Reading Time: 2 minutes Geneva | Reuters — The end of the Black Sea grain deal would not pose an immediate threat to the world market as Ukraine would still be able to export supplies, although at such a high cost that production in the war-torn country would likely fall even further. Turkey, Ukraine, Russia and the United Nations […] Read more
Loss of Black Sea grain deal not seen as threat to global supplies, for now
Alternate routes exist but would be more expensive
Spring road bans loom across Prairies
Mid-March weight limits pending for heavy trucks
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The looming spring melt across Western Canada will likely disrupt some grain and livestock movement over the next few weeks, as seasonal spring road restrictions come into effect across the Prairies. Spring road restrictions set axle weight limits for vehicles moving on certain roads to reduce the damage heavier loads can cause during […] Read more
Argentina grains truck activity rebounds after strike lifted
Reading Time: < 1 minute Buenos Aires | Reuters — Argentine grains trucking activity has rebounded to near normal levels after a major strike last week, according to transport data and port sources, a relief to exporters in the world’s No. 1 shipper of processed soy and No. 2 for corn. Truckers agreed late last week to end a strike […] Read more
Agropur to shed bulk milk handling in Quebec, Nova Scotia
Unnamed buyers to take over Quebec milk runs
Reading Time: 2 minutes Dairy co-operative Agropur is stepping away from hauling farmers’ milk in two of the provinces where it does business. The Quebec company announced Monday it would sell its Quebec bulk milk hauling business to unnamed “companies whose core business is transporting liquid food products,” and would also halt its milk transport work in Nova Scotia. […] Read more
The return of farm diversification
On this farm, widening the base of operations helps achieve crucial management goals
Reading Time: 6 minutes When Anthony Nabuurs talks about agriculture, he looks beyond growing crops and selling what he harvests. Expanding his operation beyond planting, spraying and combining has become a necessity for his farm and for those who work with him, partly because of economics, and also because it helps overcome some of the challenges of farming on […] Read more
No delays expected in fertilizer distribution
National fertilizer association doesn't expect any disruptions to deliveries
Reading Time: 2 minutes Should farmers expect delays to fertilizer deliveries heading into spring seeding? “Not if we can help it,” Fertilizer Canada CEO Garth Whyte said Thursday.”We’ve weathered all the rail system disruptions that we had over the last six months, and now, with COVID-19, we’re doing OK. “We’ve put contingency plans in at our manufacturing plants, at […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Prairie market stable heading into New Year
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Western Canadian feed grain markets are showing some stability heading into the New Year, as buyers have generally booked coverage over the holiday season. “Everybody is just waiting to see what will happen,” said Mike Fleischhauer of Eagle Commodities in Lethbridge. While large amounts of tough grain were moving, he said there was […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Purchases delayed as prices steady, supplies ample
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — With good supplies available, don’t expect to see much movement in prices for feed wheat and barley over the next several months, according to Nelson Neumann. Neumann, senior trader for Agfinity at Stony Plain, Alta., said barley currently was around $223 per tonne Lethbridge delivered and wheat was a little back at $220 […] Read more
Propane shortage looms as CN strike hits third day
Reading Time: 3 minutes Winnipeg/Ottawa | Reuters — Shippers scrambled to shift freight onto trucks on Thursday as a strike at Canada’s biggest railroad, Canadian National Railway, hit its third day, leaving the critical fuel propane and other goods stranded. Some 3,200 unionized employees, including conductors and yard workers, hit picket lines on Tuesday in the biggest such action […] Read more
The view from the driver’s seat
The grain storage and transportation system depends more than ever on truckers. Here’s how that looks from their side of the windshield
Reading Time: 5 minutes Discussions about Prairie grain transportation efficiency tend to focus on railways, railways — and railways. Often lost in the century-plus-old feud between farmers and the railroads is the connection between them — the truckers. The system can’t get along without them, and they’ve become even more important due to elevator and branch line closures. We […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
