The Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative (GLASI) has new application rules, deadlines and funding levels to better help farmers take advantage of the program. GLASI is targeted to farmers in the Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair watersheds, and Lake Huron’s southeast shores watershed, to help implement Better Management Practices (BMPs) that reduce phosphorus loading... Read More
Category: Ag Policy
Official Opposition leader Rona Ambrose unveiled the Conservatives' shadow cabinet on Friday, assigning experienced MPs and former cabinet ministers to new critic roles. Former Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has been tapped to serve as International Trade critic, a natural fit following his work on building market access as ag minister. Ritz will closely follow the... Read More
The Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act was introduced today to the Alberta Legislature. “Everyone deserves a safe, fair and healthy workplace. With this bill, workplace legislation will now extend to farms and ranches," said Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour, Lori Sigurdson. "The rules we implement must respect the unique qualities... Read More
Farmers and farm groups need to be involved in planning policies to address climate change, says the head of Keystone Agricultural Producers — Manitoba’s general farm group. The new federal government has made reducing national greenhouse gas emissions a priority, committing to the creation of a pan-Canadian framework for combatting climate change and to meeting... Read More
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has issued his marching orders for his new cabinet. As part of his commitment to "open and transparent" government, the ministerial mandate letters are being shared publicly for the first time. All 30 letters were posted on the Prime Minister's Office website on Friday, including a letter to Lawrence MacAulay, Minister... Read More
The Canadian Dairy XPO and Dairy Farmers of Canada are teaming up to encourage producers to embrace the Blue Cow symbol to show support for their industry. The Blue Cow Spirit Campaign will see gate admission to the CDX reduced to $15 and producers attending the show will be encouraged to wear Canadian Milk’s Blue... Read More
Ontario Grain Farmers lost the first round of its court battle to contest the province’s new seed treatment regulations, but the fight will continue. “At the end of the day this has always been a fight on principle,” says GFO Chair Mark Brock. “I don’t think we want to tuck tail and run because we... Read More
It's that time of year when commodity organizations are holding district meetings and director elections. Farm group leaders and staff are always looking for new ways to get farmers out and to boost participation in the process of deciding how check-off dollars should be spent, including the process of deciding who should sit on their... Read More
There’s a new person in charge of the federal agriculture file, as Justin Trudeau tapped Lawrence MacAulay as his new agriculture minister. Meanwhile, John Deere has been in the news with some investments in the area of precision planting, the TPP text has finally been released, and global grain supplies are growing faster than demand... Read More
We know he’s a Liberal MP from Prince Edward Island who was was first elected in 1988. Among other roles, he’s been the Liberal Party Critic for Fisheries and Oceans, Secretary of State for Veterans Affairs, Minister of Labour and Solicitor General of Canada. Before entering federal politics, he was a dairy and potato farmer... Read More