'Cold trains' match trucks for delivery speed Wednesday, June 1, 2011 Five days a week, a refrigerated train leaves the Port of Quincy in Washington State and carries a load of fresh and frozen produce to Chicago non-stop. The state-of-the-art, 53-foot refrigerated containers are double stacked. Temperatures in the cars are remotely controlled. The four day trip, which compares with a typical train trip of as long as two weeks, is on a par with truck traffic. It is called the Cold Train. A press release issued by operator CTI Freight Systems, a spinoff of the parent company Rail Logistics of Overland Park, Kan., doesn't say that the Cold Train is cheaper than trucks. However, it does say that diesel requirements are lower and the "carbon footprint" is reduced by 50 per cent. From Chicago, Midwestern products are moved west to Washington for local distribution. There are plans to provide service from Washington to markets in Atlanta, Florida, the northeast and even to California, which is next door. BF The most important plant breeding achievement ever A Chinese food 'nightmare' in the making?
What Distributed Energy Resources Mean for Canadian Producers Tuesday, April 7, 2026 As energy costs rise, many Canadian farms are looking for ways to take greater control of their electricity use. One term that farmers are hearing more often is distributed energy resources, often shortened to DERs. While the phrase may sound technical, the concept is highly practical, and... Read this article online
Agricultural Educator and Industry Leader Dr Tom Funk Remembered for Lasting Influence Tuesday, April 7, 2026 The agricultural education community is mourning the passing of Dr Tom Funk, a highly respected Professor Emeritus at the University of Guelph whose influence spanned more than three decades of teaching, leadership, and mentorship. Dr Funk dedicated over 35 years to teaching... Read this article online
Blue Collar Brings Canada’s Dairy Farming to Prime Time Tuesday, April 7, 2026 A new Canadian streaming series on Crave is offering audiences an unpolished look at some of the country’s toughest jobs, and in Episode 5, that spotlight turns to dairy farming. BLUE COLLAR is a Crave original series that blends workplace comedy with real-world grit and humour found... Read this article online
New Measures Support Craft Brewers and Reduce Rising Costs Tuesday, April 7, 2026 To help producers in the beverage sectoras the economy is facing rapid changes and creating uncertainty for businesses, theCanadiangovernment has announced a two-year extension of alcohol excise duty relief starting April 1, 2026. This decision aims to support brewers, distillers, and... Read this article online
Study reveals key climate drivers of potato beetle outbreaks Monday, April 6, 2026 A long term research project from Michigan State University (MSU) and the University of Wisconsin is offering new insight into what drives Colorado potato beetle outbreaks, giving US potato growers a clearer picture of how weather patterns and environmental conditions shape one of the... Read this article online