(Conservis.ag)

Telus, Rabobank ag arms buy into farm data aggregator

Companies join in on deal for Minneapolis-based Conservis

The agriculture arms of one of Canada’s major telecoms providers and a major Dutch bank and financial services firm are taking a stake in a tech firm in the business of gathering on-farm data into a single window. Telus Agriculture and Rabo AgriFinance, which is headquartered in St. Louis and serves U.S. farm customers, announced

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

New rule on farm transfer tax treatment put off to 2022

Farm groups protest delay

Rule changes passed in a federal bill to standardize tax treatment for sales of family-owned farms and small businesses will be delayed to the start of 2022, to the dismay of several farm groups. Bill C-208, a private member’s bill spearheaded by western Manitoba Conservative MP Larry Maguire with amendments to the federal Income Tax


Net government program payments to Canadian farmers, excluding farmer premiums and money from private programs, totalled $2.4 billion in 2020.

Canadian farm net cash income higher in 2020

Government payouts to farmers went up too, but there’s a good reason

Canadian — and Manitoba — farmers saw a jump in government program payments in 2020, as well as higher gross revenues and net cash income. Increased government payouts might seem counterintuitive, but much of the money came to farmers through crop insurance and AgriStability due to poor crops in 2019. “Direct program payments rose 10.8

Lisa Thompson. (Lisathompsonmpp.ca video screengrab via YouTube)

Ontario names new ag minister in shuffle

Lisa Thompson replaces Ernie Hardeman

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has drawn another aggie from his existing cabinet to replace Ernie Hardeman as his agriculture minister. Ford on Friday announced a major cabinet shuffle, dropping Hardeman, the long-time MPP for Oxford, from the cabinet table and naming Lisa Thompson as minister for agriculture, food and rural affairs. Thompson, who until Friday


(Viktorcvetkovic/E+/Getty Images)

On-farm cybersecurity campaign gets backing

Glacier FarmMedia to link up with federally-funded project

A campaign to assess, reinforce and promote cybersecurity across Canada’s ag sector — partly through this website and its sister publications and events — has been tapped to receive multi-year federal funding. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair on March 25 announced over $500,000 over four years through the federal Cyber Security Co-operation Program for the

Responses to the announcement of office closures ranged from some thinking the changes were long overdue, while others worried about job cuts and a decline in services.

Swath of MARD, MASC offices slated for closure

Any cost savings will be eclipsed by investments in new technology, says Pedersen

Reactions were mixed as Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development announced it would close 21 of its community offices in the name of modernization. On Twitter, a farmer called it “10 years overdue” while others pointed to a decline in services the offices provided. Others worried that staff would lose their jobs and that services would



(GFM Network staff photo)

Ag publishing house Issues Ink sold

Farms.com buys Winnipeg media company

Online ag information company Farms.com has taken another step into Canadian print media by buying ag publishing and consulting company Issues Ink. Winnipeg-based Issues Ink publishes Germination, Spud Smart, the Alberta Seed Guide, European Seed and Seed World. Its Seed World Group division also includes Seed World Create, a consulting unit providing marketing and communications