Uncollectible loans and unsustainable agriculture Sunday, April 3, 2011 The Nova Scotia government wrote off $16.2 million in bad loans from 2008. The loans included more than $1 million in uncollectible student loans, and smaller amounts for pharmacare premiums and unpaid fees. But by far the majority of the uncollectible loans had been made by the Nova Scotia agriculture department. "This unusually high amount is due to defaulted hog loan accounts under the Farm Loan Board," said a ministry of finance press release."For many years, hog farming in Nova Scotia was heavily subsidized by government," the release went on. "When government support was discontinued in 2007-08, many hog farmers were unable to sustain their business due to low pork prices and rising production costs."The Canadian Pork Council's public relations manager, Gary Stordy, says the Nova Scotia industry has collapsed. There are six pig farms left, compared to more than 80 four years ago.Many provinces offer loans to producers of various commodities, Stordy says. Another pork example is Big Sky Farms Inc. in Saskatchewan. The province now has a stake in the embattled company. BP Inconsistent reports on red meat The 'bacon bubble' that didn't burst
Bayer introduces Vyconic soybeans in Canada Friday, March 14, 2025 Bayer is bringing a new soybean variety to Canadian farmers. Vyconic soybeans is a new trait technology providing growers with tolerance to multiple herbicide active ingredients. “It’s the industry’s first soybean trait to have herbicide tolerance to five different herbicides,” David... Read this article online
An eventful few days for Canadian ag Thursday, March 13, 2025 Canadian farmers found themselves on the receiving end of support from the federal government, tariff threats from the U.S. and the imposition of tariffs from another country in recent days. March 7 – Tariff Threat From America President Trump threatens tariffs against Canadian dairy and... Read this article online
Canada commits over $500 million to protect hog producers from African Swine Fever threat Thursday, March 13, 2025 The Canadian government is taking significant steps to protect rural communities and the pork industry from the threat of African Swine Fever (ASF). Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Lawrence MacAulay, revealed a funding commitment of up to $567.16 million to support... Read this article online
Relief to Ukrainian Dairy Farmers Thursday, March 13, 2025 With the ongoing war in the Ukraine, dairy farmers in Ukraine are struggling. In the spring and summer of 2025, 62 diesel generators, each with a capacity of 80 to 100 kilowatts, will be deployed across Ukraine. These generators are essential for powering dairy farms, particularly in... Read this article online
Top Market Movers to Watch for the Week of March 17 Thursday, March 13, 2025 By Aleah Harle, Farms.com Risk Management Intern This Farms.com column trackskey events in commodity marketing impacting the agriculture industry!The series of article shares reports or statistics to watch the following week which may have an impact on commodity prices in the coming... Read this article online