(EC.europa.eu)

EU bids to seal CETA as U.S. deal prospects fade

Bratislava | Reuters –– European Union ministers took steps Friday to approve a contentious free trade deal with Canada, while France and Austria demanded that talks towards a similar agreement with the United States should stop. Both deals have triggered demonstrations by unions and protest groups who say they will spark a “race to the





Pacific Ocean surface temperature anomalies, in degrees Celsius, for the seven-day period centred on Aug. 31, 2016. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

U.S. agency reduces outlook for La Nina in 2016-17

New York | Reuters — A U.S. government weather forecaster reduced its outlook on Thursday for La Nina conditions to develop during the Northern Hemisphere fall and winter of 2016-17, saying neutral conditions were more likely. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC), an agency of the National Weather Service, said in a monthly forecast there was

(Dave Bedard photo)

Farmers’ debt seen hitting fresh record high

Reuters — Canadian farmers’ debt will likely reach another record high this year, while land appreciation slows and incomes flatten, but the industry is still in strong financial shape, the country’s biggest agriculture lender, Farm Credit Canada, forecast on Tuesday. FCC, the federal Crown ag lending agency, sounded a note of caution for farmers, who


(Dave Bedard photo)

Diesel prices look to settle in for fall, early winter

CNS Canada — Canadian diesel prices appear to be settling in for a relatively uneventful autumn, according to an industry watcher. “Unless we get a vortex kind of winter, when a lot of diesel is used for heating purposes, I think it’s another cheap autumn-winter scenario shaping up,” said Tom Kloza of the Oil Price




The city of Prince Albert, which has closed its water intake from the North Saskatchewan River, is again supplying its rural water utility, but from a different source. (CityPA.ca)

Livestock water supplies still a concern after oil spill

While cleanup and water testing continue on the North Saskatchewan River, livestock producers with river access are still advised to find alternate water sources. Jenifer Heyden, livestock specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture in North Battleford, said ministry staffers and Husky Energy did work with a few producers who were having trouble accessing alternate water sources, to