By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Thursday January 7, 2021

Jan 7, 2021 | 2:57 PM

MELFORT, Sask. – The Manitoba government is launching a new rural service delivery model to modernize services.

Twenty-one rural Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development and Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation offices will be closing.

An additional nine rural offices will remain open for Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development employees but closed to the public.

The offices to be closed include, Altona, Ashern, Birtle, Deloraine, Fisher Branch, Gladstone, Glenboro, Grandview, Hamiota, Lundar, Morris, Pilot Mound, Russell, Shoal Lake, Somerset, Souris, St–Pierre–Jolys, Ste. Rose du Lac, Teulon, Vita and Waskada.

The closures will impact dozens of employees, but it’s not known if there will be layoffs or if employees will be transferred to new locations.

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The closures are scheduled for April 1, 2021.

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The grain futures took a bit of a break and were trading quieter after a jump in prices during the first week of 2021.

Exceed Grain Marketing analyst Wayne Palmer said traders and analysts are waiting for the January USDA supply and demand report that will be released on Jan. 12.

He said the report is expected to show a decline in stocks and increased demand for all U.S. grains. Global grain supplies are dwindling and China and other end users have been extremely aggressive buyers for the last four months.

Palmer said the current numbers should support grain prices at their current values.

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Richardson and Sons have purchased one of Canada’s largest trucking companies.

Richardson acquired 100 per cent of the issued and outstanding shares of Bison Transport Inc.

Bison is a Winnipeg-headquartered transportation company with over 3,700 employees and contractors operating a fleet of 2,100 tractors and 6,000 trailers throughout North America.

Financial details of the transaction will not be made public.

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Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister has shuffled his cabinet and two ministers in key agriculture related portfolios will remain.

Midland MLA Blaine Pedersen will continue in his role as Minister of Agriculture and Resource Development while Fort Richmond MLA Sarah Guillemard stays on as Minister of Conservation and Climate.

Both ministers have held these positions since October 2019.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF