Reading Time: 2 minutes Nova Scotia farmers who aren’t in on AgriStability for 2023 and whose operations were hit hard by weather events this spring and/or summer now have until the end of next year to enroll. The Nova Scotia and federal governments on Friday announced enrolment for the ag income stabilization program, which ended on April 30, has […] Read more

Nova Scotia farmers granted late AgriStability entry
Enrolment for 2023 now an option until Dec. 31, 2024

U.S. food companies go deal hunting as pandemic growth fades
Twinkies maker Hostess exploring a sale
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — U.S. packaged food companies are set for a flurry of deals in a push to revamp their brand portfolios as their pandemic-era fortunes fade and benefits of price hikes start to taper off. Last month, Campbell Soup struck a $2.7 billion deal for Rao’s sauce maker Sovos Brands (all figures US$). Unilever bought […] Read more

Prairie Forecast: Summer trying to hang on
Issued Sept. 6, covering Sept. 6 to 13
Reading Time: 3 minutes The weather models seem to be in good agreement for this forecast period, with no strong storm systems expected to impact the Prairies, making for a fairly high-confidence forecast. This forecast period will start off with a generally west to southwesterly flow across the Prairies. A broad but weak area of low pressure is expected […] Read more

Rest of September to be warmer than normal for Prairies
Southern Prairies to remain drier than normal
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — As summer turns to autumn on the Canadian Prairies, the weather outlook for the rest of September is for temperatures to be warmer than normal, according to Scott Kehler, chief scientist for Weatherlogics. One of the factors in those forthcoming temperatures is the El Niño that has been developing over the last several […] Read more

OAC to offer new master’s program in plant agriculture
New program would run alongside research-based degrees
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ontario Agricultural College is seeking approvals to offer a new master’s degree in plant agriculture, which would designate plant science professionals operating at a grad-school level but not on the traditional research-based path. OAC said Wednesday its proposed new “master of plant agriculture” (MPAg) program would allow recent graduates and professionals to “quickly upgrade education […] Read more

Orange juice prices near all-time high as storm hits Florida
Crop was already expected to be small
Reading Time: < 1 minute New York | Reuters — Orange juice prices at the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) rose more than three per cent on Wednesday, heading back toward an all-time high hit earlier this month, as storm Idalia slammed parts of main U.S. orange producer Florida. Contracts for frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) at ICE hit a high of […] Read more

Prairie Forecast: Mostly sunny and warm
Issued Aug. 30, covering Aug. 30 to Sept. 6
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s a straightforward forecast for this period as the general weather pattern looks to be pretty quiet. It starts with a large area of high pressure centred over the Great Lakes with a weak area of low pressure over Alberta. The Great Lakes high will put sunny skies and warm temperatures over much of Manitoba […] Read more

Palmer amaranth pops back up in Ontario
Weed infamous in U.S. for multiple herbicide resistances
Reading Time: 3 minutes A single plant that showed up this summer on the edge of a southwestern Ontario cornfield is cause for concern among Canadian farmers, weed specialists warn. Writing Monday in the ag ministry’s Field Crop News, Ontario provincial weed management specialist Mike Cowbrough said the plant in question, found in Wellington County, is confirmed as palmer […] Read more

Deal for Subway chain worth up to US$9.55 billion
Arby's, Jimmy John's parent wins with 'earn-out' deal
Reading Time: 3 minutes New York | Reuters — Private equity firm Roark Capital agreed on Thursday to buy Subway, in a deal that people familiar with the matter said values the U.S. sandwich chain at up to US$9.55 billion, including debt, subject to targets in its financial performance. The deal marks the conclusion of a drawn-out auction that […] Read more

Climate change made Quebec wildfires twice as likely, scientists say
Early snow disappearance led to earlier fires
Reading Time: 2 minutes London | Reuters — The fires that tore through the province of Quebec between May and July were made at least twice as likely by climate change, scientists said on Tuesday. Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, also made the fires as much as 50 per cent more intense, according to the […] Read more