Many industries have been dramatically impacted by COVID-19 over the past three months. Whether it is agriculture, airlines, food service, or energy, it has been a very bumpy ride. Not all industries are impacted equally, from a timing perspective. One of the industries that faces longer term challenges is equipment manufactures in the agriculture and… Read More
When COVID-19 restrictions began in mid-March, it wasn’t surprising that conferences and agriculture events were postponed or cancelled outright. Soon after, cancellations stretched into the summer months, or events moved to a virtual or online-only platform, and recent announcements of Agribition in the west and The Royal in the east seemed to be the final… Read More
If you’re frustrated by how government support programs are designed or overwhelmed by navigating the paperwork, you’re certainly not alone. The numbers speak for themselves — enrolment in the main suite of federal programs has been dropping steadily for years. A recent letter from the Standing Committee on Agriculture to the Minister of Agriculture and… Read More
COVID-19 has really thrown a lot of the economic forecasting out the window for the Canadian economy. The big question is, how quickly we can get back to normal? Glen Hodgson, fellow-in-residence at the C.D. Howe Institute at Toronto, Ont., joined Shaun Haney for a chat about our country’s economic forecast. The economy rode a… Read More
After holding out hope into last week that the show could go on, organizers of the U.S. Farm Progress Show say they have made the decision to cancel the large farm show due to COVID-19. The event was slated to run September 1-3, 2020 near Boone, Iowa. “We’re sad to report today that the changing… Read More
The Royal Agriculture Winter Fair, re-branded a few years ago simply as The Royal, will not run this November, the latest casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a video posted on social media, The Royal says it will not hold the 2020 show, but will host the event November 2021. Due to our ongoing concern… Read More
In this RealAg LIVE! episode with Mary Robinson, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), Mary joins host Shaun Haney to discuss agricultural policy issues including temporary foreign workers, business risk management programs, and engaging with youth and minorities. Check out the video below, or scroll down to read the summary! Tune in Thursday,… Read More
Canadian Western Agribition, held each year in November at Regina, Sask., will have to wait one more year to celebrate its 50th show. Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) has announced that in response to restrictions and recommendations surrounding COVID-19, Agribition’s 50th show will be postponed until 2021. The annual event features a cattle show, large trade… Read More
If there are any outliers in the rather bearish grain complex right now, Brennan Turner, founder of FarmLead and the Combyne marketplace, says wheat and maybe even soybeans deserve the title. Even though the latest WASDE says we’re set for record global ending stocks for the yea, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant a boost in… Read More
The agriculture sector could be a major player to lead the Canadian economic recovery from COVID-19 shutdowns. Much of the opportunity is tied to food security and our value-added processing services. The University of Calgary’s Simpson Centre for Agricultural and Food Innovation and Public Education recently released a report summarizing food security during the shutdowns… Read More
In the interest of the safety and well-being of Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture (CYSA) participants, family members, and CYSA volunteers, CYSA has canceled the 2020 public speaking competition due to concerns over the spread of coronavirus and potential challenges of inter-provincial travel. Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture is a national, bilingual competition that provides… Read More
Organizers of the World Dairy Expo have announced the 2020 edition of the show has been cancelled due to COVID-19. The largest dairy event in North America was slated to be held September 29 to October 3, 2020, at Madison, Wisconsin. General manager Scott Bentley says after meeting with government and public health officials, it… Read More
What would the Conservative Party of Canada do with AgriStability and other business risk programs? Does this current Liberal government understand agriculture at all? What can farmers expect to change when the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement comes into effect July 1? If the answers to any of those questions interest you, check out this RealAg LIVE! segment… Read More
Ontario’s government will roll out $150 million in cost-share funding through its Improving Connectivity in Ontario (ICON) program as part of its plan to build broadband and cellular service in rural areas. ICON is part of the province’s $315 million initiative called Up to Speed: Ontario’s Broadband and Cellular Action Plan. When leveraged, ICON has… Read More
The Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) have released a second video outlining the organization’s displeasure with the Trudeau government’s agricultural policy in comparison to the United States. The video titled “Does Justin Trudeau want Canadians to rely on the United States for our food supply?” is 30 seconds in length and focuses on the ad… Read More