The international agricultural landscape is witnessing a troubling trend towards protectionism. In past eras, protectionism was enabled through prohibitive tariffs that blocked trade. World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations and bilateral trade agreements have largely eliminated tariffs from the protectionists’ toolbox, but, as evidenced by recent events, there are other ways in which trade can be… Read More

There are two ways to get a horse to carry a heavy load. You can hit it with a big stick, or you can provide a reward for work well done. Think of agriculture as the horse, and governments’ sustainability goals as the load farmers are being asked to carry. Too often governments reach for… Read More

This op-ed was written by Tyler McCann, managing director of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute, and it coincides with the launch of the new Ag Policy Connection podcast. Episode 1 focuses on the origin and future of Canada’s Ag Policy Framework. You can listen to it here, on Spotify, or in any podcast app. Whether… Read More

In watching all of the tweets, headlines, and instagram posts from across Canada, it’s clear our industry knows how to celebrate. That’s a great thing — but what about the next steps required? Let me be clear: I think Canada’s Ag Day is a great idea, as it brings awareness to the industry with policy… Read More

For good reason, there’s been increased discussion about 4R nutrient management. This easy-to-remember moniker refers to increasing fertilizer use efficiency by considering the right rate, time, placement, and form of a product (usually nitrogen and phosphorus). The 4Rs are focused on fertilizer, but as Dr. Claudia Wagner-Riddle, researcher with the University of Guelph noted in her… Read More

Over last few weeks I’ve had the opportunity to bounce around from conference to conference, learning on topics ranging from no-till, to canola production, to irrigation. On a glance these three topics may not have a ton in common, but as January wraps up (already!?) it’s got me thinking about some of the common themes…. Read More

The Canadian agriculture system is complex and integrated from start to finish. What does that mean? It means that grain systems might include forages, manure, or livestock, and fruit and vegetable systems might send byproducts to be fed to livestock to avoid expensive tipping fees and adding to landfills and waste. Even in the vegetable… Read More

It’s no secret that I love to read. I read all different varieties of books, with certain types always being the go-to. Genre aside, I also have a rotating list of my favourite books, which I try to re-read every couple of years. One of my favourites will always be The Perks of Being a Wallflower by… Read More

At many meetings that I attend across the country, there are hallway discussions that include someone saying, “why do we have so many farm groups?” It’s a question that we will likely hear more often as time goes on. This is not the same as questioning the value of farm groups (they are valuable!), this… Read More

It’s been two years since the federal government first announced its 30 per cent fertilizer emissions reduction target. That means more than 20 percent of the timeframe for farmers, agronomists, fertilizer suppliers, and researchers to work toward meeting the goal by 2030 has already expired. The clock is ticking, but there’s been very little progress… Read More

 

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