With so much uncertainty in the major soybean markets, canola prices continue their sideways movement, largely because the big trading funds are simply staying out of the market for now. Even if the U.S. and China resolve their trade issues, will we see a big uptick in the canola market? That remains to be seen,… Read More
Over eight hundred people crowded into TCU Place at the end of CropSphere to have an informal consultation on impending changes to Canada’s seed royalty structure. Usually, the end of a conference is marked by a thinning crowd as the last speaker takes the stage, but not this time, as the last item on the… Read More
It’s not often that we here at RealAgriculture have a chance to spend some quality time one-on-one with mainstream media pundits. But at the Western Canadian Crop Production Show this week, news lead Jessika Guse managed to wrangle radio host John Gormley to sit down with RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney to talk provincial politics,… Read More
The Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission (SaskCanola) awarded Zenneth Faye its Canola Influencer Award earlier this week at the commission’s annual general meeting. Faye is being recognized for his pioneering work in Saskatchewan farm organizations and value-added industries. He served on the commission’s board and the board of the Saskatchewan Canola Growers Association in its early days. He… Read More
Like other relationships, export markets take time, energy, and diplomacy to develop and maintain. Agriculture trade can be impacted by politics that have very little to do with farming and food, and big-picture friction in the short-term could threaten years of hard work. Just as good news rolls in on reduced tariffs for Canadian agriculture… Read More
Price fluctuations, higher input costs, and weather-related challenges over the past year took a toll on Canadian net cash income in 2018, and that lower to flat income is projected to continue into 2019, says agriculture economist J.P. Gervais. The chief agricultural economist for Farm Credit Canada says that, even so, the overall the long-term… Read More
Agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay attended CropSphere at Saskatoon, Sask., on Tuesday where he announced funding for four new science clusters. The clusters will represent barley, wheat, diverse field crops, and soybean, and are funded under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). The federal government will invest $39.3 million and along with $28.4 million in contributions from… Read More
With U.S. shipments of agricultural commodities slowly beginning to resume after a lengthy hiatus due to the a trade war with China, farmers are relying on U.S. President Donald Trump’s negotiating skills to close a deal with China. That’s no small feat as, the deal includes not only a resumption, but also an increase in… Read More
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a cabinet shuffle earlier this week, and although there were no changes for Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister, Canada’s rural citizens did gain a new minister. For the first time under this Liberal government, Bernadette Jordan, currently Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Democratic Institutions, becomes Minister of Rural Economic Development…. Read More
Western Canadian cereal commissions from Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan are asking federal agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay for more consultation on proposed seed royalty collection models, including consideration of other options. Further consultations must focus on engaging producers with a new value proposition, the commissions say. The groups are calling for major changes in the Government of… Read More
The Thames River Phosphorus Reduction Collaborative (PRC) collaboration, led by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, is set to evaluate technologies that remove phosphorus which could end up in Lake Erie from agricultural water run-off and drainage water. The project is being made possible through funding from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). The project will establish a… Read More
Several producer groups are coming together to ensure farmers have input into the implementation of Canada’s proposed new seed royalty system. The so-called value creation discussion has quickly become a hot-button issue now that farmers are realizing only two options are being brought forward, and that there is a lot of money involved. SaskWheat, for… Read More
The Canadian Sheep Federation and the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) recently reached an agreement outlining the roles and responsibilities of each group in delivery of the Canadian Sheep Identification Program (CSIP). As part of the agreement, the per tag fee of $0.23 currently collected to fund the program will increase to $0.59/tag by the… Read More
After thorough scientific review, Health Canada has announced its decision from the 2017 re-evaluation of glyphosate, which renewed the herbicide’s registration, will remain in place. The decision notes glyphosate is not genotoxic and is unlikely to pose a human cancer risk. This comes after eight notices of objection and concerns raised by the public about the… Read More
In the coming months, Health Canada is expected to release the newest version of Canada’s Food Guide. This is the first update since 2007, and the proposed changes are not without controversy. First looks at the new guide suggests a significant shift away from meat and dairy and increased focus on plant-based protein. “This has… Read More