Reading Time: 3 minutes Demand for farm equipment should remain high through 2023 despite higher interest rates and projected price increases, according to Farm Credit Canada. The federal ag lender has released an outlook on the farm equipment market that analyzed data and trends that affect the market. While the outlook attributes much of the current demand to relatively […] Read more
Farm equipment demand to remain high, FCC says
Low inventories, high commodity prices and a good crop place pressure on demand
Suncor to keep its Petro-Canada retail fuel business
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Suncor Energy on Tuesday said it will retain its Petro-Canada gas station retail business following a review the company initiated earlier this year under pressure from activist investor Elliott Investment Management. Suncor replaced its CEO in July and agreed to review its retail fuel unit by the end of this year after Elliott […] Read more
Biden asks Congress to avert U.S. rail strike
U.S. president warns of dire economic impact
Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday called on Congress to intervene to avert a potential rail strike that could occur as early as Dec. 9, warning of a catastrophic economic impact if railroad service ground to a halt. Biden asked lawmakers to adopt the tentative deal announced in September “without any […] Read more
Canada to boost defence, cyber security in Indo-Pacific policy
New policy document puts focus on 'disruptive' China
Reading Time: 3 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — Canada launched its long-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy on Sunday, outlining $2.3 billion in spending to boost military and cyber security in the region and vowed to deal with a “disruptive” China while working with it on climate change and trade issues. The plan detailed in a 26-page document said Canada will tighten […] Read more
Biden says administration engaged in talks to avert U.S. railroad strike
CN's U.S. operations would be affected
Reading Time: 2 minutes Nantucket | Reuters — U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday that his administration was involved in negotiations to avert a looming U.S. railroad strike that could shut down supply chains across the country but added that he has not directly engaged on the matter yet. Speaking to reporters outside a fire station on Nantucket […] Read more
Biggest U.S. rail union rejects tentative deal, raising threat of strike
Union digs in on paid sick time
Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington/Los Angeles | Reuters — Workers at the largest U.S. rail union voted against a tentative contract deal reached in September, raising the possibility of a year-end strike that could cause significant damage to the U.S. economy and strand vital shipments of food and fuel. Train and engine service members of the transportation division of […] Read more
New farm fuel carbon tax rule to return to Commons
Further carbon pricing exemptions clear ag committee, with sunset clause added
Reading Time: 3 minutes A bill that would exempt more farm fuels from Canada’s federal carbon pricing scheme has cleared the Commons’ ag committee and returned to the House of Commons to seek a third and final vote. C-234, a private member’s bill sponsored by southwestern Ontario Conservative MP Ben Lobb, appeared before the Commons’ standing committee on agriculture […] Read more
Virtual testing for real world conditions
Manufacturers turn to computer technology to validate new machine designs
Reading Time: 6 minutes A few years ago I was interviewing a retired engineer who had worked at Massey Ferguson. We were talking about his involvement in testing prototypes, and he recalled how a group of employees would have to take shifts running newly designed machines over the “bump track” behind the engineering centre. That was a track with […] Read more
Third U.S. union rejects national rail contract deal
Two major unions' decisions due next week
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — A third U.S. rail union voted on Monday to reject a tentative national contract reached in September, but expects to continue negotiating to reach a deal. The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB), which represents about 300 U.S. rail employees, rejected the agreement, said the union and the National Carriers’ Conference Committee […] Read more
Ukrainian farmers turn to U.N.-supplied grain sleeves for storage
'Last year's harvest still hasn't been sold'
Reading Time: 2 minutes Kyiv | Reuters — On a crisp and sunny November morning, Ukrainian farmers lined up to collect U.N.-supplied grain sleeves to store crops over winter as the country faces a significant shortage of storing capacity caused by Russian shelling. Ukraine has said it may lack up to 15 million tonnes of regular grain storage capacity […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
