Reading Time: 2 minutes The Baltic Dry Index (BDI), a major indicator of bulk shipping rates, has climbed sharply higher over the past few weeks to hit its highest level in 18 months.
Baltic Dry Index at 18-month high
Restrictions at the Panama Canal and congestion at Brazilian ports behind rate hike
Canada’s Indo-Pacific ag office takes step forward
The joint CFIA-AAFC venture is part of a plan to diversify exports to the Indo-Pacific region
Reading Time: < 1 minute The federal government took another step yesterday toward establishing its Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office (IPAAO) in Manila, Philippines, with the appointment of its first executive director. Federal ag minister Lawrence MacAulay announced that Diedrah Kelly had been appointed to the post. Kelly is a long-time representative of Global Affairs Canada and recently was Canada’s […] Read more
France passes law to protect farmers against neighbours’ complaints over noise and smells
Some 500 farmers are facing lawsuits from neighbors irate over agricultural smells, noise
Reading Time: 2 minutes The country has a history of conflicts between former city dwellers buying country houses and then complaining about roosters crowing, dogs barking, the noise of agricultural machinery or the smell of manure.
Alberta investment firm acquires Australian cattle portfolio
This is AIMCo's second agricultural acquisition 'down under' in the last two years
Reading Time: 2 minutes The portfolio consists of Yougawalla Pastoral Co and Argyle Cattle Co. It's a large-scale cattle breeding business spanning nearly 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres) or largely leased land in the Kimberly region of Western Australia, AIMCo said in the news release.
Brazilian state launches mandatory tracking of cattle to stop deforestation
The state government plans to track all 24 million cattle in the Para region by the end of 2026
Reading Time: 2 minutes Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazil’s Para state, which leads the country for the highest levels of Amazon rainforest destruction, will launch a mandatory program to track cattle in a bid to crack down on related deforestation, a partner in the project said on Friday. Cattle pasture is the most common initial use for deforested […] Read more
Weather Network predicts mild winter, with caveats
Colder scenario expected for East
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Strong El Niño conditions that have developed in the Pacific Ocean would typically lead to a milder winter across Canada — but other factors this year could challenge that outlook, according to the winter forecast from The Weather Network, released Wednesday. The winter forecast features a mild start to the season, with a […] Read more
Prairie Forecast: Quiet, mild start to December
Issued Nov. 29, covering Nov. 29 to Dec. 6
Reading Time: 3 minutes The last forecast played out pretty close to what the weather models were predicting, with one small deviation: temperatures ended up being about 2 to 4 C warmer than forecasted. This will be something to keep in mind as we look at this week’s forecast. The forecast is looking rather quiet for this time of […] Read more
Senate strikes down C-234 amendment, introduces another
Conservatives table motion in the House of Commons to call for Senate to pass bill
Reading Time: 2 minutes Hours after the Senate struck down an amendment some feared would kill Bill C-234, another amendment was introduced, Tuesday evening.
Bill C-234 proposes to exempt from the price on carbon propane and natural gas used on farm to dry grain or heat barns and greenhouses.
Farmers Edge considering privatization
The tech firm is evaluating a pennies on the dollar share buyback from its majority holder
Reading Time: < 1 minute Fewer than three years after going public, Manitoba-based tech firm Farmers Edge is considering a privatization proposal.
Coalition seeks farmers, ranchers to join climate change forum
Farmers for Climate Solutions aims to gather diverse viewpoints
Reading Time: 3 minutes A farmer-led group is hoping to cut through the politics surrounding climate issues by bringing together a diverse group of Prairie farmers and ranchers for discussions around sustainability. “There’s a number of loud voices that tend to dominate the conversations,” says Ian McCreary, a grain and cattle farmer from Bladworth, Sask. McCreary is co-leading the […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
