Reading Time: < 1 minute Australia's trade ministry said on Tuesday that China had lifted restrictions on imports of meat from three Australian abattoirs, in the latest sign of improving relations between the two countries.
Australia says China has lifted some restrictions on meat imports
Aussie trade minister calls it a positive step in improving relations between the countries
CN closes deal on Iowa railway
The agreement will link about 275 track miles to the carrier's U.S. rail network
Reading Time: < 1 minute Canadian National Railway (CN) has inked a deal to buy an Iowa railway and connect it to its U.S. rail network, the company announced Dec. 6.
Panama Canal drought to delay grain ships well into 2024
Wait times more than doubled between October and late November, prompting some shippers to reroute
Reading Time: 3 minutes Bulk grain shippers hauling crops from the U.S. Gulf Coast export hub to Asia are sailing longer routes and paying higher freight costs to avoid vessel congestion and record-high transit fees in the drought-hit Panama Canal, traders and analysts said.
US-UAE climate-friendly farming effort grows to $17 billion
COP28 has elevated agriculture, U.S. govt's Vilsak says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Funding for a joint effort by the United States and United Arab Emirates to advance climate-friendly farming around the world has grown to more than $17 billion, the countries announced on Friday at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.
Senate tables second amendment for Bill C-234
A question of privilege over bullying has been sent to the Senate's ethics committee
Reading Time: < 1 minute An amendment to reduce Bill C-234's sunset clause by five years was tabled in the Senate yesterday evening.
Canadian food inflation to slow through 2024, report says
More certainty has brought an uptick in grocer promotions, but consumers are struggling
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canadian food prices are expected to rise between 2.5 and 4.5 per cent in 2024, according to a new report.
“It is probable that Canadians will continue to experience the strain of food inflation compounded by increasing costs of housing, energy and various other expenditures,” according to Canada’s Food Price Report 2024.
Senate speaker rules members bullied other senators over Bill C-234
Senators threatened retaliation if colleagues didn't "give way", attempted to constrain them in their duties, says speaker
Reading Time: 2 minutes Hot-tempered Conservative senators' actions over lightning rod Bill C-234 constituted intimidation, the Senate speaker ruled yesterday.
"Senators have explained how they felt threatened and intimidated in the performance of their duties, here where we should model the best behaviour for our fellow citizens," said speaker Raymonde Gagné in her decision yesterday.
Smithfield Foods ends contracts with 26 US pig farms, citing oversupply
American pork producers have been losing money as pig prices, consumer demand bump against high costs
Reading Time: 2 minutes Smithfield Foods said it will end contracts with 26 hog farms in the U.S. state of Utah, in the latest contraction by the world's largest pork processor in the face of an industry oversupply.
Prairie forecast: Average to above average temperatures to continue
Issued Dec. 6, covering Dec. 6 to Dec. 13
Reading Time: 4 minutes With no big storm system impacting our region, the weather models have been doing a good job with the forecasts over the last few weeks. As we start to move closer and closer towards the middle of winter, the longer we can keep the warm air around, the shorter we can hope winter will be. With that said, here is what the big picture is looking like over the next seven or so days.
Senate votes to amend Bill C-234
Once the bill has been read a third time, it will be returned to the House of Commons for further debate
Reading Time: < 1 minute An amendment to remove barn and greenhouse heating from a bill that would exempt certain farm fuels from the carbon price was passed today in the Senate by a narrow margin.
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
