Transportation system in jeopardy Monday, April 2, 2012 The deteriorating waterway transportation system in the United States is putting the livelihood of soybean farmers at risk, according to the United Soybean Board.A report the soybean board commissioned, entitled "America's Locks & Dams: A Ticking Timebomb For Agriculture?", says agriculture accounted for 22 per cent of all transported tonnage and 31 per cent of all "ton miles," a measure of freight movement, in the United States in 2007.Should a catastrophic failure occur, agricultural producers and consumers will suffer. From 2005 to 2009, 87 to 91 per cent of corn exported through lower Mississippi ports arrived at the ports via barge. For soybeans, the percentage was 87 to 89 per cent.More than half of the locks on the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio rivers are past their 50-year life expectancy. More than one-third are 70 years old. At some key locks, delays measured in hours have tripled since 2005. BF South Dakota loves mini-cheeses The farmer who loves turtles
Farmland Rents Lag Land Values Thursday, May 7, 2026 Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has released a new economic analysis highlighting a growing gap between farmland values and rental rates across the country, a trend that will likely reshape expansion decisions for Canadian producers. According to the analysis, Canada’s average farmland... Read this article online
How to Keep Your Groundwater Safe and Clean Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Groundwater plays a vital role for families and businesses in rural and agricultural settings. It supports essential activities such as livestock care, irrigation, and cleaning processes, and in many areas, it's the sole source of drinking water. For this reason, it's critical for rural... Read this article online
Rising Waters on the Canadian Prairies and Beyond Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Spring flooding is intensifying across large portions of Canada, placing farms under growing pressure during one of the most important windows of the agricultural year. From the Prairies to Central Canada and into Atlantic regions, saturated soils, elevated rivers, and damaged rural... Read this article online
Spring Economic Update Sets the Stage for a Challenging Year on the Farm Friday, May 1, 2026 The Federal Government released its 2026 Spring Economic Update on April 28, outlining the country’s current economic position and federal priorities for the months ahead. While the update does not contain new direct funding announcements for agriculture, it offers important signals for... Read this article online
When Grain Stops Moving Rail and Port Delays Cost Canada Up to $540 Million Friday, May 1, 2026 A new economic analysis commissioned by the Agriculture Transport Coalition has found that just one week of rail and port disruptions during peak export season can cost Canada’s grain sector up to $540 million. The majority of these losses stem from missed export sales that cannot be... Read this article online