Category: Agriculture Policy

In the food business, there is likely no more ruthless arena than the grocery store. A recent move by Walmart to impose new costs on suppliers has prompted a group of food and beverage organizations to call on the federal government to step in and regulate the grocery industry. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Dairy... Read More

Grain Farmers of Ontario is asking the government to improve the programs put in place to help farmers if their businesses are in a loss position because of the pandemic. GFO is asking the government to fully fund the Risk Management program in Ontario, to restore the AgriStability program to 85 per cent (vs 75... Read More

The Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) has announced it will be administering federal cash advance payments for Manitoba farmers, assuming a service that had been offered by the provincial corn growers association. The new multi-commodity group was formed as of August 1, 2020 following the amalgamation of five Manitoba commodity groups, including the Manitoba Corn Growers... Read More

With the World Trade Organization's dispute settlement process in tatters, Canada is among a group of 23 WTO members that are trying to apply a band-aid solution for settling trade disputes amongst themselves. The group, which also includes Australia, China, the European Union, and Mexico, announced on Monday (August 3) that its temporary arrangement is... Read More

To protect the health and safety of Canadian and migrant farm workers, the government of Canada has been working with municipal, provincial, and territorial governments, as well as farmers, workers, and other employers who participate in the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program. No matter what precautions are taken, it's inevitable that some farms are going... Read More

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced the 25 members of its Canadian Agricultural Youth Council recently. In the application process, AAFC committed to regional representation and choosing members with a diversity of backgrounds. In naming the 25 members, AAFC has certainly achieved that — with people from every province and one from the northern territories, and... Read More

For those just starting their careers in agriculture, it might seem strange to think that one of the most controversial topics in the past was about whether or not farmers could sell their own wheat and barley to an end user. Just eight years ago, the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) had its single desk removed.... Read More

As we navigate value chains in a global pandemic, many ag and food commodities are experiencing supply disruption and major shifts in demand of both product and destination. These shifts are perhaps most evident in protein markets, and Michael Young, president of Canada Beef, says that the value chain is adapting as well as it... Read More

Amendments to Alberta's Meat Inspection Regulations could mean greater access for consumers to locally produced meat while still maintaining food safety standards, the province says. Alberta Agriculture and Forestry minister Devin Dreeshen has announced regulation changes to give operators more flexibility to meet legislated requirements. "Alberta produces the world's best beef, pork, and poultry products,... Read More

Most Canadians support the continued closure of the Canada/U.S. border to everything but the most essential travel, according to a recent IPSOS survey. But even that essential movement, such as that for trade, may be under threat as those moving across the border weigh the risks of entering the U.S. during a major ramp up... Read More