SeCan says it has reached a $150,000 settlement with a farm near Moose Jaw, Sask. regarding unauthorized sales of flax and durum varieties protected by Plant Breeders' Rights legislation. Harvey Marcil of Pasqua Farms has agreed to the cash settlement and a declaration that there will be no additional unauthorized sales. The case involved CDC... Read More
Category: Ag Policy
Former agriculture minister Gerry Ritz is taking issue with the Canola Council of Canada's recommendation that growers don't use quinclorac herbicide on canola in 2016. "I'm baffled by this non-science-based targeting of this product," he says in the interview below, responding to this Canola School episode published earlier this week. Citing concerns about quinclorac residues... Read More
Do you think of yourself as an inclusive person? Are you able to tolerate and embrace the behaviors or beliefs of a wide array of people? Are you able to consider people's thoughts that are not the same as your own? Do you only respect people that agree with or support your opinions? Are you... Read More
A remnant of the pro-Canadian Wheat Board movement is still alive, and still punching above its weight, even though it's been three-and-a-half years since the federal government buried the CWB's single desk monopoly. The latest example of the vocal minority receiving mainstream attention: "Prairie Farmers Calling for the Return of the Canadian Wheat Board" read... Read More
From Louisville, Kentucky to Winnipeg, Manitoba, we were on the road again this week (so yes, TWORA is a day late.) We look back on CropConnect '16 in Winterpeg, find out what separates the top 25 percent of farmers versus the bottom 25 percent in terms of financial success, as well as what farmers on... Read More
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has provided an answer to those wondering how it would even begin to select working group members for the next phase of consultations on the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act. As of today, the government will be accepting nominations for the positions. “Farming is more than a job,... Read More
We have more than covered the negative side and controversy of the Bill 6 legislation in Alberta. The biggest benefit of the bill is not the protection of workers, a safer farm workplace or compensation for injured or disabled workers. Much of this is either already happening or is not truly enabled by the bill.... Read More
The Western Grains Research Foundation has announced it will be investing $21.4 million in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's wheat and barley breeding programs over the next five years — the largest-ever industry investment in AAFC research. Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Keith Degenhardt, vice-chair of WGRF, made the announcement in Saskatoon on Monday morning.... Read More
Egg Farmers of Canada has rolled out a plan to transition the entire Canadian egg industry away from traditional caged housing. "In response to the best available scientific research and in light of changing consumer preferences, I'm pleased that the entire industry has agreed to an orderly transition plan that will further diversify our production... Read More
The proposed sale of Syngenta, new StatsCan stocks estimates, the signing of the TPP, the launch of Xtend soybeans — here's a trip through this week's Canadian ag news with Kelvin Heppner: Poll: Do you look forward to driverless tractors?