Grow-ops cause Pacific power blowouts Tuesday, February 9, 2016 Legal marijuana grow operations are putting such a strain on the power grid in Oregon and Washington states that they're blowing out transformers.In a November Statesman Journal article, Portland General Electric spokesman Steve Corson estimated that the grow-ops account for 10 per cent of the roughly 400 transformer blowouts the Oregon utility experiences in a year.The article also quotes Roger Blank, director of safety for Pacific Power, as saying a grow-op with four plants under standard lights "is like hooking up 29 refrigerators that run 24/7."Corson told Portland Business Journal in November that the popularization of LED lighting, more expensive to install than traditional lighting, is easing the situation. One grower quoted in the story estimated that 200 lights per 10,000 square feet of an indoor operation would take US$10,000 a month to light by LED and double that amount by traditional light. BF Irrigating precious crops equals jobs Behind the Lines - February 2016
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to Visit Toronto and Southwestern Ontario Tuesday, March 3, 2026 The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry will be in Toronto and Southwestern Ontario later this week as part of its ongoing study on the role of Canada’s agriculture and agri‑food sector in strengthening national food security. The fact‑finding mission is scheduled for... Read this article online
AgriStability Program Updated to Include Pasture-Related Feed Costs Beginning in 2026 Monday, March 2, 2026 In case you missed it last week, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that pasture-related feed costs will be added as an allowable expense under AgriStability starting with the 2026 program year. The update addresses rising operational... Read this article online
Bringing more Food and Ingredient Processing Back to Canadian Soil Monday, March 2, 2026 Protein Industries Canada has announced the second cohort of nine companies participating in its Program, an initiative designed to bring more food and ingredient processing back to Canadian soil and expand the nation’s value‑added agriculture sector. The selected companies span the... Read this article online
Ontario and Quebec Farmers Call for Suspension of Alto High-Speed Rail Project Monday, March 2, 2026 As planning progresses for Alto, the proposed high speed rail corridor linking Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City, Canada’s farm leaders are urging governments and project planners to hit pause. Their message is clear: the project’s current path risks carving through some of the... Read this article online
Energy-Free Miraco MiraFount Waterers for Cattle Friday, February 27, 2026 The Miraco MiraFount 1-Hole Energy-Free Roll-Away Ball Watering Trough is designed to provide clean, reliable water for livestock in all seasons without the need for electricity. Built for durability and efficiency, this insulated waterer helps prevent freezing during winter while... Read this article online