Reading Time: 5 minutes A few years ago I was standing in a brand new ag equipment manufacturing plant in Germany listening to a senior brand executive talk about its cutting-edge design. Compared to the company’s old facility, he remarked, its storage area was relatively tiny. When asked why, his reply came quickly and with a smile: “We use […] Read more
What’s holding up delivery of your new tractor?
You’ve got a new tractor or combine on order, but will it get built in time? COVID-19 could hardly have hit the world’s farm machinery sector harder, or come at a worse time. Here’s how manufacturers hope to fight back
Alberta border blockade expected to disperse Tuesday
Decision comes amid arrests, reported violence at blockade
Reading Time: 4 minutes Amid reports of violence involving a farm tractor and trucks — and seizures of weapons — the protest blockade that shut Alberta’s busiest U.S. trade corridor is reported to be winding down starting Tuesday. Several media outlets on Monday quoted organizers of the blockade at the Canada-U.S. border crossing at Coutts, Alta. as saying they […] Read more
Windsor-Detroit trade corridor reopens after police clear protesters
Prairie premiers oppose use of Emergencies Act
Reading Time: 3 minutes Windsor/Washington/Ottawa | Reuters — North America’s busiest trade link reopened for traffic late Sunday evening, ending a six-day blockade, the Canada Border Services Agency said, after Canadian police cleared the protesters fighting to end COVID-19 restrictions. Canadian police made several arrests on Sunday and cleared protesters and vehicles that occupied the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, […] Read more
Farm and agrifood groups press for clear border crossings
Injunction granted to clear Ambassador Bridge blockade
Reading Time: 3 minutes Groups representing Canada’s farm and agrifood sectors want to see an “immediate” end to multiple border blockades thrown up in recent weeks by protestors in three provinces — while the auto sector has secured a court order that one blockade be taken down. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, […] Read more
U.S. urges Canada to use federal powers to ease border protest disruption
Disruptions force automakers to reduce operations
Reading Time: 4 minutes Windsor/Washington | Reuters — Canada should use federal powers to ease the growing economic disruption caused by the blockage of a vital U.S.-Canada trade route by protesters opposed to coronavirus mandates, U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration said on Thursday. The closure of the Ambassador Bridge, North America’s busiest international land border crossing and a vital […] Read more
Farm machinery scores big in 2022
It used to be that trophies were won with brute strength. Now it’s electronics that score the big prizes and shows us what farming is on its way to becoming
Reading Time: 5 minutes When I spent a summer working as a mechanic’s helper at an Allis Chalmers dealership in 1978 as one of my first jobs, I recall a brand marketing rep coming out to hold a customer information session. He brought cut-away examples of some of the features being built into their newest tractors, including the brand’s […] Read more
Pandemic border protests strand cattle and car parts
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — Protests in Canada against vaccine mandates have disrupted two key U.S. border crossings, and are snarling hundreds of millions of dollars daily of trade, ranging from cattle to car parts. Demonstrations who at first demanded an end to federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates for cross-border truck drivers began Jan. 28 in the […] Read more
Pandemic protestors block Windsor border crossing
Commercial traffic being diverted to Sarnia
Reading Time: 3 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — The busiest land crossing between the U.S. and Canada was jammed on Tuesday after Canadian protestors blocked lanes on Monday over their government’s pandemic control measures. While traffic in both directions was initially blocked, U.S.-bound lanes have since reopened, Windsor Police tweeted. Drivers demanding an end to federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates […] Read more
Prizes put up to develop year-round berry production in Canada
Weston Foundation's new challenge backed with $33 million
Reading Time: 3 minutes A philanthropic foundation focused on improving public health now wants to improve diets by finding ways to juice up Canada’s home-grown fruit supplies. The Weston Family Foundation on Tuesday pledged $33 million over six years for what it calls the Homegrown Innovation Challenge, a prize challenge pitting ideas against ideas with the goal of extending […] Read more
AgriRecovery underway for flood-battered B.C. farms
Feds, province put up $228 million
Reading Time: 3 minutes The federal and British Columbia governments’ response to last fall’s destructive flooding now includes what’s said to be the biggest farm disaster recovery package in the province’s history. Provincial Agriculture Minister Lana Popham and her federal counterpart Marie-Claude Bibeau on Monday announced cost-shared funding of $228 million for the Canada-B.C. Flood Recovery for Food Security […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
