(Resource News International) — Opinion is divided as to how the debate over the Canadian Wheat Board’s (CWB) barley marketing monopoly will affect barley acreage in the 2008-09 crop year. Based on conversations he has had with barley farmers, Western Barley Growers’ Association (WBGA) past president Doug McBain of Cremona, Alta., said he believes fewer
Opinions divided over 2008 barley acreage
Wheat stocks below industry expectations
(Resource News International) — The grain and oilseed stocks in all positions report from Statistics Canada Tuesday morning contained few surprises overall, with the exception of wheat, which saw tighter than expected supplies, market participants said. Mike Jubinville, an agricultural consultant with ProFarmer Canada in Winnipeg, said the report confirmed the general tightening scenario many
Canadian official sees veto in U.S. Farm Bill’s future
(Resource News International) — The latest U.S. Farm Bill could be vetoed by President George W. Bush in coming weeks unless significant changes are made to the controversial legislation, according to Stephen Lavergne, director of U.S. trade advocacy for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. U.S. Farm Bills, re-drafted every five years, play a significant role in
Prairie hog farmers can buy into N.D. hog plant
(Resource News International) — Hog farmers in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan will have the opportunity to join a producer co-operative looking to buy a controlling interest in a hog slaughter plant in Minot, N.D. That’s according to Daryl Dukart, general manager of the Cloverdale Growers’ Alliance Co-operative (CGAC), a group of producers from North Dakota,
Ont. winter wheat poised for excellent yields
(Resource News International) — Ideal weather conditions through the fall planting season and winter thus far are reason to believe that this year’s Ontario winter wheat crop has excellent yield potential, according to an industry specialist. Peter Johnson, provincial cereal specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), said weather conditions
COOL legislation remains a mystery
(Resource News International) — Uncertainty surrounding the U.S. government’s plans this fall for mandatory country-of-origin-labelling (COOL) continues to confound the Canadian livestock industry, a sector already reeling from the effects of higher costs and lower prices. Mandatory COOL “is still being debated and how it actually ends up in its final stage will be hard
Beef, cattle export outlook mixed
(Resource News International) — Exports of Canadian beef to the U.S. are expected to remain steady or decline slightly in 2008, whereas beef exports to other key markets are expected to increase, according to industry watchers. Live cattle exports, meanwhile, are expected to remain steady. Andrea Brocklebank, research analyst with CanFax, a division of the
Hog outlook: Industry crisis may spur decline
(Resource News International) — The Canadian hog industry may lose some of its best producers if the crisis now facing the industry continues, according to Clare Schlegel, president of the Canadian Pork Council (CPC) in Ottawa. In two to three years’ time, Schlegel said, he anticipates the Canadian hog industry will have declined. The CPC
Grain Act changes leave questions unanswered
(Resource News International) — The federal government’s recent announcement that it plans to modernize both the Canada Grain Act (CGA) and the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is being met with scepticism among farmers, who say there are too many unanswered questions as to what the amendments will mean for producers. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz recently
Alta. counties aggressively address clubroot
(Resource News International) — Counties in Alberta are implementing aggressive measures designed to address the growing clubroot infestation in canola, according to crop specialists with Alberta Agriculture and Food. Although clubroot appears to be spreading rapidly, Harry Brook, a crop specialist with the provincial Ag Info Centre in Stettler, pointed out that as awareness increases,