For the second consecutive year, Thunder Bay, Ont. dairy farmer Peggy Brekveld will lead the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the province’s largest general farm organization. Brekveld was elected president by OFA’s board of directors after the conclusion of the organization’s annual general meeting on Monday, Nov. 22. Mark Reusser and Drew Spoelstra were re-elected as… Read More
Category: Regulatory
Ontario may have a relatively small acreage base for agriculture production, but the value and volume of food and food ingredients produced is second to none. Supporting that valuable production and processing capacity is key for Grain Farmers of Ontario, and CEO Crosby Devitt says that that comes down to three main points for the immediate… Read More
A recent decision by the federal government to put the brakes on any maximum residue limit (MRL) reviews until the spring of 2022 has politicized what should be a non-partisan, science-based regulatory process, says Pierre Petelle. President and CEO of CropLife Canada, Petelle says that it’s somewhat surprising to see the government’s stance and language… Read More
The federal government has announced what it calls a “pause” on proposed increases to maximum residue limits (MRLs) on food crops. As a result, there will be no updates to MRLs until at least spring 2022. The pause applies to all MRLs, but the government’s own communications single out glyphosate as one product whose MRL review has… Read More
Agriculture is a big tent covering many different facets of food and commodity production. From coast to coast, there are so many different farm types, sizes, production systems and end use markets. How we describe ourselves within agriculture usually involves farmer, producer or grower, and for some, rancher, but at the end of the day… Read More
February 1, 2021, four seed industry groups amalgamated to form Seeds Canada with the vision to become the leading voice of the Canadian seed sector, helping members succeed and grow in Canada, and around the world. RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney was recently joined by Seeds Canada’s Barry Senft, executive director, and Ellen Sparry, the group’s inaugural… Read More
The UN Food Systems Summit is set to take place this fall, and what happens at the summit could very well impact your farm operation. Whether you are in British Columbia or through to Prince Edward Island, this meeting could inform policy back here in Canada and alter what is deemed acceptable practices in here… Read More
As government develops policy, draws up a budget, and sets a direction, they do so with input from voices within the government but also from voices outside the Parliament Hill bubble. Katie Ward is the president of the National Farmers Union, and farms near Ottawa, Ont.. She’s our guest for today’s RealAg LIVE! to talk… Read More
The deadline for submissions to the Grain Act review consultations is coming up on April 30, 2021. In anticipation, producer and policy groups from across Canada are urging farmers and industry players to submit their thoughts on changes and improvements they’d like to see in the act going forward. Farm groups have also outlined the… Read More
The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) has made notice of the suspension of five primary licenses and one grain dealer license. According to the CGC, as of April 20, 2021, the licenses of W.A. Grain & Pulse Solutions are suspended until April 30, 2021. This means you will be protected by security under the Canada Grain… Read More
Health Canada just published final decisions for its special reviews of clothianidin and thiamethoxam last Wednesday. The organization has also opened up a 60-day consultation period on how plant breeding is done in Canada. Today’s guest has a lot on their plate to discuss regarding these recent events, and how agricultural science is viewed by… Read More
Health Canada has opened consultations on how Canada regulates plants with novel traits, including those produced through gene editing technology, such as CRISPR-Cas9. The 60-day consultation kicked off March 25th, and grain industry leaders are pushing for all those in the value chain to weigh in on the importance of the modernization of the regulations…. Read More
Canaryseed could soon be covered by the Canadian Grain Commission’s producer payment security program, as the federal government has proposed regulatory amendments that would add canaryseed to the list of grains regulated under the Canada Grain Act for the 2021-22 crop year. By adding canaryseed to the designated list of grains covered by the act,… Read More
David MacNaughton, who served as Canada’s Ambassador to the U.S from 2016 to 2019, says that while the Canada-U.S. leadership relationship is much improved under President Joe Biden, Canada still needs to proceed with caution. Yes, President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have kicked off their relationship with friendly words of warmth and a… Read More
A national coalition of industry-wide farm organizations have launched the Agriculture Carbon Alliance (ACA). The goal of the alliance is to ensure that “Canadian farmers’ sustainable practices are recognized through a policy environment that maintains their competitiveness, supports their livelihoods, and leverages their critical role as stewards of the land,” the organization says. As of March… Read More