General, Agriculture News & Resources

Woodchurch High School pupils Megan Pitt and Corey Gibson, 13, prepare their sheep for judging as they compete in the Young Handlers class at the Westmorland County Show near Kendal, Britain, September 14, 2023. Photo: Phil Noble/Reuters

Urban school farm opens world of opportunity to British teens

Students from the underprivileged community have won acclaim at ag fairs, and some have gone on to be farmers, vets

By Andy Bruce, Phil Noble, Reuters December 21, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes The rural life of rearing rare breed sheep and nurturing alpacas is a world away for many urban teenagers. Yet a British school near Liverpool has opened its pupils to a wealth of jobs in agriculture and the benefits of nature with its own farm.

A farmer in China piles wheat. Photo: Reuters/File

General, Markets, Reuters

China to push for higher grain yields to ensure food security

Chinese corn breeders are preparing to double the amount of GMO corn planted next year

By Reuters December 21, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes China, the world's top buyer of soy and corn, will push for higher grain yields across large areas of farmland as it seeks to ensure food security for its huge population, state media reported on Wednesday, citing an annual rural policy meeting.

Buhler Industries’ Versatile Nemesis 235 tractor. (Versatile-ag.com)

General, Machinery

Buhler Industries finds new majority shareholder in Turkish firm

Saskatchewan's Bourgault Industries changes hands

By Geralyn Wichers December 21, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes It was a big week for western Canadian machinery manufacturers as Winnipeg-based Buhler industries inked a deal that will see a Turkish company purchase its majority stake, and Guelph-based manufacturer Linamar Corporation acquired Saskatchewan’s Bourgault Industries.

SoyXpert produces certified organic tofu at its Sherbrooke production facility. Photo: Soykei/Facebook.

General

Feds earmark $400,000 to tofu production automation

Quebec tofu manufacturers have seen high demand in recent years

By Geralyn Wichers December 20, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes A Quebec tofu-maker has received a $400,000 federal loan to help automate its organic tofu production facility.

General, Weather

Prairie forecast: Mild and dry weather right through to the New Year

Issued Dec. 20, covering Dec. 20 to Jan. 1

By Daniel Bezte December 20, 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutes The holiday weather picture is starting to shape up, and if you're hoping for a perfect Christmas day with falling snow, I wouldn’t get my hopes up. If you are hoping for a continuation of mild winter weather, then it looks like you are in luck.

Azure Sustainable Fuels Corp. president and CEO Douglas Cole speaks at a news conference at the Manitoba Legislature on Dec. 19 as Manitoba agriculture minister Ron Kostyshyn looks on. Photo: Don Norman.

General, Markets

Manitoba earmarks funds for sustainable aviation fuel plant

The facility may produce as much as one billion litres of canola and soy-based jet fuel

By Geralyn Wichers December 19, 2023

Reading Time: < 1 minute Calgary-based firm Azure Sustainable Fuels Corp. plans to use Canadian feedstock like soybean and canola oils to produce as much as one billion litres of renewable aviation fuel per year, the news release added.

Doug Chorney. (Manitoba Co-operator file photo by Allan Dawson)

Crops, General

Canadian Grain Commission chief’s term extended

NFU calls on Chorney to uphold mandate to act in producers’ interests

By Geralyn Wichers December 18, 2023

Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) chief commissioner Doug Chorney has seen his term extended as the search continues for his replacement, CGC said today.

Farmers with tractors bearing the slogan “If the farmer dies, the land dies” take part in a demonstration organized by the German Farmers’ Association under the slogan “Too much is too much! Now it’s over!” in front of the Brandenburg Gate. This was prompted by the German government’s plans to abolish the agricultural diesel tax and the motor vehicle tax exemption for agriculture and forestry. Photo: Fabian Sommer/dpa via Reuters Connect.

General, Reuters

German farmers protest with tractors against austerity measures

The German government proposed to abolish fuel subsidies to meet savings targets

By Reuters, Riham Alkousaa, Swantje Stein December 18, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes According to next year's budget, a partial tax refund on agricultural diesel, along with a tax exemption for agricultural vehicles, will be abolished to meet the saving targets - a measure farmers said would threaten their livelihood and the competitiveness of Germany's agricultural sector.

Drought-affected corn in Brazil in 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Diego Vara)

General, Markets, Reuters

Brazilian farmers slow fertilizer buys as drought dampens corn-planting plans

Fertilizer companies are already dealing with lower profits as prices sag

By Ana Mano, Reuters, Rod Nickel, Sourasis Bose December 18, 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutes Brazil's drought is causing farmers there to delay fertilizer purchases for their upcoming corn-planting season, denting sales for global fertilizer suppliers in the world's top corn-exporting country, executives told Reuters.

Crops, General, Markets

AAFC raises canola, wheat ending stocks forecasts

Pea, barley carryout estimates raised, lentils cut in half

By Phil Franz-Warkentin December 15, 2023

Reading Time: < 1 minute Glacier FarmMedia – Canadian canola and wheat carryout for the 2023/24 marketing year will likely end up above earlier projections, according to the latest Outlook for Principal Field Crops from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) released Dec. 15.

Daily Network News

China urges hog producers to manage output, vows timely reserve adjustments

Farm Credit Canada offers aid to farmers, companies affected by Iran war price spikes

Unilever in talks with McCormick & Company as it seeks to sell food business