Reading Time: 2 minutes A new joint venture formed to run seven existing crop input retail centres in central and southeastern Saskatchewan will settle for six. The federal Competition Bureau on Wednesday announced an agreement with Federated Co-operatives (FCL) and the ag retail arm of the Saskatchewan-based Blair’s Family of Companies toward approval of their proposed joint venture. Blair’s […] Read more
Co-op, Blair’s joint venture to sell one crop input centre
Regulator sees overlap between Co-op, Blair's at Lipton
Syngenta’s Shanghai IPO to fund growth, acquisitions
Reading Time: 2 minutes Hong Kong/Zurich | Reuters — Syngenta Group will use the proceeds from its US$10 billion initial public offering (IPO) to fund internal growth and an acquisition spree to snare more of the $100 billion market for seeds and sprays, the agrichemical giant said on Friday. The company’s prospectus to list on Shanghai’s Nasdaq-style STAR Market […] Read more
Farm suppliers race COVID-19 spread for planting season
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg/Chicago | Reuters — North America’s biggest farm suppliers are accelerating shipments of fertilizer, seeds and agricultural chemicals to crop-growing regions in an unprecedented race against the coronavirus that threatens to disrupt planting season. The timing could not be worse for farmers preparing to plant crops. Disruptions in deliveries of fertilizer, seeds or chemicals could […] Read more
Ag chem industry watching COVID-19’s spread
Reading Time: 3 minutes MarketsFarm –– China is a major producer of agricultural chemicals — and disruptions to production would have a ripple effect on North American supplies of crop protection inputs, such as herbicides and insecticides. Plant closures and transportation issues due to the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus are being followed closely, but the Canadian industry is reportedly […] Read more
Competition Bureau probing big ag chem companies
Probe to look at firms' response to FBN's arrival in Canada
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — The Canadian Competition Bureau said on Thursday it was investigating certain agriculture companies for alleged anticompetitive practices over allegations of trying to block an online farm-supply startup from doing business in Western Canada. The regulator did not provide details on specific companies involved in the probe, but documents filed on Jan. 30 in […] Read more
Syngenta owner ChemChina to merge ag assets with Sinochem’s
Reading Time: < 1 minute Zurich | Reuters — ChemChina and Sinochem are consolidating their agricultural assets into a new holding company to be called Syngenta Group, ChemChina unit Syngenta said on Sunday. Chen Lichtenstein, current CEO of Shenzhen-listed crop protection company Adama, which will also be incorporated into the new group, will be nominated chief financial officer of the […] Read more
Talks continue toward ending CN strike as factories slow output
Reading Time: 2 minutes Montreal/Winnipeg | Reuters — Talks to end a strike by thousands of workers at Canada’s biggest railroad, Canadian National Railway, continued on Wednesday, as industrial plants slowed output of products cut off from their markets. About 3,000 unionized workers, including conductors and yardmen, hit picket lines on Tuesday after talks with management failed to resolve […] Read more
Opinions differ on quinoa prices in 2019
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — There are opposing views on what will happen with Canadian quinoa prices in 2019. One buyer believes the specialty crop will increase a few cents per pound; another believes the price will slightly decrease in the New Year. Dan Boulton of NorQuin at Saskatoon said there is a world shortage of quinoa, […] Read more
Trump to slap more tariffs on Chinese goods
Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington | Reuters | Updated Sept. 18, 2018 — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he will impose 10 per cent U.S. tariffs on about US$200 billion worth of Chinese imports, but he spared smart watches from Apple and Fitbit and other consumer products such as bicycle helmets and baby car seats. Trump, in […] Read more
Walmart patents hint at future where its drones tend the farms
Reading Time: 3 minutes New York/Chicago | Reuters — Walmart’s patent filings hint that it may see a future where farmers use its drones to not only spot crop problems but selectively apply chemicals or even disperse pollen to bring shoppers the freshest and cheapest food possible. The world’s largest retailer applied for six patents last year on drones […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
