MacDon opened a new parts distribution centre in Winnipeg in 2016. (Macdon.com)

Harvestec owner Linamar set to buy MacDon

Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian harvesting equipment company MacDon is set to join the ag arm of industrial equipment and parts manufacturer Linamar. Guelph-based Linamar Corp., which markets the Harvestec brand of corn harvesting headers in North America, on Thursday announced a “definitive” agreement to buy 100 per cent of Winnipeg-based MacDon and its group of companies for $1.2 […] Read more

AGCO introduced the new C Series RoGator with impressive upgrades in August.

New C Series RoGators

AGCO re-engineers its sprayer line with LiquidLogic technology

Reading Time: 2 minutes If there’s one word that’s taking up a lot of air in the room when it comes to herbicide discussions this year, it’s “resistance.” The growing threat from herbicide-resistant weeds has become a reality in nearly all regions and threatens to get much worse. Everyone in the industry is looking for solutions, and AGCO thinks […] Read more


Regina-based Brandt’s agriculture division plans to make equipment for U.S. corn and soy growers at this plant north of Bloomington, Ill. (CNW Group/Brandt Tractor Ltd.)

Brandt to buy first U.S. manufacturing plant

Reading Time: 2 minutes A Canadian farm and industrial equipment manufacturer is preparing to set up its first U.S. base to make farm equipment for U.S. corn and soybean growers. The Regina-based Brandt Group, whose farm equipment lines include loaders and skid steers as well as augers, conveyors and vacuums for grain handling, announced Friday it will buy a […] Read more

The Big River Resources ethanol plant at West Burlington, Iowa, about 120 km southwest of Davenport. (Steven Vaughn photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. EPA ups biofuel targets slightly

Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday it will require fuel companies to blend slightly more biofuels into the nation’s gasoline and diesel next year, angering oil refiners who view them as a competitive threat. The announcement follows weeks of lobbying by Midwestern lawmakers and representatives of the corn industry who wanted […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Diesel prices poised to rise in new year

Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — The lingering effects of two large hurricanes in the U.S. continue to be felt in the diesel market as harvest winds down throughout North America. In particular, Hurricane Harvey was a disruptive force on the U.S. energy market as it temporarily halted production at refineries. Both gas and diesel prices rose in […] Read more

(Video screengrab from DeveronUAS.com)

Climate Corp. to partner with Canadian drone data firm

Reading Time: 2 minutes In a bid to bring its eye-in-the-sky views of clients’ fields closer to Earth, Monsanto’s Climate Corp. has struck up a partnership with a Canadian drone data provider. Climate on Nov. 15 announced an “official” partnership with Toronto-based Deveron UAS, which operates a fleet of drones serving farm clients across North America, to deliver “advanced” […] Read more


A truck bears the logo of the Fortune brand, used by Cofco’s China Agri subsidiary to market rice and flour. (Cofco.com)

China to subsidize grain transportation, storage

Reading Time: < 1 minute Beijing | Reuters — China plans to subsidize grain transportation and storage facilities in the latest push by Beijing to modernize the world’s largest agriculture sector. Beijing will subsidize projects upgrading or building facilities to load and receive grains along main railways and ports for major waterways including the Yangtze and Pearl rivers, a document […] Read more

Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay speaks Nov. 24 at Agribition in Regina. (Agr.gc.ca)

Federal programs set for Growing Forward sequel

Reading Time: 2 minutes Market development, product development and overall sector development are among the priorities in the federal government’s five-year funding plan for the ag sector. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay, speaking Friday at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, announced a $1 billion suite of six federally funded programs to roll out through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. The Canadian […] Read more


Keith Currie was acclaimed to a second term as OFA president at the organization’s annual meeting Nov. 20-21 in Toronto. (John Greig photo)

OFA pre-election policy targets broader economic development

Reading Time: 3 minutes Stable rural areas and thriving farms can help urbanites with some of their biggest challenges. That’s the message from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture going into next year’s provincial election. The OFA talked about how it is framing its election strategy at its annual meeting, which ran Monday and Tuesday in Toronto. “With the election […] Read more

Chris Martin developed his own hay dryer to improve the quality of his hay.

Farmer-made hay dryer boosts quality

Chinook bale dryer uses spikes to dry bales from the inside out

Reading Time: 3 minutes Chris Martin saw how hay bale dryers were working in Quebec and thought that the concept would work on his farm in Ontario. And he figured he and his brother could make one that worked even better. Three years later, they have their dryer working – but not perfected – and have sold one other […] Read more