Reading Time: 2 minutes U.S. industrial chemical producer Platform Specialty Products Corp. has sealed its deal to buy ag chemical firm Arysta LifeScience for about US$3.5 billion (C$4.35 billion). Miami-based, publicly-traded PSPC, which in the past year has bought ag chem firms Agriphar Group and Chemtura AgroSolutions, announced its plans to buy the Dublin-based multinational Arysta business last fall. […] Read more
U.S. buyer completes takeover of ag chem firm Arysta
U.S. ‘intransigence’ continues in WTO COOL hearing: officials
Reading Time: 2 minutes The U.S. government’s defense of its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) rule still shows “blatant protectionism and intransigence” according to Canadian officials at what’s expected to be the law’s last appearance before the World Trade Organization (WTO). U.S., Canadian and Mexican officials appeared Tuesday in Geneva before the WTO Appellate Body, where the U.S. hopes to overturn […] Read more
Ag equipment maker Buhler cutting production, staff
Reading Time: < 1 minute Winnipeg farm equipment manufacturer Buhler Industries is reducing its workforce and paring back production ahead of an expected drop in farm incomes. The company, whose brands include Versatile tractors and Farm King implements, announced its first-quarter financials Friday for the period ending Dec. 31, booking net profit of $1.5 million on fourth-best quarterly revenue of […] Read more
CP engineers, conductors halt strike
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) and its unionized conductors, engineers, trainmen and yardmen agreed Monday to binding arbitration in their contract talks, ending a strike the day after it began. The end of the strike, which began Sunday just after midnight, comes under the threat of federal back-to-work legislation, which was due to be tabled Monday […] Read more
Zilmax cleared for component feeding in Canada
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canada has granted the makers of cattle feed additive Zilmax an expanded product label that allows for component feeding at the lower end of its dosage range — and draws the line for a maximum rate in complete feed. Merck Animal Health on Friday announced approval from Health Canada’s Veterinary Drugs Directorate (VDD) to update […] Read more
Railway back-to-work legislation going to Commons
Reading Time: < 1 minute Back-to-work legislation to halt a day-old strike by engineers and conductors at Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) is scheduled for introduction Monday in the House of Commons. Federal Labour Minister Kellie Leitch is booked on the Commons’ order paper for Monday to introduce “An Act to provide for the continuation and resumption of rail service operations.” […] Read more
CP’s engineers, conductors on strike
Reading Time: 3 minutes Engineers, conductors, trainmen and yardmen for Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) are on strike after 11th-hour talks ended Saturday night without a new agreement. “Picket lines are now being set up across Canada and the rail shutdown is happening,” Doug Finnson, president of the workers’ union, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), said in a release […] Read more
CN reaches tentative labour deal with engineers
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian National Railway’s (CN) 1,800-odd locomotive engineers will remain on the job until April at least, after tentatively agreeing to a new three-year labour deal with the company. The agreement, reached Saturday, now goes to a ratification vote for the unionized engineers, represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC). Vote results are expected to […] Read more
New BSE case halts progress on ‘negligible risk’
Reading Time: 2 minutes Anyone hoping Canada had shut the book on BSE in its cattle herd and could someday soon regain “negligible risk” status has been dealt a new setback. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed late Thursday that a beef cow in Alberta is Canada’s 19th home-grown case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the country’s first such case […] Read more
A+W’s ‘better ingredients’ device yields improved sales
Reading Time: 2 minutes Burger-and-root-beer chain A+W’s bid to differentiate its food in a crowded Canadian market appears to have paid its way in increased sales through 2014. Releasing their year-end results Wednesday, Vancouver-based A+W Revenue Royalties Income Fund and A+W Food Services of Canada reported net income of $5.84 million on $318.37 million in sales from the 790 […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
