Category: Agriculture Policy

With 2026 seeding decisions on many producers’ minds, IntelliFarm’s Brian Voth offered a sobering, clear-eyed take on commodity risk right now: China's nearly 76 per cent tariff on Canadian canola is a make-or-break factor for acreage decisions. For soybeans, the lack of U.S. buying by China weighs heavily on farmers' minds south of the border,... Read More

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has made a series of regulatory changes it says are aimed at reducing red tape and supporting the economic resiliency of Canada's agriculture sector. The seven updates to the Health of Animals Regulations and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations announced Wednesday are part of the Carney government's overall effort... Read More

Last week, I moderated a panel at the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute's two-day policy event focused on risk. The topic of my panel was assessing the current ability for Canadian agriculture to navigate the risks ahead. We dissected policy risk, geopolitical risk, trade risk, climate risk — the layers are many, and each demands distinct... Read More

The Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA) has hired an executive search firm to find a new chief executive officer. Long-time CCA executive vice-president Dennis Laycraft informed his board earlier this year that he has decided to hang up his hat. The news was made public in an email update from CCA on Oct. 6. "After 35... Read More

Ontario farmers can access several risk management program options through Agricorp, including crop winterkill coverage, crop insurance, and risk management plans for lamb, calves, and piglets. Lamb producers were surprised to learn in late September that no Risk Management Program (RMP) payment would be issued for lamb sales made for the first half of 2025.... Read More

The Saskatchewan government has created a new committee to gather feedback on the province's rules that limit who can own farmland. The review comes as declining profits in the grain sector have spurred discussion about the future market for land, and at a time when many farms are facing generational transfers. The new Farm Land... Read More

With the 2026 USMCA/CUSMA review on the horizon, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent visit to Mexico signals a strategic shift, says RealAgriculture's Shaun Haney in this Market Day Report segment. Canada appears to be strengthening ties with Mexico in anticipation of the CUSMA review, which could end up as a trade renegotiation with the U.S.... Read More

The United States’ approach to agricultural trade has taken an interesting twist, as U.S. tariffs on Brazilian production and shifting political alliances are redrawing the map for global commodity flows. In this episode of Frontlines, geopolitical analyst Jacob Shapiro of Bespoke Group joins RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney to unpack the latest developments shaking up... Read More

Canada's deep integration with the U.S. food market has served the industry well—but it's also left it exposed. With 76 per cent of Canadian food and beverage exports headed to the U.S., Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is urging industry and policy leaders to consider a $12-billion diversification shift to reduce that reliance to 50 per... Read More

In this episode of the RealAg Bookclub, Shaun Haney sits down with author and farmer Ken Motiuk to unpack his new book Culture of Control. Motiuk shares his perspective on how the Canadian Wheat Board gradually transformed from a protective institution into a rigid bureaucratic regime that restrained farmers’ freedom and stifled market efficiency. Motiuk... Read More