CFFO Blog's Blog – August 2012 Archive (2)

Global Trade Tensions Rise — New U.S. Tariffs Threaten Exports, Markets, and Agriculture

President Trump’s sweeping new tariffs on over 180 countries have triggered retaliatory measures, plunging global markets and casting uncertainty over the future of U.S. agricultural exports.

Spring elk hunt in Saskatchewan raises concerns

Large elk herds have become a big problem for farmers, but a plan to tackle the issue has raised ethical concerns. The province recently allowed a spring hunt in wildlife management zone 39, which is west of Yorkton to near Foam Lake and north to Kelvington, and the rural municipalities of Stanley and Leask. Licences were available for antlerless elk from March 10-31. However, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation opposed the move, as did farmers who said shooting pregnant females is unethical. The SWF posted on social media that none of its habitat trust lands would be open for the hunt. Executive director Darrell Crabbe said the board made the decision “based on the ethical concerns of harvesting cow elk who are just a few weeks away from calving.” The SWF supports compensating producers who lose feed to elk herds and said hunting opportunities next fall should be implemented in accordance with the game management plan. Some landowners in the regions said they would also close t

Carbon tax removal ‘a significant victory’ for farmers, APAS says

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) strongly supports the federal government’s decision to remove the consumer carbon tax, or fuel levy, effective Monday, calling it a “significant victory for Saskatchewan farmers.” The organization has been opposed to the carbon tax since its inception in 2019. APAS also appreciated the provincial government’s move to remove the carbon tax from all SaskPower bills and reduce the industrial rate under its Output-Based Performance Standards Program (OBPS) to zero. The group wants a thorough analysis of the impacts the OBPS program had on farm input costs. President Bill Prybylski says getting rid of the carbon tax is more than relief; it is necessary to ensure farmers remain competitive in these uncertain economic times. Prybylski also noted the carbon tax dug into the pockets of farmers, claiming they were about to pay $9 per acre more from the tax this year alone. The next thing on APAS’s radar is the “potential continua

Zone Agtech, Bayer and Axceta Sign Agreement to Build Innovation Consortium in AgriTech and Greenhouse Technology

Bayer's Crop Science division, Zone Agtech, and Axceta have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to launch a three-party collaboration aimed at developing an innovation consortium to advance AgriTech and greenhouse technology in Quebec and across Canada. This strategic collaboration will drive the development and adoption of digital and IoT-based technologies, positioning the consortium as a leader in smart agriculture. "We are proud that Bayer has chosen Quebec as the foundation for developing the Canadian market, thanks to the strong network of partners within Zone Agtech, Axceta's technological expertise - already contributing to Bayer's innovations - and the depth of Quebec's AI ecosystem.", said Marilou Cyr, general director of Zone Agtech. The consortium will be structured around Bayer's HortiView platform, a digital crop management solution designed for international horticultural production markets. In its beta version, HortiView offers a range of management

Cultivator by Conexus unveils future of Sask. agtech innovation

Cultivator powered by the Conexus Credit Union announced the fourth cohort of its Agtech Accelerator at Canada’s Farm Show in Regina last week, with the three-month program offering resources to help participating companies scale their businesses. The new cohort includes startups from across Canada and the UK and was unveiled on March 19. The Saskatchewan-based program has already supported 47 agtech companies across three cohorts, empowering them to scale with capital, mentoring, and valuable industry connections. Laura Mock, director of Cultivator, said the program is pivotal to attracting global talent to the province. “Based in Saskatchewan and connected globally, this program leverages the natural strengths of Saskatchewan’s agricultural ecosystems to help founders build out their agriculture innovation in a way that will add value to producers,” Mock said. “Founders and farmers are at the heart of everything we do with the accelerator.”