In the coming months, Health Canada is expected to release the newest version of Canada's Food Guide. This is the first update since 2007, and the proposed changes are not without controversy. First looks at the new guide suggests a significant shift away from meat and dairy and increased focus on plant-based protein. "This has... Read More
Category: Agriculture Policy
The number of certified crop advisors (CCAs) in Ontario topped the 600 mark in 2017 and agronomist ranks in the province just keep on growing. At the Ontario Certified Crop Advisor Association annual meeting this week, outgoing CCA board chair Ken Currah reported that organization membership has now reached 655, with 102 more candidates registered... Read More
China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) has granted a safety certificate approval for the import and food/feed use of Bayer's TruFlex canola with Roundup Ready technology. According to a news release, MARA has notified Bayer that a safety certificate for TruFlex canola has been granted, and they're now awaiting final documentation which should... Read More
Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) has named Erin Gowriluk as its new executive director. Gowriluk will be based out of Ottawa, Ont. Gowriluk will run the day-to-day operations as well as managing advocacy and policy work. According to the GGC, Gowriluk has extensive knowledge in agriculture with a diverse background in agriculture policy. Her most... Read More
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has unveiled its GMO labeling law laying out the minimum labeling requirements for food companies and retailers set to go into effect at the start of 2020, with a mandatory compliance date set for the beginning of 2022. As part of the standard, the USDA has created a... Read More
The cost of CFIA-approved RFID sheep tags is going up over the next two years. Tag fees fund the Canadian Sheep Identification Program (CSIP), led by the Canadian Sheep Federation (CSF). RFID tags for sheep have been a requirement since 2004. CSF announced today the impending increase — and potentially increases — after a newly-ratified... Read More
Canada's Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister, Lawrence MacAulay is supporting the United Nations' proclamation of the International Year of Plant Health for 2020. In a news release, MacAulay says the federal government recognizes protecting Canada's plant resources is vital to food security and Canadians' wellbeing. "Plants are not only the first link in the food chain,... Read More
Have you heard about veganuary? It's January, but where you give up eating meat and other animal-based food and home products. The latest celebrities to jump on this bandwagon are Beyoncé and Jay-Z (in case that matters to you), and given that it's "new year, new you" season, I'm sure there will be many, many... Read More
The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) used to be a big player in the field of offering government-backed cash advances. The changes to the CWB's structure and its transition to a private company created an administrative vacuum which 30 or so other groups that currently offer the cash advance have been working to fill. Recently, another... Read More
What can corn growers expect from the markets in 2019? In Ontario, will sufficient markets be found for high DON corn? After three years of sideways trade, will world markets finally break the mold and push corn higher? On this edition of RealAgriculture's Corn School, host Bernard Tobin travels to the 'Agridome' at Dresden, Ontario... Read More