Canadian energy exports rose 34.6 per cent from the same time last year.  Photo: Getty Images

Canadian merchandise exports reach all-time high

Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada – Exports of Canadian merchandise reached an all-time high of C$50.699 billion in June of this year with exports of farm, fishing and intermediate food products making up $C2.981 billion of that. Statistics Canada reported on Aug. 7 that farm, fishing and intermediate food product exports rose 7.6 per cent year over year, […] Read more

The Cellulosic Sugar Producers Co-operative will do all the mowing, baling and transportation for the co-op members.

Cellulosic sugars co-op offer improves, hosting baling demos

First demonstration takes place on Nov. 14 in Watford, Ont.

Reading Time: 2 minutes Farmers continue to sign up for an Ontario co-operative that will pay them for their corn stover and wheat straw. Brian Cofell, general manager of the Cellulosic Sugar Producers Co-operative (CSPC) says that the co-op has about 40 per cent of the acres committed that it needs by next fall, when it plans to harvest […] Read more


One of Sundrop Farms' solar farm installations.

Let’s get real on solar energy

Despite the skeptics, these two farms prove that solar energy is likely to be the foundation of our commercial farms for generations to come

Reading Time: 5 minutes In the last issue of Country Guide I made a case for solar power. I tried to show that economics of solar power are improving and that it is becoming a viable source of electricity. More importantly, I pointed out that society is demanding a switch away from fossil fuels, and that countries around the world […] Read more

So history repeats itself

So history repeats itself

Reading Time: 7 minutes Consider for a moment what Canadian agriculture would look like today if farmers had never made the switch from horse power to tractor power. It isn’t such an absurd idea if you understand why farmers here actually resisted mechanization when it first appeared roughly a century ago. An interesting read is the text of the […] Read more


Canada invests in Canadian biomass and composites industries

Reading Time: < 1 minute Federal and provincial governments are investing up to $2.9 million to the Composites Innovation Centre Manitoba for two initiatives. The funds will go towards the development of quality standards and measurement techniques for Canadian biomass, and research into overcoming technology barriers to the adoption of natural fibres in the composites industry, a news release says. […] Read more