Agriculture – Canadian Investor

PG&E faces potential showdown over its bankruptcy plan

November 12, 2019 CanadianInvestor

SAN FRANCISCO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom is stepping up pressure on Pacific Gas & Electric to fork over billions more in cash to pay thousands of people who lost homes in wildfires that drove the utility into bankruptcy. The rising tensions were scheduled to be aired out in a bankruptcy court hearing Wednesday, but it was abruptly postponed on... Read More

Nutrien CEO: 2020 will see strong recovery from this year’s soft fertilizer demand

November 5, 2019 CanadianInvestor

SASKATOON — Nutrien Ltd. says global demand for fertilizer is weaker than anticipated this year due to poor weather in North America and offshore buyers that have chosen to draw down their inventories. As a result, the Saskatoon-based company has lowered key estimates for 2019, including a further reduction on potash sales volume following an earlier downward revision issued in September. Nutrien’s potash sales for... Read More

Bank of Canada holds interest rate, warns economy’s resilience to be ‘tested’

October 30, 2019 CanadianInvestor

OTTAWA — The Bank of Canada kept its key interest rate on hold Wednesday, leaving the country as an exception compared to other advanced economies that have begun to respond to a weakening global economy. In its explanation, the central bank argued that inflation is on target and the domestic economy has held up well in many respects, even though it’s feeling the... Read More

Liberal search for dance partners: areas where Trudeau might find common ground

October 22, 2019 CanadianInvestor

OTTAWA — The Liberals won more seats Monday than any other party, but came up short in their effort to return to Parliament with another majority mandate. Unlike in Justin Trudeau’s first term, this time the Liberal prime minister will have to strike agreements with political rivals as he tries to win their support to pass legislation and, in some cases, survive confidence... Read More

California bans pesticide linked to brain damage in children

October 9, 2019 CanadianInvestor

LOS ANGELES — California environmental officials say a popular agricultural pesticide they say has been linked to brain damage in children will be banned after next year under an agreement reached with its manufacturer. Under the deal announced Wednesday, all California sales of chlorpyrifos will end on Feb. 6, 2020. Farmers will have until the end of 2020 to exhaust... Read More

Paterson GlobalFoods to build mill in Winnipeg to handle western Canadian oats

October 3, 2019 CanadianInvestor

WINNIPEG — Paterson GlobalFoods says it plans to build an oats mill next to its existing grain terminal in northwest Winnipeg. The international agricultural conglomerate says the mill will process up to 250,000 tonnes of raw oats from western Canadian farmers each year. It says the mill will have 260 rail cars at its disposal to offer the greatest access possible to North... Read More

Scheer, Singh campaign in their parties’ regions of relative strength

September 29, 2019 CanadianInvestor

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh kept their campaign machines rolling Saturday — and they focused their efforts on their parties’ historic strongholds. Scheer promoted the Conservatives’ pledge to build a national energy corridor during a stop in Edmonton, where he took the stage with an old friend: Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. Scheer, who also planned to visit Saskatoon... Read More

Delayed grain crop due to wet summer dampens spirits of railways, farmers

September 25, 2019 CanadianInvestor

MONTREAL — A delayed grain crop is causing headaches for rail companies, elevator operators and farmers following a dry spring and wet summer. Grain carloads at the two major Canadian railways are down 11 per cent so far in the quarter ending Sept. 30 compared to the same period last year. John Brooks, head of marketing at Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.... Read More

‘We’re ready for them:’ Texans see opportunity in western Canadian malaise

September 22, 2019 CanadianInvestor

CALGARY — The brochure’s cover has the Texas flag as a backdrop and shows an arrow pointing from Alberta to the Lone Star State. “Arrowstar Realty invites you to relocate to Texas,” reads the mailer sent to businesses across Western Canada recently. “Join the 100s of companies that have already made the move!” Inside is a letter — beginning “Dear Canadian Neighbour” — boasting of Montgomery... Read More

No-spray zones divide French farmers from anxious neighbours

September 11, 2019 CanadianInvestor

PARIS — When tractors laden with pesticides and other chemicals start spraying the vineyards that produce fruity Bordeaux wines, Marie-Lys Bibeyran’s phone starts to ring. “People call me and say, ‘I was on my terrace having lunch and we had to rush inside, the kids were in the swimming pool,'” says the Bordeaux vineyard worker who turned anti-pesticide campaigner after... Read More