Grain companies have laid out their priorities for the current review of the Canada Grain Act, with consultations underway until April 30. There have been multiple attempts to update the Act going back to the early 2000s, but they've all been derailed before reaching the point where the legislation was changed. As Wade Sobkowich, executive... Read More
Category: Agriculture Policy
Everyone has a different motivation to get involved in agricultural policy — sometimes family is an influence, other times it's the drive to advocate on behalf of a certain commodity. Essex, Ont., farmer Brendan Byrne was elected at the beginning of February to the position of chair for Grain Farmers of Ontario. Before being appointed,... Read More
Sometimes when you find yourself waiting in line at the elevator you get grouchy. Sometimes though, you find yourself leveraging that grouchiness into a role in shaping agricultural policy. Devon Walker runs a grain farm near Lashburn, Sask., with his wife and their three girls, and just recently transitioned to the full management of the... 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
The theories range from "evil" American milk making its way into Canada, to mistreatment of cows or mysterious supplements fed to cows, to enzyme activity; but any sort of factual explanation for why some Canadians are saying butter has either changed consistency at room temperature or changed in flavour since August 2020 remains a mystery.... Read More
Grain Farmers of Ontario has elected its new board chair. Brendan Byrne is the director for District 1 (Essex) and has served on the board since 2015. He farms with his father and family in Essex County. GFO represents Ontario‘s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers. “I’m honoured to be elected the next... Read More
John Guelly, also known as "Mr. Clubroot" across the prairies, has dedicated the last six years of his time to the Alberta Canola Producers Commission (ACPC), and that time has now come to an end. The outgoing Region 5 director spent time on a variety of committees for ACPC, including chair of the research committee,... Read More
Turkey Farmers of Ontario has received funding of nearly $560,000 to finalize and launch a new insurance product to protect Ontario turkey producers from losses associated with outbreaks of avian influenza. The funding is through the federal government's AgriRisk Initiatives. This new insurance product will be mandatory for all turkey farmers in Ontario and, once... Read More
The Alberta government announced today that the 1976 coal policy that had been quietly repealed in June of 2020, will be reinstated. The province says it made the decision after hearing concerns raised by Albertans about surface coal mining. Four coal categories, which dictate where and how coal leasing, exploration, and development can occur are... Read More
Ottawa's decision to not expand carbon tax exemptions as called for by farmers and farm groups needs to be revisited, according to the Special Representative for the Prairies in the federal cabinet. Winnipeg South Centre MP Jim Carr has served as Prime Minister Trudeau's Prairie representative since 2019, and was promoted back into Cabinet in... Read More