Average sea surface temperature anomalies over the equatorial Pacific Ocean for the week centred on May 5, 2021 compared to 1981-2010 base period. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

La Nina done, U.S. CPC says

Neutral weather likely through summer

Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — A U.S. government weather forecaster said on Thursday La Nina has ended and El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) neutral conditions are likely to continue through the Northern Hemisphere summer. “ENSO neutral” refers to periods in which neither El Nino nor La Nina is present, often coinciding with the transition between the two weather patterns, […] Read more

“We all appreciated being recognized as an essential service during the pandemic,” says one senior advisor with the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council. But it comes with a price.

Networking in a new era

We thought the online age hit agriculture two decades ago. Then came the pandemic. Are you ready?

Reading Time: 9 minutes Everyone knows that farmers spend a lot of time on the farm, but farmers know how vital it is that they maintain excellent off-farm contacts too, whether it’s for the health of their businesses, the health of their soils, or their own personal and social health. In fact, farmers value networking as much or maybe […] Read more


A Kansas City Southern (KCS) rail car at Toluca, Mexico on Oct. 1, 2018. (File photo: Reuters)/Edgard Garrido)

CP files objection with U.S. regulator over CN’s Kansas City Southern bid

Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Canadian Pacific Railway said on Saturday it filed a formal objection with a U.S. regulator, stating Canadian National Railway’s near US$30 billion rival bid for Kansas City Southern does not qualify to be exempted from tougher merger rules. Last week, the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) granted a waiver to CP’s $25 billion […] Read more

A newer class of diabetes medications have been shown to improve outcomes for heart failure.

Guide Health: Diabetes drugs aren’t just for diabetes any more

This new class of diabetes drugs called SGLT-2 inhibitors may boost your heart health as well

Reading Time: 2 minutes One of the newer classes of diabetes drugs seem to be advertised for not just diabetes, but cardiovascular health as well, and indeed research has shown this to be valid. The class is the SGLT-2 inhibitors, that is Sodium GLucose coTransporter-2 inhibitors. They act by inhibiting this transport protein in order to prevent glucose re-absorption […] Read more


Rail shipping is vital to the Canadian economy and especially important to Prairie farmers.

Rolling coal on the rails

If Alberta approves new coal mines, how will we ship our grains to the West Coast?

Reading Time: 7 minutes The coal question is one that should be on the mind of every western Canadian grain producer, and one that every farm organization should be asking right now. It is a question that every federal, provincial and local politician representing rural ridings should be asking.  Unfortunately, I don’t know of anyone who is asking it. […] Read more

(Kansas City Southern video screengrab via YouTube)

Rail shippers pick sides as CP, CN bid for Kansas City Southern

Richardson, Conagra among firms supporting both bids

Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg | Reuters — North America’s freight rail customers, from grain shippers to logistics companies, are choosing sides as Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway fight to buy Kansas City Southern. A takeout of KCS would be the first major North American railroad combination in more than 20 years and create the first network […] Read more


File photo of cranes at the Port of Montreal. (Jean-Paul_Lejeune/iStock/Getty Images)

Ottawa urged to end Montreal longshoremen’s strike

Back-to-work legislation on table; NDP, Bloc oppose it

Reading Time: 2 minutes Montreal | Reuters — Dockworkers at Canada’s second-largest port on Monday began their second strike in less than a year, as business leaders urged Ottawa to quickly end a walkout they said could cost the economy $25 million a day. The federal Liberal government said Sunday it would introduce special legislation to end the strike […] Read more

“It takes your whole farm to a new level of professionalism.” – Bonnie den Haan.

Getting involved at the farm level

Farm organizations sustain Canadian agriculture. They’re also where a whole lot of farmers are gaining leadership, management and decision-making skills. Should you join them?

Reading Time: 9 minutes As summer approaches and the pandemic is beginning to ease, it’s time to take stock. What got agriculture through the COVID-19 pandemic? Who kept things from falling off the rails? It turns out farm organizations played an enormous role. You probably know that already. Understandably, these groups invest heavily in making sure their members know […] Read more


Tom Button

Editor’s Note: The incredible summer of 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes It’s the way of things. A thought leads to a theory. An insight leads to a vision. And a great summer leads to an action plan. Welcome to a year like we’ve never seen before. We’ve always thought summer is for field work, winter is for business management. This year, more than ever, that’s changing. […] Read more

A freight train at Manchac, La., about 75 km east of Baton Rouge. (CN.ca)

CN challenges CP with Kansas City Southern bid

KCS shareholder warns U.S. regulator 'doesn't like overlap'

Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters — Canadian National Railway said on Tuesday it had offered to buy Kansas City Southern railroad for about US$33.7 billion, sending shares of the U.S. rail company soaring as investors anticipated a bidding war with Canadian Pacific Railway. CP had agreed a deal to acquire Kansas City Southern for about $25 billion last month […] Read more