(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Farm suppliers race COVID-19 spread for planting season

Winnipeg/Chicago | Reuters — North America’s biggest farm suppliers are accelerating shipments of fertilizer, seeds and agricultural chemicals to crop-growing regions in an unprecedented race against the coronavirus that threatens to disrupt planting season. The timing could not be worse for farmers preparing to plant crops. Disruptions in deliveries of fertilizer, seeds or chemicals could

(ImagineGolf/E+/Getty Images)

Ag chem industry watching COVID-19’s spread

MarketsFarm –– China is a major producer of agricultural chemicals — and disruptions to production would have a ripple effect on North American supplies of crop protection inputs, such as herbicides and insecticides. Plant closures and transportation issues due to the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus are being followed closely, but the Canadian industry is reportedly


Charles Baron and partners brought FBN to Canada in 2018 when it bought Saskatchewan-based Yorkton Distributors. (FBN video screengrab via YouTube)

Competition Bureau probing big ag chem companies

Probe to look at firms' response to FBN's arrival in Canada

Reuters — The Canadian Competition Bureau said on Thursday it was investigating certain agriculture companies for alleged anticompetitive practices over allegations of trying to block an online farm-supply startup from doing business in Western Canada. The regulator did not provide details on specific companies involved in the probe, but documents filed on Jan. 30 in

Syngenta’s Interaction Centre at Stein, Switzerland. (Syngenta.com)

Syngenta owner ChemChina to merge ag assets with Sinochem’s

Zurich | Reuters — ChemChina and Sinochem are consolidating their agricultural assets into a new holding company to be called Syngenta Group, ChemChina unit Syngenta said on Sunday. Chen Lichtenstein, current CEO of Shenzhen-listed crop protection company Adama, which will also be incorporated into the new group, will be nominated chief financial officer of the

(Dave Bedard photo)

Talks continue toward ending CN strike as factories slow output

Montreal/Winnipeg | Reuters — Talks to end a strike by thousands of workers at Canada’s biggest railroad, Canadian National Railway, continued on Wednesday, as industrial plants slowed output of products cut off from their markets. About 3,000 unionized workers, including conductors and yardmen, hit picket lines on Tuesday after talks with management failed to resolve






(DuPont.com, Dow.com)

DowDuPont upbeat on growth as sales rise

Reuters — U.S. chemicals producer DowDuPont reported a 14 per cent rise in net sales for the fourth quarter and beat Wall Street profit estimates as a strong global economy led to robust demand and higher prices for its products. The newly-combined company, formed by the merger of chemical giants Dow Chemical and DuPont four

A line of Starpharma’s dendrimer polymers, much like its VivaGel water-based gel, shown here, will be put to work carrying crop chemicals and fertilizers in the field for Agrium’s Loveland Products. (Starpharma.com)

Agrium buys polymer maker’s ag chem applications

Fertilizer and ag retail firm Agrium has closed a deal for an Australian polymer maker’s ag chemical business, aiming to put it to work in fertilizer and pesticide application. Calgary-based Agrium said Tuesday it has bought Starpharma Holdings’ agrochemical business for A$35 million (C$35.3 million) via Agrium’s U.S. crop input arm, Loveland Products. The deal