In 2008, I started RealAgriculture.com as a hobby that has turned into a dream come true. Getting a chance to see agriculture across Canada, talking to farmers involved in all facets of agriculture makes me a very lucky person. Along with writing for RealAgriculture.com, I also host RealAg Radio on Rural Radio 147 every weekday at 4:30pm est.
Creating good policy is difficult at the best of times. In the current world of social media, tribalism, issue zealots, and partisanship, the ability to create policy that achieves the goals of all sides is rare. Politicians talk about unity, but what they really mean is unity of their side not connecting with the other… Read More
Every growing season requires different skills, strategies, and ideas to solve the problems that are thrown the farmers’ way. To say that people are kept on their toes by each and every growing season is an understatement. This week on the Farmer Rapid Fire on RealAg Radio, I asked the panelists about an agronomic lesson… Read More
As expected, the Bank of Canada raised its key rate seventy five basis points on Wednesday morning. Heading into the announcement, a majority of financial analysts felt this would be the likely move, to trim the impact of inflationary pressure. This is the fifth rate hike in 2022 and brings the key rate to 3.25%… Read More
Fertilizer pricing and supply continues to occupy the mental space of farmers across North America. There are still as many questions about the future of fertilizer prices as there have been since they skyrocketed following the summer of 2021. Supply chain issues and the war in Ukraine have created volatility, and many are watching the… Read More
The topic of trade has been tumbling around my brain for quite some time. There is something not sitting well with me regarding how Canada seems to view trade, and how it is being enabled. Canada is a country of about 38 million with vast resources and a land mass that was made to produce… Read More
If the best offence is a good defence, the reverse is also true. Momentum is a wave that’s always better to ride when it’s working in your favour. Since the fall of 2020, it has paid major dividends to grow and hold. Crop inventory has been in very tight hands and for very good reason…. Read More
As the calendar flips to June, farmers are urgently trying to complete planting or seeding across Canada. No matter the reason, whether you are feeling behind or there’s poor weather on the horizon, we all tackle the logistical challenges of planting and seeding in different ways. Some farmers are solo artists, while others have large… Read More
Farmers in Canada continue to face challenges of supply disruption related to fertilizer, parts, and crop protection products. After a 25% price increase in fall of 2021, BASF Canada has increased the price of its glufosinate-ammonium containing products which includes Liberty 150 SN by another 40%. According to the company, this price increase is a necessity… Read More
Fertilizer pricing and supply have been real challenges for some growers across the country heading into the 2022 growing season. Farm and industry groups have been pushing governments to remove potential barriers, as many farmers are within a month of putting seed in the ground. Whether it has been the pandemic, shipping congestion, production failures,… Read More
A lot is being made of this week’s NDP/Liberal supportive arrangement. It’s a sort-of coalition government, though not officially. The idea is that the Liberals will be supported in confidence motions and budget approvals by the NDP, and in return the NDP will gain support for its pharma and dentistry plans. The result, if the… Read More
We depend on just-in-time delivery for just about everything. From printer ink, to fresh produce, to agriculture inputs, we’ve become accustomed to the convenience of perpetually stocked shelves and overnight delivery of online orders. If I need it and order it, it shows up on my doorstep tomorrow. That was, until the last two years,… Read More
All machinery-loving eyes were fixed on the National Farm Machinery Show at Louisville, Kentucky this week. RealAgriculture had a full team on the ground in the home-of-the-bourbon state to talk to clients and cover the latest in machinery features and technology. The show was only down 20 exhibitors from prior years, and when talking to… Read More
What should the future of Canada’s seed industry look like? How should new varieties be funded and brought forward? Described by some as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is currently leading consultations on modernizing the rules around plant breeding and how new varieties are brought to the market. Seeds Canada and other… Read More
In the first dispute panel decision under the new Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), the Canadian government was instructed to change how it allocated its dairy tariff rate quotas, as the U.S. argued its dairy industry was not given the access it was promised. Both the Americans and Canadians claimed victory in the dispute panel decision,… Read More
No matter where you turn in Alberta right now, everyone is talking about the blockade at the international Coutts/Sweetgrass border crossing. Earlier in the week, we reported the crossing was choked off to any traffic and the disruption was weighing heavily on local and international commerce, including shipments of boxed beef, live cattle, and feed…. Read More
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