Reading Time: 2 minutes Two more hog operations in Quebec’s Monteregie — a nursery operation and a finishing barn — have been confirmed infected with porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED). Quebec’s provincial swine health team (EQSP) announced Wednesday that the two new cases — both in the St-Denis-sur-Richelieu area, about 25 km northwest of St-Hyacinthe — are “epidemiologically linked” to […] Read more
Two more Que. hog operations confirmed with PED
Hog nursery barn Quebec’s third PED case
Reading Time: < 1 minute A hog nursery operation in Quebec’s Monteregie was confirmed Dec. 31 as the province’s third case of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in hogs. Quebec has previously booked two cases of on-farm outbreaks of the PED virus (PEDv) — both at hog finishing operations in the Monteregie in February and November 2014 respectively. The latest case […] Read more
Verticillium wilt makes jump to Canadian canola
Reading Time: 3 minutes A Manitoba canola field has been confirmed as the first in North America with Verticillium wilt, a fungal disease well known to northern Europe’s canola and vegetable growers. With no seed treatments or foliar fungicides yet registered against it — and with no resistant canola varieties available — the disease, if here to stay, may […] Read more
Agrium to shed U.S. fertilizer terminals
Reading Time: < 1 minute Fertilizer giant Agrium’s planned exit from the purchase-for-resale business now includes a US$50 million deal for two of its U.S. fertilizer facilities. The Calgary company announced Tuesday it’s reached a deal to sell its Illinois anhydrous ammonia storage and distribution terminals at Niota and Meredosia — about 150 km west of Peoria and 95 km […] Read more
Sask. to seek new animal protection agency
Reading Time: < 1 minute Saskatchewan’s agriculture ministry plans to seek other options for enforcement of animal protection laws, with three months before the current enforcer’s contract ends. The ministry confirmed Monday that the Saskatchewan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has decided not to renew its contract for enforcement of the provincial Animal Protection Act. The […] Read more
Ont. oat, barley growers approve GFO entry
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ontario’s barley and oat growers have voted just over three-quarters in favour of representation by the province’s wheat, corn and soybean growers’ organization. Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) confirmed Monday that eligible growers voted 77 per cent in favour of the move in a November vote conducted by the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission. GFO […] Read more
N.S. sheep producers backed for handling upgrades
Reading Time: < 1 minute Handling upgrades expected to help Nova Scotia’s sheep farmers cut down parasite loads in their flocks may be eligible for some public funding. The federal and provincial governments and Sheep Producers Association of Nova Scotia (SPANS) recently rolled out a Sheep Handling and Parasite Control Program, which will pay up to 40 per cent of […] Read more
FCC, BMO offer breaks on loans to poultry farmers
Reading Time: 2 minutes Poultry producers up against direct impacts from avian influenza outbreaks at farms in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley may be able to get breaks on their outstanding loans with some lenders. Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and BMO Bank of Montreal both recently announced they may grant affected customers some leeway on payments. FCC said it “will […] Read more
Agrium restarts potash output at Sask. mine
Reading Time: < 1 minute Fertilizer and ag retail giant Agrium has restarted potash production at its west-central Saskatchewan mine after a months-long expansion-related shutdown. Calgary-based Agrium said Wednesday its site at Vanscoy, about 25 km southwest of Saskatoon, is back in business after completion of what it called a “major turnaround” to tie in a one million-tonne expansion project. […] Read more
Ex-Viterra chief dropped as Dreyfus’ CEO-elect
Reading Time: 2 minutes The terms by which Mayo Schmidt would lead Louis Dreyfus’ commodities business have led the company and its chosen CEO to part ways. Offering no further details, Louis Dreyfus Commodities said Wednesday the company and the former Viterra CEO “have jointly decided not to proceed” with Schmidt taking the helm, “while retaining the highest mutual […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
