Reading Time: 3 minutes CNS Canada –– Ocean freight rates are at some of their lowest levels ever and will likely stay that way for at least the next two years, according to an industry analyst. “We’re near hitting bottom, but just because we hit bottom it doesn’t mean we won’t scrape along it for awhile,” said Jay O’Neil, […] Read more
Low ocean freight rates likely to stick around
U.S. ethanol output rising as industry awaits new mandates
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — U.S. ethanol production topped one million barrels per day for the first time last week, data showed Wednesday, ahead of a government deadline to issue a plan for the country’s hotly debated biofuels program. The largest boost in production rates since May showed U.S. ethanol makers capitalizing on a recent uptick in profit […] Read more
Slimmer harvest yields faster deliveries from railways
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada –– A year ago, Western Canada’s shortline railways were struggling to meet commitments, but this year’s smaller grain production has reduced the stress on rail transporters. “There’s no shortage of cars, and there’s no problems in shipping,” said Sheldon Affleck, president of Regina-based shortline Big Sky Rail. A year ago, rail companies struggled […] Read more
Manitoba pledges more law on nutrient loading
Reading Time: 2 minutes More legislation to cut nutrient loading into Lake Winnipeg and other water bodies is among the shorter-term commitments in the Manitoba government’s latest throne speech. In the speech, which Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon delivered Monday, Premier Greg Selinger pledges to “work with all partners to reduce nutrient loading” in Lake Winnipeg and work to prevent further spread of […] Read more
FarmLink picks up mobile management app
Reading Time: < 1 minute A Saskatchewan-developed, cloud-based mobile app for farm management is being uploaded into Prairie grain marketing consultancy FarmLink Marketing Solutions. Winnipeg-based FarmLink announced Tuesday it will merge Farm At Hand, the software platform developed by Kim Keller and Himanshu Singh, into its operations. Financial terms of the merger weren’t released. “It has long been our belief […] Read more
Running rights on table in CP bid for Norfolk Southern
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) says it hopes to unclog one of the most infamous rail traffic bottlenecks in the U.S. with a bid to buy railway Norfolk Southern. Confirming a recent news report on its plans, CP announced Tuesday it has sent an offer letter to Virginia-based NS. The Calgary company didn’t disclose any financial […] Read more
Warm Prairie soils delay fertilizing ban, winter weights
Reading Time: < 1 minute Manitoba’s winter ban on nutrient application has been postponed, again, while Saskatchewan has postponed its move to winter weights on its highways, due to warmer-than-average soil temperatures. Manitoba’s water stewardship department announced Friday it will further extend its nutrient application window until midnight, Nov. 19. Variances to Manitoba’s winter fertilizing ban — which typically runs […] Read more
Trimble to buy consulting firm Agri-Trend
Reading Time: 3 minutes GPS and precision farming firm Trimble is set to buy the Canadian operator of North America’s largest network of independent agricultural consultants. Publicly traded, U.S.-based Trimble, which specializes in GPS and other location services, including the collection and management of on-farm data and services for precision farming, announced Tuesday it will buy Red Deer-based, privately-held […] Read more
CP said exploring Norfolk Southern takeover
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) is looking to acquire U.S. peer Norfolk Southern, business news service Bloomberg reported Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. Canada’s second-largest railroad operator has already raised financing and held early-stage merger talks with Norfolk Southern, Bloomberg reported, citing two of the people. Freight carried by major U.S. railroads […] Read more
Cereals North America: Communication key to improved grain transportation
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg | CNS Canada –– Canada’s grain transportation system is running relatively smoothly for the time being, but there is still plenty of room for improvement — and better communication between participants is seen as a way to alleviate future bottlenecks. The 2013-14 crop year, with its logistical challenges and, eventually, federal government intervention, are […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
