In 2024, the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame (OAHF) will induct Bert Andrews, Ron Bonnett, Bill Gray, Grant Howes, Verner Toews and Tina Widowski. The new OAHF nominees have had a significant impact on agriculture in the province with their influences including agricultural education and lobbying for farm tax reform to farm organization leadership; the… Read More
Tag: Ron Bonnett
It’s a day for celebration when farmers, industry, policy makers, and more all descend on downtown Ottawa for Canada’s Ag Day! On today’s show, brought to you by Farm Credit Canada, you’ll hear from: David Coletto, marketing research lead with Abacus Data, talks about maddening Millennials; Michael Hoffort, president and CEO of Farm Credit Canada,… Read More
It’s difficult to know where to start when you talk with Rob Bonnett, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA). Bonnett always has a full plate, and the closing weeks of November are no different as his organization tends a hot stove stoked with issues ranging from trade to climate change and a coming… Read More
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture held its annual general meeting recently at Ottawa, where farmers from across the country brought forward no fewer than 45 resolutions. From lobbying efforts surrounding the carbon economy and recognizing farmers’ good work on carbon sequestration, to sorting out the current railway backlog, and on to holding firm on supply… Read More
One of North America’s largest advantages has been the infrastructure in place to move agricultural commodities from inland to the coast for export. Farmers and ranchers complain about some of the bottlenecks and issues, but, comparatively speaking to Russia and Brazil, North American highways and byways have historically been in much better shape. That might… Read More
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
As the NAFTA negotiations enter the third round of talks in Ottawa, the agriculture community in all three countries is nervous. We have heard “do no harm” so many times from famers and ranchers in all three countries that you’d think it should have penetrated into the minds of the negotiating teams. The White House… Read More
Members of Parliament are back at their seats for the fall sitting of Parliament, and tensions are high, with the Conservatives and NDP questioning the Liberals’ proposed tax changes announced in July. Farm groups and farmers have also been vocal in criticizing the government’s plan. “I don’t think the government realized the opposition that would… Read More
Canada is moving towards a national food policy, so says the marching orders handed down to federal agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay in mandate letters set out last fall. Prime Minister Trudeau has tasked MacAulay to “develop a food policy that promotes healthy living and safe food by putting more healthy, high-quality food, produced by Canadian ranchers… Read More
A private member’s bill tabled in the House of Commons last week aims to reduce the tax burden of intergenerational transfers of farms that are incorporated. “My bill would end a blatantly unfair situation that puts business people, farmers, and fishing vessel operators at a disadvantage when they want to pass their business on to… Read More