It’s a humid Chicago evening, and I’m here vacationing with my family, drooling over a deep-dish pizza at Pizano’s noisy outdoor patio near Millennium Park, down the street from what’s commonly called the bean. Rain swept through the area earlier, and now that sticky Great Lakes weather is all over us. Indeed, it’s summer at its best. I love… Read More
Category: Trade
The canola industry has been among the most vocal advocates of Canada being part of a possible Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. So what’s in it for canola growers? According to industry estimates, canola exports could grow by $780 million if tariffs on Canadian canola oil and meal were eliminated across the TPP region. For this… Read More
This week’s Canadian ag news update, including the latest on harvest, the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks and the last days of the CWB: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: Is Dropping the CWB Brand the Right Move? Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS
The Privy Council Office has clarified the rules regarding the conduct of government officials, including ministers, during an election. The details are of particular interest for farm groups because they allow Trade Minister Ed Fast and Canadian negotiators to continue participating in Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. Trade ministers and lead negotiators from the 12 participating countries… Read More
I hope you have time to take a look around at the agricultural landscape this holiday weekend, and celebrate Food Day Canada as we’ve known it over the past decade or so. Because in another 12 months, our nation’s agri-food culture could feel much different. Food Day Canada is described by its founder, culinary pioneer… Read More
From the Trans-Pacific trade negotiations in Hawaii to feeding canola to cattle to wild weather — here’s this week’s agriculture news highlights, summed up in less than 20 minutes: Poll: Should Canada Join the TPP if the Cost is Supply Management? Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that talk of changes to (elimination of?) supply management in Canada has recently heated up. Of particular note, delegates, politicians and the like are gathering in Hawaii right now to further hammer out details regarding a giant, international trade deal — the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)…. Read More
Quebec farmers rallied outside the constituency office of federal Minister of State Maxime Bernier in Sainte-Marie on Friday. They demanded the federal government maintain the status quo for supply management in negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The rally was organized by Quebec farm group Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA). Speaking on the phone after the event, the president of… Read More
Wheat harvest has started in southern Ontario and is just around the corner in parts of Western Canada. The latest on improving grain transportation, glyphosate-resistance, tax deferrals and more — here’s this week’s audio ag news update: Get the latest news delivered to your in-box — sign-up for RealAg’s (free!) newsletters here. Subscribe: iTunes |… Read More
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and International Trade Minister Ed Fast announced this week that the Government of Canada has opened the Ukrainian market for beef from cattle under 30 months (UTM) and ready-to-eat meat. This new market access marks follows the lifting of Ukraine’s ban on Canadian beef products in 2014. Canadian beef and ready-to-eat… Read More
The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) has launched a new campaign encouraging all involved in the canola value chain to share “the personal and community impact of canola, benefits of increased market access and positive impact that an ambitious Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)” would have. The website — canolacountry.ca — and social media push using the hashtag… Read More
Scott Horner of HyTech Production Ltd., based at Lethbridge, Alberta, has been named president of the Canadian Seed Trade Association following the CSTA’s annual meeting held last week at Windsor, Ont. A board member since 2008, Horner also represents CSTA on the board of directors of the Seed Association of the Americas. He has also… Read More
What makes a fair marketplace? Whether you are here on the farm or catching a city cab, marketplace dynamics are a hot topic these days. Taxi drivers in Toronto are at their wits end as the popular ride-sharing site UberX is sucking up business. Unlike two taxi companies competing for business, UberX and cab companies… Read More
Canadian farmers who own dairy or poultry quota may not have to live with the stress that comes from marketing a product on a volatile open market, but their stress comes in another form: the worry that the federal government will pull the rug (or one of the three pillars) out from under the regulatory… Read More
The diversity of North American agriculture is again on display in this week’s news podcast. From the farmer’s role in fighting antibiotic resistance to how Canadian dairy farmers could be affected by a potential Trans-Pacific Partnership to the trends at AgTech Week down in San Francisco, here’s a summary of what happened “This Week on Real… Read More