Finance Minister Bill Morneau made a second announcement regarding changes to the Liberals’ small business tax proposal on Wednesday, focusing on the passive investment income policy. He said the government will allow up to $50,000 in passive income in a year before higher tax rates kick in to provide flexibility for business owners who want… Read more »
Category: News
Canadian Wheat Research Coalition announces first executive
The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) announced today that it has elected its first executive. The inaugural executive is as follows: Chair: Terry Young, a farmer from Lacombe, Alberta, and director with the Alberta Wheat Commission. Vice-Chair: Laura Reiter, a farmer from Radisson, SK, and director with the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission. Secretary/Treasurer: Cale Jefferies,… Read more »
Ritz receives 2017 Beef Industry Innovation and Sustainability Award
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) has recognized former Member of Parliament and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz with the 2017 Beef Industry Innovation and Sustainability Award. In its newsletter, the CCA listed changes the beef industry saw during Ritz’s time as Minister of Agriculture, including: His announcing, in 2014, over $3.8 million to fund the Canadian… Read more »
CFA calls federal tax announcement a “step in the right direction”
The federal government’s announcement that it will reduce the small business tax rate over the next two years and cancel plans for new restrictions to lifetime capital gains exemptions is “a positive sign,” according to the president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Small Business and… Read more »
U.S. dairy request a ‘non-starter,’ says ag minister
American requests for changes to Canada’s supply management system for dairy and poultry are a “non-starter,” said Canada’s agriculture minister on Monday. U.S. negotiators introduced an initial dairy proposal on Friday, which calls for increased transparency and changes to Canada’s milk class system, including the elimination of the new class 7 that has taken away… Read more »
U.S. tables dairy proposal in NAFTA talks
The U.S. introduced its much-anticipated proposal regarding dairy during NAFTA negotiations on Friday, although it did not contain an explicit request for a percentage increase in market access into Canada. The American proposal was focused on changing Canada’s milk class system and increasing transparency in supply management. The proposal would reverse recent changes to Canada’s… Read more »
EPA defines U.S. label changes for dicamba in 2018
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it has reached a deal with companies selling dicamba to implement new requirements aimed at minimizing the risk of drift damage to neighbouring crops in 2018. The EPA says Monsanto, BASF and DuPont have voluntarily agreed to label changes for “over the top” use of Monsanto’s XtendiMax, BASF’s Engenia and DuPont Pioneer’s FeXapan… Read more »
Bayer signs C$8.7 billion deal to sell LibertyLink and seed businesses to BASF
Bayer has signed an agreement to divest some of its crop business to BASF for €5.9 billion (approximately C$8.7 billion) to gain regulatory approval for Bayer’s planned acquisition of Monsanto. The transaction with BASF includes Bayer’s global glufosinate-ammonium business and the related LibertyLink herbicide tolerance technology. BASF is also marking its entry into the seed… Read more »
Alberta government re-directs veterinary program funding
In a move that will disrupt a 54-year relationship with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), the Alberta Government today announced it will re-direct funding to the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) program. “The University of Calgary’s veterinary program has grown into a world-renowned institution, and with this new funding we will now… Read more »
Manitoba gov’t moving ahead with carbon tax after getting legal opinion
The Manitoba government released an independent expert legal opinion on whether the federal government has the constitutional authority to impose a ‘backstop’ on carbon pricing on Wednesday. The province says the 64-page assessment, conducted by Dr. Bryan Schwartz at the University of Manitoba, determined Ottawa can impose carbon pricing, but that the province likely would… Read more »
Beef check-off increasing to support National Strategy
The Canadian cattle industry is seeing an increase in the levies paid to national beef programs, from $1.00 to $2.50 per head on live animals sold in the country. The increase stems from the National Beef Strategy, published in 2015, where all the provinces committed to increasing funding for market development, beef promotion and research… Read more »
Farmers Edge announces deal with Planet to deliver same-day satellite imagery
Farmers Edge has announced an exclusive arrangement with San Francisco-based aerospace and data company Planet to offer high-resolution, daily satellite imagery to farmers. With over 180 satellites orbiting Earth, Planet operates the world’s largest fleet of earth imaging satellites. Described as a “multi-million dollar, multi-year global distribution agreement,” Farmers Edge says it is now the… Read more »
Consultations open for beef processing sustainability indicators
The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) is looking for public input on how the sustainability of beef processing should be measured. “With guidance from a steering committee of diverse expertise, the CRSB has developed sustainability indicators for beef processing that supplement indicators for beef production,” says Cherie Copithorne-Barnes, chair of the CRSB. “I believe these… Read more »
It’s back! Welcome to the 2017-18 RealAg Hockey Pool
October has arrived, and with it, the first dump of snow on crops still out in the field in parts of Canada, the end of the federal tax change consultations, and… hockey season! We are pumped, or, as Lyndsey might say, chuffed, to bring back the RealAg Hockey Pool for the 2017-18 season. Will McDavid lead… Read more »
Pulse Canada still waiting on word from India
The Canadian pulse industry is still waiting to hear from India’s government on how it will handle Canadian pulses shipped after September 30, 2017. The latest in a series of exemptions related to India’s fumigation requirement expired at the end of September. “We’re sitting here on the 4th of October and we haven’t heard from… Read more »