Canadian cereals are a hot commodity south of the border, where the $3 billion U.S. market for this country’s cereals-based products is highly integrated. Despite the current trade climate in which tariff uncertainty has become the norm, this demand remains strong for a range of reasons.
The non-stop tariff talk has been dizzying to say the least. For those keeping score at home, U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly announced levies on Canada, but also on practically every major economy on earth.
Awell-known voice in the grain transport sector, Mark Hemmes began a more-than-two-decade stint in the rail industry as a post-university summer employee with CN Rail. Much of this time was spent in marketing, but he also worked as a train master and superintendent. In 1999, he and a co-worker left to launch the consulting firm Hemmes now heads.
In Alberta, mature oil and gas fields and wells continue to be abandoned at record speed. Often called mature assets, they continually look more and more like liabilities for many farmers. When an operator abandons a site, municipal taxes and surface leases go unpaid, which can be financially damaging for rural communities and landowners.
Alberta farmers typically see their products shipped far away to be processed while the province loses the value-added margin. This is changing as rural communities work to keep more food processing at home. Such development gives farmers expanded market options and shorter hauls.
Led by Lakeland College in partnership with Farming Smarter and SARDA Ag Research, a three-year study examined ways to minimize lodging and maximize yield in barley. The project was carried out with the support of the Agriculture Funding Consortium. The initiative, which wrapped up this year, examined the combined effects of cultivar selection, plant growth regulator (PGR) strategies and tank mixes under Prairie conditions.
As illegal seed practices continue across Canada, a tip line has been established by the country’s biggest industry group.
The feed industry continues to be optimistic after recently announced changes to Canada’s policies and regulations.
Farmer opinion is often hijacked and presented inaccurately, said Shaun Haney, owner and editor of RealAgriculture.com, a farm journalism website. All too often, he has heard industry players draw self-serving conclusions as they cite casual conversations with one or two farmers as the collective viewpoint of farmers across the country.
To stay in the black while greening the planet is a constant challenge for agriculture. The production of ammonia-based fertilizer is a carbon intensive process. In response, FuelPositive Corporation has developed a cutting-edge fertilizer production system to be operational on a Manitoba farm upon approval by Manitoba Hydro. This green ammonia equipment is pitched as friendly for the environment and the farm bottom line.
