Canada’s freight railways say they anticipate paying over a billion dollars per year by 2022 under carbon pricing policies proposed and planned by the federal and provincial governments. “It’s difficult to get a precise figure, but we’ve tried to run some estimates based on the existing pricing structures and fiscal instruments, as well as the… Read More
Category: Ag Policy
The House of Commons agriculture committee held an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) outbreak in southeast Manitoba. There have been at least 20 confirmed on-farm cases since May 2. To put that number in perspective, Manitoba previously only had 10 PEDv-positive barns dating back to 2014 when the… Read More
Before we start let me make this point very clear: This editorial is not an argument for or against supply management. It’s a statement on Canada’s negotiating position heading into the upcoming NAFTA talks. In any trade you try to maximize the return on an asset. In sports, this could be other players, draft picks… Read More
The Ontario Liberal government’s plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2019 is drawing fire from the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA). In late May, the provincial government announced intentions to increase the minimum wage from the current $11.40 per hour rate. That’s a significant blow for an industry… Read More
This article was updated June 13 with comments and an interview with Johanne Ross, executive director of Ag in the Classroom Canada. The federal government is contributing more than half a million dollars to Agriculture in the Classroom Canada to bring lessons about the agriculture and the career opportunities in the sector into schools. Agriculture… Read More
The new president of the Canola Council of Canada says his goal is to follow through on the council’s strategic plan, with priority shifting away from increasing acres to maximizing yields and value per acre for growers and the industry. Jim Everson’s first official day in the Canola Council’s office in Winnipeg was on May 23rd. As noted… Read More
It’s easier to scare people than reassure them. That’s how environmental activist Mark Lynas frames the debate around the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GMOs have their supporters and their detractors, all fighting for or against the technology, and in the middle is a very confused and distrusting public. That’s the narrative director Scott… Read More
Cereals Canada is welcoming three new members. G3 Canada, the grain company formed after Bunge and SALIC acquired a majority stake in the former Canadian Wheat Board in 2015, has signed up to join the national cereal crop value chain organization. “Collaboration is a core value held by G3, and we certainly appreciate the important… Read More
It’s no surprise that Canada’s dairy supply management was discussed in the first face-to-face meeting between Canadian Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and new U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue. However, some of Perdue’s comments on supply management after the meeting on Monday are surprising or noteworthy with many on the U.S. side calling for the system to be dismantled…. Read More
Producers need to make their voices heard now, as Ottawa proceeds with public consultations about the first-of-its-kind national food policy. Ottawa says a food policy is a way to address issues related to the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food. It says such a policy “will set a long-term vision for the health, environmental,… Read More
Have something to say about NAFTA? With President Trump notifying Congress and kicking off the 90-day countdown to when negotiations for updating the North American Free Trade Agreement could begin, the Canadian government has formally announced it is seeking the views of Canadians on the trade deal and what’s in it or not in it… Read More
Crop yields continue to increase across North America, but so do yield and market volatility. According to Dr. Alan Ker, director of the University of Guelph’s Institute for the Advanced Study of Food and Agricultural Policy, increased volatility is something farmers will have to get used to as the impact of innovation and climate change… Read More
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is making his first international trip as secretary on Monday, meeting with Canada’s Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and other Canadian government officials in Toronto.
Ontario’s minimum wage is set to climb to $15 per hour by 2019 and that could have a significant impact on agriculture in the province. Ontario Federation of Agriculture president Keith Currie says labour intensive sectors such as horticulture and greenhouse operations will likely suffer the greatest impact from the Liberal government’s announcement this week… Read More
The federal government is moving toward establishing a national food policy that will revolve around four “pillars,” but details on what it will look like beyond that have yet to be determined, according to Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay. The minister launched consultations, including an online survey, on establishing a national food policy in a speech… Read More