Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. farm co-operative and grains trader CHS Inc. would be interested in the Canadian grain handling assets of embattled commodities trader Glencore, but only if they came at a discounted price, CHS CEO Carl Casale said in an exclusive interview. As part of a debt-reduction plan, Swiss-based Glencore has said it […] Read more
CHS says Viterra intriguing at right price
Glencore reported moving ahead on ag stake sale
Reading Time: < 1 minute Commodities firm Glencore, the owner of Prairie grain-handling heavyweight Viterra, is reported as already moving forward on plans to bring minority investors into its ag business. Glencore announced earlier this month it plans to tame the debt it’s racked up in its recent major expansions, partly through sales of assets and new shares. Those assets, […] Read more
Grain handler Scoular on hunt for more Canadian buys
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg | Reuters — U.S. crop handler The Scoular Co. is looking to acquire stakes in grain and oilseeds facilities in Western Canada, fresh off agreeing to its first major purchase in the crop-growing belt, the private company’s chief operating officer said Monday. Scoular last week agreed to pay $94 million for the special crops […] Read more
Legumex to sell processing plants, wind down company
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg | Reuters –– Prairie special crops firm Legumex Walker said Monday it has agreed to sell its pulse and special crop processing plants and expects to sell its U.S. canola-crushing facility, allowing it to wind down the company. Winnipeg-based Legumex plans to sell its special crops division, which includes 14 plants in Canada, the […] Read more
Ex-Viterra chief to take Ontario’s Hydro One public
Reading Time: 2 minutes The chief executive who morphed Saskatchewan Wheat Pool from a debt-crushed grain handler into Viterra, then oversaw its sale to Glencore, has been tapped to take Ontario’s Crown-owned power utility public. Toronto-based Hydro One on Thursday announced Mayo Schmidt as its new president and CEO effective Sept. 3, replacing Carmine Marcello. “We believe that Mr. […] Read more
Loan called on Legumex’s U.S. canola crusher
Reading Time: 2 minutes Prairie special crop processor Legumex Walker is weighing its options after major lenders to the company’s U.S. canola crushing arm called their loan. Pacific Coast Canola, a cold-press canola crushing operation at Warden, Wash., about 160 km southwest of Spokane, is 84 per cent owned by TSX-traded, Winnipeg-based Legumex, and 16 per cent owned by commodity […] Read more
Andersons shares up after report hints Glencore interest
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Shares of U.S.-based agribusiness Andersons Inc. jumped more than six per cent on Friday, outpacing the sector, after a Bloomberg News report speculated that Glencore could be interested in acquiring the company. The story mentioned Glencore’s interest in expanding its agricultural assets and named Ohio-based Andersons as well as privately held companies Scoular […] Read more
Viterra boosts Glencore results
Reading Time: 2 minutes Commodity giant Glencore saw its earnings from mining and oils drop last year, but saw a 172 per cent increase in its earnings from agricultural trading — largely due to results from Viterra. The world’s largest commodity trader on Monday reported overall EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of $12.8 billion on sales […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
