Public speaking. For you 4-H-ers out there, you’ve probably competed in an agricultural-based public speaking competition before, whether it was to your excitement, or you were doing it because it was mandatory in your district. Growing up outside of the 4-H sphere, and not living in a big centre, these were skills I didn’t really… Read More
The lack of rainfall in some of the major pasture growing areas in Western Canada is extremely taxing on cow-calf producers. According to Chad MacPherson, general manager of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, Saskatchewan is going into its third year of a major drought, and producers are running out of options. While in some years… Read More
What do Canadians think of our agriculture and agri-food industry as the calendar closes in on a federal election later this year? A new poll published this week by Grassroots Public Affairs offers insight into Canadian public opinion on a range of agricultural issues and policies. Overall, Grassroots principal and senior consultant Peter Seemann says… Read More
Frustration is brewing among farmers as changes to the Advanced Payment Program (APP) have yet to happen. The increase to $1 million cap from the previous $400,000 was announced more than three weeks ago. Scott Keller, farmer from New Norway, Alta., took to Twitter on Wednesday calling on the federal government to do something about… Read More
Premier Jason Kenney is going through with his plan to eliminate the carbon tax. On May 22, the Government of Alberta introduced Bill 1, An Act to Repeal the Carbon Tax, and if passed, the repeal will come into force at 12:01 a.m. on May 30, 2019. “Promise made, promise kept,” the premier said in… Read More
Ontario sheep and cattle producers who work with many of the province’s independent meat processors could soon find themselves fully responsible for their livestock’s hides. In April, one of the few processing companies in the province that collects hides from small and medium-sized abattoirs, announced it was ceasing operations. It had been serving Ontario abattoirs… Read More
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it will be implementing a surveillance plan in an effort to be prepared when it comes to African swine fever (ASF). The program will function in full force spring of 2019. ASF is a highly contagious and deadly disease affecting both domestic and feral (wild) pigs. It… Read More
Investing in public trust without a company logo attached is just one of the ways our farm and food system can move the conversation forward, says Crystal Mackay, former president of the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI). While the entire conversation over social license and public trust is relatively new to Canada’s food system,… Read More
$15 billion in aid. That’s the amount the U.S. government announced on Monday for its producers through the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) as compensation for lost income stemming from the country’s trade war with China. This is not the first, but the second round of aid given, as a trade agreement eludes U.S. President Trump… Read More
Quebec’s farmer union and its beef producers are calling on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to stop Beyond Meat from using the word “meat” when referring to its plant-based products, such as burgers and sausages, Quebec’s TVA Nouvelles reports. Beyond Meat launched its meat-alternative product line in Canada on May 1, 2019. L’Union des producteurs… Read More
Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-food minister, Marie-Claude Bibeau says she met with China’s Agriculture Minister Han Changfu while at the G20 agricultural ministers’ meeting held at Niigata, Japan, last week. When speaking to Minister Han, she expressed Canada is “increasingly troubled” by the lack of evidence provided to Canada regarding the pests of concern in relation… Read More
By Cam Dahl, president of Cereals Canada The world has become protectionist. There is, justifiably, much focus on issues with China. But it is not just China. Canadian agriculture commodities are blocked in India, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam and face issues in key markets such as Peru. Countries are turning inward, finding new ways… Read More
For those who handle the grocery shopping in the household, you might be surprised to hear that recent run ups in grocery store prices are somewhat of an anomaly. As Kevin Grier, with KG Market Analysis and Consulting explains, price inflation of grocery items has actually been low to negative in the past few years,… Read More
If you live rurally, there’s a good chance you don’t have the greatest Internet. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and participating Internet service providers (ISPs) are looking to hopefully change that. The CRTC and ISPs are looking for people to participate in the Measuring Broadband Canada project, which tests the speeds of home… Read More
Some things are a fad — like fanny packs — whose popularity seems inexplicable, but wanes quickly. A fad, even as terrible as a fanny pack, can and does come full circle, as it is now, but it’s rare that its popularity will stand the test of time. A trend, however, is usually larger, more… Read More