Ottawa drops minimum rail shipping order

The federal government’s order-in-council requiring the two major railways to ship a minimum amount of grain has expired, but can be reinstated if required, says Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. The first order last March compelled the railways to ship one million tonnes in total per week or face a fine of up to $100,000 a[...]

Changes coming to insecticide treatment

Canada’s corn and soybean industry are ready to meet proposed new safeguards to reduce bee deaths related to neonicotinoid insecticide seed treatments, industry officials say. Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) hopes to have the new measures in place by 2014. “We have concluded that current agricultural practices related to the use of neonicotinoid[...]