People News
Legumex Walker Inc. has promoted Anthony Kulbacki to chief operating officer of its Special Crops Division, and David Carefoot has been appointed chief financial officer, filling the vacancy left by Kulbacki’s promotion. Kulbacki has more than 15 years of experience in the special crops industry, including roles in trading, operations, management and finance. He served as CFO for Legumex Walker Inc. since its formation in 2011. Carefoot is currently CFO for Ducks Unlimited Canada and was previously CFO of Empire Industries Ltd.
FMC of Canada Agricultural Products Group has added five new staff members: Todd Denofreo, product registration manager; Mike Gerhardt, account manager; Mitch Long, product development manager; Carmen Lowe-Wassermann, marketing and promotions; and Brett McBride, account representative.
Merv Tweed is taking over as chairman of the Agriculture and Agri-Food House of Commons Standing Committee. Tweed, the Conservative member of Parliament for Brandon-Souris, had been the chairman of the Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Committee. Tweed will now head the committee that debates bills and focuses on expenses and activities for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Canadian Grain Commission, the Farm Products Council of Canada, the Canadian Dairy Commission and Farm Credit Canada. The committee also deals with activities of the CWB and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency.
Product News
Syngenta Canada Inc. has announced that the Agrisure Viptera 3220 E-Z Refuge trait stack has received CFIA approval. This new seed offering features five per cent blended refuge in the bag as well as multiple modes of action for corn insect control. Agrisure Viptera 3220 E-Z Refuge trait stack will be available in limited quantities for the 2013 growing season.
BASF has added several new higher yielding varieties to the Clearfield Production System for canola and are available to growers for the 2013 season, including the following: Nexera Canola Hybrid 2012 CL, Nexera Canola Hybrid 2016 CL, Brett Young 5525 CL, BrettYoung 5535 CL, Pioneer 46H75 and Viterra VR 9560 CL. As with all Clearfield canola varieties, these new varieties are bred through traditional methods. The new Clearfield canola varieties, combined with unprecedented weed control from BASF, offer a range of benefits, including impressive yields, improved harvestability and reduced lodging.
BrettYoung has been granted registration of BioBoost Plus by CFIA for use on soybeans in Western Canada. The product will be available for spring 2013 planting. BioBoost Plus combines a patented plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, Delftia acidovorans, with Bradyrhizobium japonicum. The synergy of two bacteria strains working together increases nitrogen fixation as well as enhances the overall growth and development of the plant. Registration trial data has shown an average yield response of 12 per cent over uninoculated controls and a five per cent yield response over straight Bradyrhizobium inoculants.
Business News
CWB is now selling farmers’ canola—the first time in 63 years that a new crop has been added to its marketing mix. “The benefits of pooling apply just as successfully to canola as to wheat. Farmers retain all the profits generated from their grain sales instead of simply taking a flat price at the elevator,” said Ian White, CWB president and CEO.
Legumex Walker Inc. and Keystone Grain Ltd., a leading Manitoba-based processor and marketer of sunflowers, flax, specialty crops and organic commodities, have reached agreement on the principal terms under which Legumex will purchase 100 per cent of the business of Keystone. “With this acquisition, Legumex will become one of North America’s largest processors and marketers of sunflowers and related products to the growing bakery ingredients market while at the same time establishing a meaningful foothold in the retail bird food market,” said Joel Horn president and CEO of Legumex Walker.
DynAgra Corp., an independent ag retailer headquartered in Western Canada, and CHS Inc., a leading U.S.-based farmer-owned cooperative, will combine agricultural services to producers and consumers within the Alberta provincial trade territory, now served by DynAgra. This marks the first Canadian-based company to join the Country Operations division of CHS. “The combination is a good match for both companies,” says John McEnroe, executive vice president of CHS. “Part of our commitment to helping our farmer-owners grow their businesses includes expanding our reach geographically, and Canada provides the opportunities to do just that. CHS continues to look for other opportunities to grow its ag retail business, both in Canada and in the U.S., to complement our overall enterprise.”
Industry News
The Canadian government is providing over $1.2 million for two innovative initiatives to create new opportunities for Manitoba wheat and flax growers. An investment of $860,000 will help the Composites Innovation Centre develop Canadian-sourced alternatives to plastic and fibreglass, such as wheat, hemp and flax fibres combined with resins. The second investment of $385,000 will allow Prairie Pulp & Paper Inc. to conduct research for its chlorine-free and sulphur-free paper and to the eventual construction of North America’s first mill for wheat- and straw-based paper production.
Producer check-offs are now in place to fund research, market development and technical assistance for the western Canadian grain industry. The check-off funds will be used for research activities into new and improved grain varieties, promoting the marketing and use of grain grown in Canada, and technical assistance relating to the use of grain grown in the country.
Agricultural biotechnology in Canada is at par with its neighboring country, the United States, according to a recent Global Agricultural Information Network report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Canada ranked fifth in the world for hectares of land planted with biotech crops in 2010 and 2011, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications. Current estimates show that, at 10.5 million hectares, 80 per cent to 95 per cent of total canola planted in Canada is biotech.
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