Ontario farm groups are welcoming Lisa Thompson’s reappointment as the province’s Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs. The MPP for Huron-Bruce is returning to the post she has held in Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet since June 2021, when she replaced Ernie Hardeman. “We are excited to continue the momentum of our positive and established… Read More
The federal government is increasing the interest-free portion of its Advance Payments Program (APP) from $100,000 to $250,000 for 2022 and 2023. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced the change to the cash advance program on Thursday, June 23. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says eligible producers will save an average of $5,500 in interest costs over… Read More
If your dog is outside, unattended for more than 60 minutes at a time, the province of Ontario considers your dog one that lives outside. That matters because as of July 1 there are new rules regarding the care of dogs that live outside. The new rules, under the PAWS Act, include requirements for housing,… Read More
If you’re tired of hearing about carbon credits or carbon offsets, let’s switch gears and talk carbon insets. A carbon inset credit is equal to a carbon offset — a metric tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent is either reduced or stored. The key difference, explains Dr. Sara Place, is that an offset is bought by… Read More
Happy Friday and welcome to another edition of RealAg Politics! Today, co-hosts Shaun Haney and Kelvin Heppner, of RealAgriculture, are joined by a great list of guests to talk about the big ag policy issues of the week that are impacting farmers and ranchers across Canada and the US. This episode features guests: Karen Proud,… Read More
As the calendar quickly flips through the summer months, eyes are beginning to focus on the Agricultural Policy Framework — or APF — meetings set for July. Each province has their ask, and their focus on what should be top priorities at the meetings. Nate Horner, Minister of Alberta Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Economic Development,… Read More
The Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) has adjusted the eligibility requirements to now include producers who gross more than $2 million per annum. The previous requirements capped the small business parameters at $2 million, which left many cattle producers ineligible to recover losses sustained this spring after a string of severe weather events. The program… Read More
Eighty-six partners from different sectors across Canada have come together with a singular focus: to set a benchmark and identify the key indicators that establish a baseline for Canada’s food safety and sustainability. The process and findings also create transparency within the industry, which ultimately could create trust or showcases opportunities for improvement and growth…. Read More
We all know the importance of trade, maintaining trade relationships, and what happens when those relationships hit road blocks. The World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC12) wrapped up June 15, in Geneva, Switzerland, where ministers from across the world attended to review the current trade system. Greg Northey, director of industry relations at Pulse… Read More
The Canadian government has unveiled its first carbon offset trading protocol, the initial step in creating a carbon exchange for federally regulated industries. For companies that must meet targets, the government allows for up to 75 per cent of emissions reductions being achieved through internal reductions and/or through the purchase of federally recognized offsets (25… Read More
Several organizations that represent grain farmers from across Canada are raising concerns about the federal government’s push to add environmental incentives or criteria to business risk management (BRM) programs, such as crop insurance, AgriStability, or AgriInvest. As part of the negotiations for Canada’s next five-year agricultural policy framework, federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau is urging… Read More
This editorial was first published on Breaking the Box blog by Kristjan Hebert. I call myself a recovering accountant. I joke about it, but I do love numbers. Numbers don’t lie. As much as I have a soft spot for a family farm and building a legacy for my children, it always comes down to… Read More
Relationships matter. This might sound like a cliché to some, but that does not make it any less true. Agriculture in Western Canada is dependent on trade. Maintaining our relationships with our partners in other countries is one of the most important things agriculture representatives do, and no relationship is more important than with our… Read More
A Liberal election promise to expand and rename Farm Credit Canada has been cancelled, according to the federal agriculture minister. The party’s platform in the fall of 2019 included a promise to “merge existing financial and advisory services currently scattered between several agencies into Farm Credit Canada, whose mandate will be expanded and enhanced.” The… Read More
It isn’t uncommon to read about issues happening around the world that create hardship for some but leaving others unaffected, however; food inflation is not one of them. The rising cost of food is an issue being felt throughout North America and across the globe. Although it can be easy to focus on rising total… Read More
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