Canada’s current bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) status, as defined by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), is “controlled risk.” Canada was eligible to apply to downgrade its risk status last summer; however, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it’s on track to submit for “negligible risk” status by July of this year. “The U.S…. Read More
After several years of discussions around a possible farm group merger, it’s time for Manitoba farmers to make a major decision regarding the future of provincial commodity organizations. The five groups that administer check-offs for funding research and market development on spring wheat and barley, corn, sunflowers, flax, and winter cereals will each vote on… Read More
What carries greater downside risk: having to sell in a down market to generate cash flow, or pre-selling a crop in increments? The short answer is it depends, but the in-depth explanation is that panic or stressed sales by their nature are rarely the most profitable. Pre-selling some crop carries a risk, yes, but there… Read More
If 2019 was the year of plant-based protein, perhaps 2020 can be the year of celebrating choice. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, with Dalhousie University, recently spoke at the CropSphere conference at Saskatoon, Sask., about food choices, plant-based protein, and consumer trends. Overall, he says, plant protein made a huge splash in 2019 as evidenced by several… Read More
The customer is always right, but who is the customer? If you’re a grocery store or a coffee shop trying to stay on-trend, is it consumer opinion that matters most, or those of your shareholders, as the pressure for profits rises? “The demands of the average consumer are pretty intuitive — they want affordable, tasty… Read More
The World Trade Organization (WTO) was created to add stability to global trade by upholding certain rules between trading partners. The organization has been criticized for being too slow, and, at times, ineffective. But the WTO exists for very good reason, says Brian Innes, past president of CAFTA who also is the head of public… Read More
Ontario has introduced its draft legislation to increase security on farms — the Security From Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, 2019. The focus, certainly, is on the biosecurity and food risk associated with non-authorized people traipsing through farms and interfering with animals on their way to slaughter. The act, likely to be passed in… Read More
Black swan events have transformed agriculture. From the invention of canola to precision agriculture and the emergence of the African Swine Fever (ASF), these extreme and unpredictable events — both good and bad — continue to shape the industry’s future. Is Canadian agriculture and the agri-food system resilient enough to absorb the potential negative impacts… Read More
For 20 years, Len Davies has been helping Canadian farm families develop and implement farm succession plans. Over two decades, Davies and his Ontario-based Davies Legacy Planning Group have helped 600 farm families navigate the succession process. Farm Management Canada acknowledged Davies’ efforts by awarding him the 2019 Wilson Loree Award at its recent Agricultural… Read More
As the 43rd session of parliament opened Dec 5th, the Governor General laid out the government’s priorities going forward. This year’s throne speech was titled “Moving Forward Together,” and key priorities outlined were: fighting climate change, strengthening the middle class, walking the road of reconciliation, keeping Canadians safe and healthy, and positioning Canada for success… Read More
A new study shows the average Canadian family will pay $487 more on food in 2020. Canada’s Food Price Report was released this week by the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute (AFI) in collaboration with Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab. The forecast shows the average Canadian household total grocery bill will rise to $12,667…. Read More
The Alberta government has introduced its new police funding model that will increase the amount of RCMP officer and civilian positions. The Provincial Police Service Agreement (PPSA) will be a cost-sharing initiative between both the federal and provincial governments along with the addition of small and rural communities beginning to pay a portion of the… Read More
Connecting with Canadians. That’s the title for this year’s Canadian Centre of Food Integrity (CCFI) report, unveiled at the recent Public Trust Summit held at Saskatoon, Sask. While some findings of the survey remained constant, other opinions on food and farming have changed significantly. Paighton Smyth, partner engagement coordinator for CCFI, says that since 2016,… Read More
In the week since the CN Railway strike ended, a top executive says they’re on the right track to get grain and other products moving as they once were. CN’s executive vice-president and corporate services and chief legal officer, Sean Finn, says although the strike meant setbacks, they were still able to move close to… Read More
It’s been over two months since the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) suspended the license of a beef slaughter and processing plant in Ontario, and the shutdown is taking a toll on the eastern Canadian beef industry. Toronto-based Ryding-Regency Meat Packers Ltd. saw the suspension of its Safe Food for Canadians license effective September 17,… Read More