 3 minutes Chicago | Reuters — New U.S. dietary guidelines on Thursday urged Americans to cut their added sugar and saturated fat intake to less than 10 per cent of daily calories, but consumer advocates criticized the recommendations for not providing clear guidance on the need to reduce consumption of meat. The government guidelines, which are issued […] Read more

TBARS director Dr. Tarlok Singh Sahota shows off a test plot of black barley in this 2014 file photo.

Thunder Bay ag research station gets stay

Reading Time: 2 minutes More time has been bought for a northern Ontario agricultural research station on the brink of closing to come up with a new operating plan. The Ontario government on Monday announced $350,000 in bridge funding for the not-for-profit Thunder Bay Agricultural Research Association, operator of the Thunder Bay Agricultural Research Station (TBARS), to “develop a […] Read more