The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has tallied up the in-season bee death numbers for both 2014 and 2015 (planting only), and the numbers are nothing short of staggering. The PMRA recently reported to the federal bee health roundtable that during the planting period there was roughly a 70% decrease in the number of reported... Read More
Category: Ag Policy
Ontario Corn Fed Beef, a beef brand owned and operated by Ontario beef farmers, is expanding into international markets in Japan. Following the May 1st launch of Ontario Corn Fed Beef at 33 Kinsho Stores throughout the Osaka Japan market, a delegation of guests, including retail and distribution partners from Japan, are touring Ontario beef... Read More
The Grain Farmers of Ontario have sought legal advice on behalf of its members and have words of caution for farmers: do not allow beekeepers on your land without a waiver of liability. GFO has contacted members with guidance following concerns that surround possible liability issues with hosting beekeepers' livestock on their land, the group... Read More
The Canadian Sheep Federation (CSF) will combine sheep and lamb production assurance systems under the nationally recognized Food Safe Farm Practices (FSFP) thanks to nearly $350,000 in funding under the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriMarketing Program funded by Growing Forward 2. This support will allow the Canadian Sheep Federation to integrate the National Sheep Biosecurity... Read More
The focus on new global trade deals seems to be sparking some interesting talks domestically, let alone internationally. And so they should. How can we, as an export nation, expect much from better global access when we don’t have our own house in order? The latest development is a missive from each of the province’s... Read More
A new logo for 4-H, ongoing dryness in the West, U.S. legislators vote to repeal COOL — there's plenty to catch up on in this week's TWORA update: Stay on top of what's happening in Canadian agriculture — TWORA is recorded and posted on RealAg and iTunes every Thursday!
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) has come under fire this week for its apparent support of the Ontario government’s near-ban on neonicotinoid seed treatments for corn and soybean. Don McCabe, president of OFA, says that while the regulations are not perfect, the lobby organization is the only one “still at the table” with government,... Read More
Ontario's government today unveiled the final version of the regulations governing the use of neonicotinoid-treated soybean and corn seeds. If you can hardly tell the difference from the proposed regulation launched late in 2014, you can be forgiven — the final regulation is only slightly tweaked from the original proposal. Ontario's Ministry of Environment of... Read More
Swiss-based Syngenta has rebuffed a second $45 billion purchase offer from U.S.-based Monsanto, calling it "unsolicited" and a "reputational risk." Initially, Syngenta cited worries over global regulatory approvals as one of the main reasons behind the first refused offer. And, though Monsanto saw "no legitimate basis for the regulatory concerns" outlined in Syngenta's refusal, the... Read More
How do you sell an industry full of potential? If you’re hoping to influence career choices, you have to be top of mind when high school students are contemplating opportunities. That’s the motivation behind Ontario’s Lisa Thompson’s private member’s motion, Growing Agri-food Jobs, first read at Queen’s Park in November, and introduced this week. Thompson,... Read More