With grandchildren to enjoy and a garden to tend, Blair Rutter doesn’t need to immerse himself in the minutiae of agricultural policy analysis now that he’s retired. But he’s found himself drawn back into the sort of work he did for decades, with the impact of the federal carbon tax occupying a lot of his […] Read more

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Alberta’s agriculture and forestry minister said he wants the new Results Driven Agriculture Research group to decide on priorities rather than have government drive the agenda. Devin Dreeshen said June 30 that the group, appointed in May, is making progress on its mandate to prioritize research projects that directly benefit farmers and ranchers. “It would […] Read more

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As the halcyon days of summer wear on, many are busy preparing for fall harvest. For others, each summer sunset is a reminder that the clock on their employment is ticking down to Sept. 1, 2020. That is the day Alberta’s Agriculture and Forestry employees may face wholesale cuts in their department. The United Conservative […] Read more

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Canada’s agricultural industry may be losing the public relations war when it comes to temporary foreign workers. This spring, media in Toronto reported many stories on the darker side of temporary foreign workers — how they’re mistreated, exploited and forced to work under inhumane conditions on farms. These images are more than a public relations […] Read more

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While Canadian farmers worry about the carbon tax and other regulations that increase cost, American producers are dealing with a different reality — fewer regulations. Since taking office in 2017, President Donald Trump has removed Obama-era regulations on farmers and eradicated other rules. One major victory for U.S. farmers was Trump’s decision to kill the […] Read more

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It looks like another year of low protein for the United States hard red winter wheat crop, which should stimulate demand for spring wheat, say analysts. U.S. Wheat Associates is reporting average protein levels of 11.2 percent after reviewing one-quarter of the anticipated samples for the 2020 HRW crop. That is slightly below last year’s […] Read more

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Do you remember the “flash crash” of May 6, 2010? If you’re a markets nerd like me, you do. It was an epic phenomenon that shocked markets with its speed and violence. I remember hearing about it live on Bloomberg radio, jumping onto the Chicago Mercantile Exchange website, and watching hundreds of billions of dollars […] Read more

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Potentially explosive corn market news out of China needs to be taken with a grain of salt, say industry analysts. Dim Sums, a web blog that provides analysis on China’s agriculture markets, is reporting that China has reached a tipping point where its corn reserves are going to be depleted in 2020. That would mean […] Read more

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May was an excellent month for Canadian agricultural exports. COVID-19 hammered the economy in Canada and around the world, upending many supply chains and hurting much but also creating opportunities. For example, Canadian exports of pork, beef and poultry reached a little more than $800 million, marking a one month record that was almost 19 […] Read more

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North America’s durum crop is getting bigger but so is international demand for the commodity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is forecasting 1.5 million acres of U.S. durum, up from its March estimate of 1.29 million acres. Statistics Canada’s June estimate is 5.69 million acres of Canadian durum, up from its March planting intentions forecast […] Read more

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