Reading Time: 2 minutes Expected labour costs were the major difference in a new ruling on the index that determines how much revenue each of Canada’s big two railways get to keep in the coming crop year from hauling Prairie grain. The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) on Thursday announced its decisions on the volume-related composite price index (VRCPI) for […] Read more
Cost index up for CN, down for CP in grain revenue formula
CP expects lower labour costs, CN higher
Federal budget plays to mixed reviews from ag groups
Funding for green initiatives, carbon pricing rebate plan hailed
Reading Time: 5 minutes The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) says it is “pleased” the 2021 federal budget included some of the recommendations it had made. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s first budget, released April 19, included significant spending to help producers transition to a greener economy and cited agriculture as a foundational pillar of Canada’s future. “CFA will be […] Read more
Agropur to shed bulk milk handling in Quebec, Nova Scotia
Unnamed buyers to take over Quebec milk runs
Reading Time: 2 minutes Dairy co-operative Agropur is stepping away from hauling farmers’ milk in two of the provinces where it does business. The Quebec company announced Monday it would sell its Quebec bulk milk hauling business to unnamed “companies whose core business is transporting liquid food products,” and would also halt its milk transport work in Nova Scotia. […] Read more
Federal budget to offer direct payments to farmers for carbon pricing
Other new 'green growth' funding also on deck
Reading Time: 3 minutes The federal government’s 2021 budget offers up new spending to support farmers combatting climate change through targeted investments — and, in some cases, direct payments. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland released the budget Monday, showing the majority of new spending will take place over three years and be largely focused on “green growth.” “Budget 2021 announces […] Read more
Conservatives’ new climate plan puts price on carbon
New poll ranks carbon tax costs highest among farmers' springtime concerns
Reading Time: 4 minutes Canada’s ag sector is expected to serve as a carbon sink, a renewable fuel source and a beneficiary in the federal Conservative Party’s new climate change plan — which now includes putting a price on carbon. Party leader Erin O’Toole announced the new plan Thursday — after a long campaign of vehemently opposing such policy. […] Read more
Agriculture, agrifood wish lists pile up ahead of long-delayed budget
Freeland's budget due out Monday afternoon
Reading Time: 3 minutes Agriculture and agrifood sector stakeholders will learn Monday which of their requests make their way out of the pile and into a long-awaited federal budget. Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s 2021 budget is scheduled to be released Monday in the House of Commons, at about 4 p.m. ET. Canadians didn’t get a 2020 budget: it […] Read more
On-farm cybersecurity campaign gets backing
Glacier FarmMedia to link up with federally-funded project
Reading Time: 2 minutes A campaign to assess, reinforce and promote cybersecurity across Canada’s ag sector — partly through this website and its sister publications and events — has been tapped to receive multi-year federal funding. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair on March 25 announced over $500,000 over four years through the federal Cyber Security Co-operation Program for the […] Read more
Alberta ag lender drops rural business loans
AFSC not taking new applications for program
Reading Time: < 1 minute A program offering term loans to small- and medium-sized businesses in rural Alberta is off the provincial ag lending agency’s menu. Alberta’s Agriculture Financial Services Corp. (AFSC) announced Thursday it had discontinued its Rural Business Loan Program effective immediately, so as to “concentrate its efforts on agricultural producers and agribusinesses.” The decision means no new […] Read more
The green path forward in farm machinery
Deere’s autonomy manager talks strategy for a technology-driven future
Reading Time: 7 minutes A couple of years ago I was walking through the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Illinois, when I noticed, parked on its own in its own corner, something I hadn’t seen in a good long time. It was the first autonomous concept tractor the green brand had ever shown to the public. Streamlined, roughly 60 […] Read more
Top court upholds federal carbon pricing policy
Farm groups, fearing unsustainable costs, press for next steps
Reading Time: 3 minutes Calgary/Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s Supreme Court ruled in favour of the federal government’s carbon pricing policy on Thursday, upholding a central pillar of Prime Minister Justin’s Trudeau’s climate plan and infuriating some provinces that opposed it. The country’s top court said climate change is a threat to Canada as a whole and upheld the […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
