Canada Malting’s processing plant in Montreal. (CanadaMalting.com)

GrainCorp’s global malting spinoff gets shareholders’ blessing

Canada Malting to go to new owner, United Malt Group

Shareholders in the Australian owner of Canada’s biggest malt company have voted nearly all in favour of a spinoff for their worldwide malting assets. During their general meeting Monday in Sydney, participating shareholders in GrainCorp voted over 99 per cent in favour of resolutions which will see the company’s malt business become a standalone ASX-listed


(Dave Bedard photo)

Saskatchewan pares ag spending in estimates

Spending estimates released without revenue forecasts

Saskatchewan expects to pull back its spending on agriculture by about $22.4 million in its 2020-21 budget year, mainly in a reduced outlay on business risk management (BRM) programs. Provincial Finance Minister Donna Harpauer on Wednesday tabled the province’s 2020-21 spending estimates with the “unusual step” of not including revenue forecasts, citing the current COVID-19

Cargill facilities’ offices will be closed to “walk-in” traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company says. (CargillAg.ca video screengrab)

Prairie elevators’ staff aim for on-site distancing

Cargill, P+H elevators stay open but with arm's-length approach

At least two Prairie grain handling firms plan to continue taking deliveries from farmers during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic — but to make the process as touchless as possible. Cargill, in a email to customers Wednesday, said its Canadian grain elevators, crush plants and ag input retail sites will remain open for deliveries and pickups,


(Dave Bedard photo)

No Prairie farm fuel shortages expected in pandemic

Continuity plans in place to keep fuel moving

Prairie farmers shouldn’t see a disruption to their farm fuel distribution as a result of COVID-19 safety measures. “Our members are committed to minimizing disruptions to the Canadian fuel supply as a result of the pandemic response,” Canadian Fuels Association spokesperson Jason Vaillant said in an email. “Our members are working tirelessly to maintain operations




The Chicago Board of Trade building on May 28, 2018. (Harmantasdc/iStock Editorial/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Bargain buying lifts some commodities

MarketsFarm — Despite an ever-changing economic environment due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, ag commodity prices may be sheltered from the worst bearish sentiments. “Global import businesses have taken off this week due to lower commodity prices,” said Terry Reilly of Futures International in Chicago. “If we do see an economic slowdown, we’ll probably see


(Dave Bedard photo)

New Brunswick postpones pesticide use hearings

Deadline extended for written submissions

The New Brunswick government’s planned public hearings on the use of glyphosate and other pesticides are postponed, and more time is being granted for the public to file written briefs. The provincial legislature’s all-party standing committee on climate change and environmental stewardship on Feb. 5 announced it would hold hearings in Fredericton March 24-27 “on

CBOT May 2020 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn hits 18-month low

Soybean, wheat futures firm

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures plummeted 3.3 per cent to an 18-month low on Tuesday as traders said current prices were too high to generate demand from overseas buyers with the ongoing harvests in Brazil and Argentina providing cheaper offerings on the export market. Corn prices fell to their session lows just ahead