German Grain Trader Toepfer Expands Into Canadian Special Crops

Germany s largest grain trading house, Alfred C. Toepfer International, said Nov. 3 it is taking over two Canadian trading companies, giving it its first processing facilities in Canada. Toepfer, whose majority shareholder is Archer Daniels Midland said it has bought Western Grain Trade Ltd. and Western Grain Cleaning &Processing Ltd., which are Saskatchewan-based processors

Canada Farm Terminals See Unsure Fate After Wheat Board

With only old, wooden elevators to buy crops around Unity, Saskatchewan, farmers like Mervin Slater banded together in 1993 to sell shares and build a modern grain terminal. The towering concrete and steel facility is one of nearly a dozen farmer-run grain terminals to spring up on the Canadian Prairies since the 1990s, offering farmers


Ritz Thirsty For Barley Freedom Beer

When legislation Bill C-18 passes to kill the wheat board s monopoly, Gerry Ritz says he ll celebrate with a glass of barley freedom beer. It might even be made with malt from Rahr Malting in Alix, Alta., where the minister of agriculture visited Nov. 1 to celebrate the company s announcement to spend $6

Is History Repeating Itself?

The wheat board isn t even dead yet, but that didn t stop some Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) delegates meeting here last week from wanting to resurrect it. I ve got an idea here, Arborg farmer Kyle Foster said during a discussion about lopsided contracts favouring grain companies Oct. 27. Why don t we pool


Apples And Oranges Add Up To Bananas

We ve observed over time that it s become increasingly difficult for civil servants to maintain that blurry distinction between policy and politics. But there can be no question that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has crossed the line with its marketing freedom website. It was undoubtedly pushed, but the result is the same. There can

Letters – for Nov. 3, 2011

Rally Turnout Underscores Majority View Judging by the overwhelming turnout at the pro-CWB rally in Winnipeg Oct. 28, it is apparent that the plebiscite results of 62 per cent consensus on one issue is quite accurate. Money raised for the legal challenges was three times more than expected and the largest donations are still coming


CWB Issues Interim Payments

STAFF / Prairie wheat and barley growers who delivered to the Canadian Wheat Board in the 2010-11 crop year will receive interim payments starting Nov. 8. The biggest of the per-tonne interim payments will go to No. 2 Canada Western Red Spring, 15.5 per cent protein, at $55.20; the lowest, $2.80, will go to No.

Ending CWB Monopoly Brings Big Changes

Next August 1 ushers in what is arguably the most radical policy shift in Western Canada s grain industry since the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly was created nearly 69 years ago. Western wheat, durum and barley farmers will have marketing freedom. What then? Farmers and the industry are divided over whether it will usher in


KAP’s Policy On The CWB

The future of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) and the Canadian government s decision to remove its single-desk marketing structure continues to be the paramount issue affecting Prairie farmers this fall. Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) has strived to take a balanced approach in dealing with this issue while using our official policy positions as guidelines.

Letters – for Oct. 27, 2011

We welcome readers comments on issues that have been covered in the Manitoba Co-operator.In most cases we cannot accept open letters or copies of letters which have been sent to several publications. Letters are subject to editing for length or taste. We suggest a maximum of about 300 words. Please forward letters to ManitobaCo-operator, 1666DublinAve.,Winnipeg,