The national coalition of export-focused agriculture commodity organizations is welcoming the Canadian government’s position on Mexico banning the use of biotech corn in tortillas or dough. Trade Minister Mary Ng and Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay have announced Canada will participate as a third party in the dispute settlement proceedings initiated by the U.S. against Mexico…. Read More

Half a dozen national farm organizations and their members are raising concerns about unintended consequences from the federal government’s Underused Housing Tax (UHT) that took effect last year. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Cattle Association, National Cattle Feeders Association, Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, and Canadian Canola… Read More

Details and timelines have yet to be determined, but the federal and provincial governments in Alberta and Saskatchewan have agreed to move ahead on offering AgriRecovery disaster relief programs for livestock producers affected by drought in 2023. Both Prairie provinces submitted requests for AgriRecovery assessments in July. Any program under AgriRecovery is cost-shared on a… Read More

The prime minister and his cabinet are in Charlottetown, PEI this week for their first retreat since the major cabinet shuffle in late July. At some point before Parliament resumes in September, possibly this week, the PM is expected to publish a new round of mandate letters for each member of cabinet, including Lawrence MacAulay,… Read More

Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay took the opportunity to drive a combine while visiting a Saskatchewan grain farm between Regina and Saskatoon this week. MacAulay and some of his staff dropped in at Stone Farms near Davidson, Sask., for about an hour and half on Tuesday. “I’ve been inviting the minister of the portfolio to come… Read More

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced a federal investment of over $4 million in Saskatoon on Tuesday for agronomy research through the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF). It will be matched with more than $1.9 million from WGRF itself, and $1.5 million from grower groups and industry partners, bringing total funding for the second iteration… Read More

The Alberta and federal governments have decided to reopen the 2023 AgriStability program to help producers affected by drought and wildfires since the original April 30 enrolment deadline. Farmers and ranchers can now sign up for AgriStability through Alberta’s Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) until September 29. “Our government has listened to farmers and ranchers… Read More

This week’s cabinet shuffle lived up to the hype of being significant, especially for agriculture. Prior to the shuffle, I wrote about the low chance that (now former) Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau would leave Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, but that was proved to be wrong on Wednesday morning. The shocker was not only that she was… Read More

While it’s possible roles and responsibilities will be shuffled around, nearly all of the familiar faces when it comes to agriculture policy in Ottawa were re-elected on Monday. Agriculture minister re-elected Incumbent Liberal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau was re-elected in her riding of Compton-Stanstead in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, defeating the Bloc challenger by… Read More