After what feels like a never-ending game of extra innings baseball, the standoff between the Prairie provinces and the federal government over changes to AgriStability needs to end. All stakeholders are exhausted from the timeline-stretching, blown deadlines, fake outrage, and pure avoidance to find a solution to a rather simple issue. At different times it… Read More
Tag: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Much of the oxygen surrounding agriculture in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement has been used on dairy, but expect wheat to gain increased attention in the coming weeks if some U.S. farm groups get their way. Newly reappointed U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has mentioned USMCA enforcement and wheat several times in recent speeches, and… Read More
Five projects focused on improving agriculture plastic waste management and bioplastics research will see a share of $4.5 million in funding via the federal government. Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau announced the funding today alongside Cleanfarms, a national non-profit industry stewardship organization. Cleanfarms will receive up to $1.1 million through the Canadian Agricultural Strategic… Read More
Federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau launched a $185 million climate-focused program today, called the Agriculture Climate Solutions program. Aimed at building “climate resiliency” within the agriculture sector, the ACS program is intended to be led by farmers and farm groups tasked with developing and deploying climate solutions tailored for each region,… Read More
The federal minister of agriculture says it’s been over 100 days since proposed funding and changes to AgriStability were announced, but she has not received a clear indication from any of the three Prairie Provinces on whether or not they will sign on. In a press conference Wednesday morning, Agriculture and Agri-Food minister Marie-Claude Bibeau… Read More
Almost a year in the making, and nearly two years from the time an application could have been submitted, Canada’s status as a negligible-risk country for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is one step closer. Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) announced this week that the Scientific Commission of the World Organization for Animal… Read More
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has officially announced the membership of the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council. The council is a central component of the Food Policy for Canada program, that was announced in 2019. The announcement, which was part of the virtual Food Systems Summit Dialogue, convened by the Arrell Food Institute… Read More
The federal agriculture minister tried to address some of the questions coming from farms and other businesses that employ temporary foreign workers (TFWs) in a news conference on February 12. Employers of TFWs have been seeking clarifications regarding the federal government’s international travel restrictions and COVID-19 isolation protocols, as workers arrive for the upcoming growing… Read More
As we drift into a new year, an opportunity presents itself to refocus and take a fresh look at the issues at hand. Some people make New Year’s resolutions, some think about changes, and others take advantage of the fresh calendar to implement real change to benefit stakeholders and their own position. This restart with… Read More
Updated story: Details of the program are now listed on Agricorp’s website The governments of Canada and Ontario have committed $5 million in immediate, emergency assistance for the province’s beef farmers through funding for feeding costs associated with market-ready cattle that must be set-aside due to COVID-19-related processing disruptions. Last Thursday, Cargill’s Better Beef plant… Read More
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Marie-Claude Bibeau is still waiting to hear back from western provinces on her proposal to adapt the AgriStability program for 2020. Given that the calendar is set to flip to 2021 soon, the clock is winding down on the likelihood of changes being in place for 2020, she says…. Read More
The federal government is making good on its Throne Speech commitment to establishing the Canada Water Agency, and wants Canadians’ input in the process. The Ministers of Environment and Climate Change and Agriculture and Agri-Food have jointly released a statement officially launching the public consultation period for the Agency. “Canadians know the importance of protecting our… Read More
The proposed rules for the federal government’s new Clean Fuel Standard (CFS) are set to be published this week, and will include changes aimed at addressing some of the concerns farmers and farm groups raised regarding an earlier proposal, according to a government document and government sources familiar with the file. Several farm and commodity… Read More
Protein Industries Canada (PIC) has announced a new partnership that will focus on developing new plant-based protein products and ingredients destined for markets in Western Canada and Asia. The partnership between Mera Food Group, Mera Developments, and Benson Farms will use Western Canadian commodities to develop the products — such as oats, lentils, hemp, faba… Read More
The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) — a collaboration of the Alberta Wheat Commission, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, and Manitoba Crop Alliance — is committing over $22.6 million to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) for a core breeding agreement over a five-year term. The group says the agreement ensures that farmers will benefit from new… Read More