Reading Time: 2 minutes An established francophone college has been named to co-ordinate delivery of French-language agricultural education programs in eastern Ontario. The province on Thursday announced Ottawa-based Collège La Cité will take on that role — and take the lead in delivering several such programs this fall at Campus d’Alfred (UGCA), which, for now, is a francophone campus […] Read more
Francophone ag education in E. Ont. under new management
WTO appeal panel to rule on COOL by mid-May at latest
Reading Time: 2 minutes A World Trade Organization panel, after hearing the U.S. government’s appeal in defense of mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) for meat, now expects to file its decision no later than May 18. The WTO Appellate Body, which on Feb. 17 heard the U.S. appeal and rebuttals from Canada and Mexico, served notice Thursday to the WTO […] Read more
McDonald’s to ‘evaluate’ antibiotic use in Canadian chicken
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Canadian arm of fast-food giant McDonald’s isn’t yet moving to follow its U.S. counterpart’s plans to phase out use of certain antibiotics on chickens in its supply chain. The U.S. chain announced Wednesday it would move, over the next two years, to only purchase chicken “raised without antibiotics that are important to human medicine.” […] Read more
Sask. backs new northeastern shortline
Reading Time: < 1 minute A Canadian National Railway (CN) spur line in northeastern Saskatchewan, set to become the province’s 14th shortline this spring, has picked up provincial financing. The provincial government on Wednesday announced an interest-free loan worth about $550,000 for Kinistino-based Northern Lights Railroad to buy 59 km of track from Melfort west to Birch Hills on CN’s […] Read more
Viterra boosts Glencore results
Reading Time: 2 minutes Commodity giant Glencore saw its earnings from mining and oils drop last year, but saw a 172 per cent increase in its earnings from agricultural trading — largely due to results from Viterra. The world’s largest commodity trader on Monday reported overall EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of $12.8 billion on sales […] Read more
Wheat in study finds P where soil tests don’t
Reading Time: 2 minutes A long-term yield study in Saskatchewan shows wheat crops will use the phosphorus built up in soils over years of fertilizing — even where soil tests don’t show the nutrient is handy for use. While the results still need to be tested elsewhere, with other crops, the study’s findings may help Canadian farmers rethink how […] Read more
Saputo buys further into Australian cheese market
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canada’s biggest dairy processor has reached a deal to buy further into the Australian market, by buying the “everyday cheese” business of Australian beverage and dairy giant Lion. Saputo on Monday said it had reached a deal for Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory, its 88 per cent-owned Australian subsidiary, to buy Lion’s “EDC” business for […] Read more
Case IH, New Holland launch pre-owned certification
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNH’s Case IH and New Holland farm equipment divisions have launched their own Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programs, allowing farmers in Canada and the U.S. to buy eligible used late-model combines and tractors with warranty coverage. For Case IH, the CPO program announced Friday will provide buyers with warranties and financing on pre-owned late-model Steiger and […] Read more
Ontario’s Agricorp to offer direct deposit
Reading Time: < 1 minute Farm program payments handled by Ontario’s farm support delivery agency, Agricorp, will soon be available through direct deposit. Agricorp announced Tuesday that farmers can expect to see direct deposit enrolment information in their packages during the spring program renewal period, and can apply for direct deposit starting in March. Customers who sign up for direct […] Read more
Sask. decouples unseeded acres from crop insurance package
Reading Time: 2 minutes A new approach to coverage for fields that can’t be seeded in Saskatchewan has some farmers fearing for the future of the “multi-peril” standard in publicly-funded crop insurance. The Saskatchewan and federal governments on Thursday unveiled the province’s 2015 crop insurance program, touting both its increased coverage levels and lower premiums for growers. With a […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
