Flood Fears Prompt Grain Movement

Farmers are taking advantage of a Canadian Wheat Board program to move stored grain out of areas at risk of flooding this spring. As of March 18, 100 Manitoba producers had signed up to move 24,000 tonnes of grain, mostly wheat, off flood-prone farms and into elevators, the CWB said. Most of the signup is

Nufarm To Provide Valtera

Valent Canada Inc. has named Nufarm Agriculture Inc. its sales agent for Valtera herbicide. Effective immediately, Nufarm will be responsible for all sales, shipping and billing of Valtera in Canada. Pricing and programming for Valtera are already launched for the 2011 season and will not change as a result of this agreement. Valtera is a


Ritz Pulls Back From CWB Debate

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says his party “respects the vote” of farmers who back the single desk and suggested there won’t be any attempt to impose dual marketing on the Canadian Wheat Board unless a majority of producers vote for it. “Until farmers make that change, I’m not prepared to work arbitrarily,” said Ritz. “They

CP Delays Mean Demurrage Bills At West Coast

Holland The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), and ultimately farmers, face a big demurrage bill from parked ships on the West Coast waiting for grain because of poor Canadian Pacific Railway service. “We are working as hard as we can and meeting with the highest levels of CP to try to improve their service because if


CWB Confident Japan Sales Will Be OK

Japan will continue to be one of Canada’s best wheat and barley customers, although sales could be disrupted due to the devastation in the wake of that massive earthquake, says Ward Weisensel, the Canadian Wheat Board’s (CWB) chief operating officer. “There are reports out there about Japan not going to consume as much wheat and

Will Farmers Support Voluntary CWB Canola Marketing?

Western farmers will soon be asked whether they’d like the option to voluntarily market canola through the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB). A survey will be distributed via farm newspapers and the Internet this month or early next month, Manitoba Canola Growers Association (MCGA) director Butch Harder told about 70 farmers here March 15 at the


Rail Costing Review Not In Sight Yet

Nobody asked about a review of railway costs for shipping grain when the federal government announced its strategy to improve railway service last week. Not even the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), which seldom misses an opportunity to ask for a review. However, the CWB still wants one, said CWB spokeswoman Maureen Fitzhenry. A study commissioned

Japan Disaster Unlikely To Limit Food Imports

The disaster in Japan may not curtail its imports of agricultural commodities and could even increase them over time, a Canadian Wheat Board official said. Once Japan begins to recover from the effects of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown, Japanese consumers may become more accepting of food imports, said Neil Townsend, a CWB market


CFIA To Go Public With Companies’ Safety Violations

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is going online with the outcomes of its enforcement work on food safety. Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz on March 16 announced the CFIA will issue reports on such activities, including information such as: Food imports that have been refused entry into Canada; Federally registered food establishments whose licences have

Food Safety Offenders To Be Revealed

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency will start posting the names of importers and domestic food companies that run afoul of food safety laws. “This is a fair and balanced way to protect consumers,” Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz told a media briefing at a small community grocery store. “While consumers have a high degree of confidence