Midge larvae inside a canola floret. Federal researchers have documented a new midge species in Prairie canola that differs significantly from the swede midge it was believed to be. (AAFC photo by Julie Soroka from CanolaWatch.org)

Anonymous midge appears in Prairie canola

Reading Time: 2 minutes Canola crops in northeastern Saskatchewan and east-central Alberta have run up against a potential pest problem so new it doesn’t yet have a name. Researchers with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the University of Guelph and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have reported a new species of midge damaging canola crops in those areas. The species […] Read more

The Canadian Grain Commission building on Main Street in Winnipeg. (File photo)

More commissioners named for Grain Commission

Reading Time: 2 minutes The Canadian Grain Commission’s deck of commissioners has been refilled with two farmers with long resumes in Prairie farm policy. The federal government on Friday announced governor-in-council appointments to the CGC for Doug Chorney, as assistant chief commissioner, and Lonny McKague as commissioner. Their appointments, both effective Feb. 13, follow the announcement earlier this month […] Read more


Quebec Agriculture Minister Pierre Paradis. (MAPAQ.gouv.qc.ca)

Quebec ag minister pulled from caucus

Reading Time: 1 minute Quebec’s agriculture minister has been removed from the provincial government’s cabinet and caucus, the premier’s office said Thursday. In a short press release, Premier Philippe Couillard said he was informed Thursday evening that Agriculture Minister Pierre Paradis is the subject of a police investigation. Given the circumstances, Paradis has been relieved of ministerial duties and […] Read more

A+W, whose English Muffin Bacon + Egger is shown here, plans to go head to head against McDonald’s in offering all-day breakfast across Canada by the end of February. (CNW Group/A+W Food Services of Canada Inc.)

McDonald’s, A+W roll out all-day breakfast for Canada

Reading Time: 2 minutes Burger chains McDonald’s and A+W expect to dial up their demand for Canadian eggs as they offer all-day breakfasts alongside their beef and chicken wares across the country, starting next month. Toronto-based A+W announced Thursday it would be “the first national burger chain to offer all-day breakfast at its restaurants” coast-to-coast starting Feb. 27, after […] Read more


Quebec Agriculture Minister Pierre Paradis. (MAPAQ.gouv.qc.ca)

Quebec agriculture minister temporarily sidelined

Reading Time: < 1 minute Quebec’s agriculture minister Pierre Paradis is off work temporarily with what’s reported to be a concussion. Premier Philippe Couillard announced Wednesday that Paradis’ responsibilities as minister of agriculture, food and fisheries would temporarily go to Transport Minister Laurent Lessard. News outlets in Quebec including Radio Canada, La Presse and TVA reported Wednesday that Paradis had […] Read more

(CN.ca)

Grain handle helps lift CN to record Q4

Reading Time: 2 minutes Traffic in Prairie grain and U.S. soybeans got credit Tuesday for helping Canadian National Railway (CN) to a record profit for its fourth fiscal quarter. Montreal-based CN booked net income of $1.018 billion on revenue of $3.217 billion for the quarter ending Dec. 31, up from $941 million on $3.166 billion in the year-earlier period. […] Read more


Indiana-based Enjoy Life Foods in 2012 launched Plentils, a high-protein snack product made with lentil powder and billed as “chips with benefits.” (EnjoyLifeFoods.com)

Pulse crop strategy aims to broaden pulse demand

Reading Time: 2 minutes A new market development goal for Canada’s pulse crop industry hopes to create demand in use categories where pulses aren’t yet a major player. Pulse Canada’s board on Wednesday released a new target dubbed “25 by 2025,” under which the Canadian pulse crop grower/processor industry “will marshal its resources to create new demand in new […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Eight more quarantines added in bovine TB probe

Reading Time: 2 minutes UPDATED, Jan. 23, 2017 — Another eight properties housing about 2,000 cattle have been put under federal quarantine since last week as officials continue to track down livestock exposed to bovine tuberculosis (TB). The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Thursday pegged the number of premises under quarantine at about 58, and the number of animals […] Read more


(ParrishandHeimbecker.com)

P+H to expand Alberta ag retail reach

Reading Time: 2 minutes Grain company Parrish and Heimbecker plans to expand its crop input retail space into east-central Alberta by buying four store sites in a federally-mandated sale. The privately-held Winnipeg firm on Monday announced it has reached an agreement with Agrium’s retail arm, Crop Production Services, to buy the sites at Sedgewick, Wainwright, St. Paul and Marwayne. […] Read more

(CPR.ca)

CP’s revenue, Prairie grain handle down for year

Reading Time: 2 minutes A reduced Prairie grain handle has taken a bite out of the year-end gross for Canadian Pacific Railway in what’s turned out to be CEO Hunter Harrison’s last year on the job. Calgary-based CP on Wednesday announced full-year net income of $1.599 billion on $6.232 billion in gross revenues, up from $1.352 billion on $6.552 […] Read more