Ag News

The Canadian Cattle Association is calling for a revision to the 2013 Beef Cattle Code of Practice.

New information, technology, and advancements in the beef sector have occurred since the code was originally released.

As a result, the industry, general public, and other interested individuals are being asked to participate in a top-of-mind survey relating to the welfare of beef cattle.

The information will be used to help in the development of an updated version of the code.

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has released its Volume-Related Composite Price Index (VRCPI) for the railways.

The VRCPI was increased by 5.39  per cent for CN to 1.9281 and 6.49 per cent for CPKC to 1.8760  for the new crop year beginning August 1st.

The index is an inflation factor determined by detailed railway submissions and reflects a composite of the forecasted prices for railway labour, fuel, material, and capital purchases.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency Seed Regulatory Modernization Survey is set to wrap up May 1st.

The online survey covering seed crops only opened in February as part of the CFIA's efforts to modernize the Seed Regulations.

The CFIA is looking for input from businesses, farm organizations, the seed and grain sector, farmers, seed growers, analysts, developers, and conditioners.

Anyone interested in variety registration, sampling, testing and grading of seed, or the sale, import and export of seed is encouraged to participate.

Grain movement on CN Rail lines has been fairly consistent over the last few weeks.

CN's Assistant Vice-President of Grain says demand remained strong right through April.

David Przednowek says we haven't seen that seasonal drop-off for seeding, but that could be because spring seeding has been slow to develop.

Farm Credit Canada has been studying farmland rental rates as compared to farmland values.

Data shows the national rent-to-price ratio in 2023 was 2.52%, reflecting a negligible decline from the previous year. 

FCC Senior Economist Justin Shepherd says in 2023 we saw some fairly strong farmland value growth across the prairies, especially in Saskatchewan as well as Manitoba,
while Alberta had a little bit slower growth, but it was still positive.

Farmers have started turning their attention to spring seeding as they wrap up soil tests, check moisture, prep equipment, start doing some pre-seed burnoff, seed treatments
and start planting.

Some producers have slowly started their seeding operations hoping to take advantage of whatever moisture they can, while others are getting ready.

Rain and snow over the last few weeks have been a welcome sight but more is needed after a fairly dry winter resulted in a lack of snow cover in many areas. 

 Bunge and Viterra are pleased that the Canadian Competition Bureau has concluded its review of Bunge’s proposed acquisition of Viterra and issued its non-binding advisory report to the Minister of Transport. We appreciate the Bureau’s time and effort in reviewing the transaction.

For the ninth year, Viterra is partnering with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank to help end world hunger.

Viterra will provide 267 acres of land around five terminals in Alberta and Saskatchewan to the Foodgrains Bank.

Alberta sites include Lethbridge, and Trochu, with Saskatchewan sites including Balgonie, Grenfell, and Raymore.

The Competition Bureau released its report this week regarding Bunge's proposed acquisition of Viterra. 

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay has named David Hunt to the position of Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC). 

Hunt has over 25 years of leadership experience in Canada's agriculture sector

He joined the Department of Agriculture in Manitoba in 2007, where he held several positions,including leadership roles with Veterinary Diagnostic Services and the Livestock Industry Branch, before accepting the position of Assistant Deputy Minister for the Corporate Services and Innovation Division.