Ag News

Canola growers are being reminded there's still time to get involved.

The Manitoba Canola Growers are looking to fill four seats at the board table. 

The positions on the Board of Directors each hold a four-year term.

Nomination forms are available on the website and now only require the nominee’s signature and at least three signatures from Manitoba Canola Growers members (although six or more are recommended).

The nomination period closes at 4:30 pm CST on Thursday, November 30, 2023.

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank and Viterra are now into their eigth year of  working together to end global hunger.

The partnership sees Viterra donate land around its facilities in Balgonie, Grenfell and Raymore, Saskatchewan, as well as Trochu, Alberta for growing projects. 

Kyle Jeworski, CEO of Viterra Canada thanked farmers that work on these growing projects noting that as a global industry leader, they recognize the critical importance of food security and moving food ingredients to areas of need safely and efficiently.

For week 16,  November 12th to the 18th, CPKC moved approximately 539,000 metric tonnes of grain and grain products to markets throughout North America and to the port for export. 

Elizabeth Hucker, CPKC'S assistant vice president of marketing and sales for bulk says grain movement is still well below their available capacity.

She adds rail car fulfillment performance has remained above the 90 per cent threshold.

It looks like Rogers Sugar and the Public and Private Workers of Canada (PPWC) Local 8 representing workers at the company’s Vancouver refinery will be going to mediation.

Rogers Sugar put a request into the BC Labour Relations Board for mediation which the union has accepted.

The union members at the facility walked off the job eight weeks ago with a key issue being continuous shifts.

Earlier this week, the Union put out a statement on their website on the current situation and some of their key concerns.

Livestock producers that use the province's Agricultural Crown Land Leases (ACL) for forage are getting an early Christmas Gift.

Premier Wab Kinew and Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn announcing a temporary increase in the reduction for 2024 ACL forage lease rates from 33 per cent to 55 per cent.

Premier Kinew noted that Manitoba producers, like all Manitobans, continue to experience a rise in prices in all aspects of their business, including production and market costs, making it increasingly difficult to recover.

Some of the highlights for today include the Commercial Cattle Show, the Ranch Horse Competition, and the Agribition Ranch Rodeo.

In the show ring today there's a sheep show and a sheep shearing event, while in the cattle ring it's the Polled and Horned Hereford, Shorthorn and Charolais Shows.

You can check out the results page for all the show and sale highlights throughout the week.

Tonight at 7 it's the Angus Sale and the Maple Leafs Finals Rodeo.

The first-ever Canadian Animal AgTech Awards were handed out Thursday at Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) presented by Deloitte.

Agribition's CEO Shaun Kindopp says these awards are the first of their kind, honouring the innovators in animal agricultural technology.

"Not only do these solutions make farmers' lives easier, but they also contribute to the growth and progress of the entire agricultural industry." 

Farmer investors are getting an update this week on the progress being made with Genesis Fertilizers proposed $1.7 Billion Urea Fertilizer Plant for Western Canada.

Genesis Fertilizer and Grain already has a fertilizer distribution centre at Belle Plaine, which will also be the future site for the 700 thousand metric tonne urea fertilizer facility.

Over the last few years farmers have seen an increase in fertilizer prices and now are looking at Ottawa's proposed 30 per cent fertilizer emissions reduction target.

Bill C -234 still awaits third and final reading in the Senate.

The bill would remove the carbon tax on natural gas and propane used for on-farm use for grain drying, irrigation, heating, and cooling livestock 
barns and greenhouses

There has been some heated discussion around the bill in the Senate 

The National Farmer's Union is holding its Annual Convention in Ottawa.

This year's theme is " The Future of Farming: In Our Hands."

Organizers say the 54th annual convention will cover a lot of ground on how to organize effectively and counter entrenched powers in order to build the future farmers and other Canadians want and need.

Some of the panel discussions focus on Confronting Power, Organizing for Change, Creating the Future we Want - Land, Seed, Labour 

Delegates will also vote on resolutions and the executive for 2024.