New #wrp MLAs getting ready for their first Official Opposition caucus meeting. #ableg pic.twitter.com/IoflvVjp81 — Team Wildrose (@TeamWildrose) May 11, 2015 Wildrose leader Brian Jean met with his party's members today, in their first Official Opposition caucus meeting, where he announced the members of the shadow cabinet: Drew Barnes, MLA Cypress – Medicine Hat is... Read More
Category: Ag Policy
"It's what the consumer demands." Whether it be new products on store shelves, changes to government regulation, or new on-farm protocols, this has become the trumping selling point for whatever it is that needs selling. “The Consumer” is demanding oversight. “The Consumer” wants a more sustainable product. “The customer (read: consumer)” is always right. But... Read More
There’s plenty to cover in this week’s ag news update — from planting progress across the country to trouble in Alberta’s sugar beet industry. Oh, there was also an election in Alberta. Here’s “This Week on Real Ag” for the first week of May: Get the latest ag news delivered to your in-box — subscribe... Read More
The Grain Farmers of Ontario are speaking up about concerns they have regarding the reach of Ontario’s ministry of environment. It’s no secret that GFO disagrees with the province’s proposed regulations regarding the use of neonicotinoid corn and soybean seed treatments — regulations the producer group says equate to a de facto ban on the... Read More
Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Beef Australia. The MOU outlines the opportunity for the two parties to "cooperate in international marketing and promotion, as well as exchange best practices in the areas of livestock management and event planning," according to a CWA press release. Signed May 6th in... Read More
When it comes to supply management, it looks like the showdown between Canada and the rest of the world is reaching another tipping point. But those strange bedfellows, Ontario and Quebec, aren’t going to take it lying down. Late last week the U.S., with its insatiable appetite for accessing Canadian supply-managed markets, said Canada won’t... Read More
Just weeks before the World Trade Organization rules on the U.S. government's final appeal to maintain mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) rules, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a report to the House and Senate agriculture committees on Friday saying the meat labeling laws have little, if any, measurable economic benefit. The USDA's economic... Read More
Some call it a tax, others a subsidy, but those selling the carbon cap and trade model for Ontario call it a boon for the economy, agriculture included. Recently, Ontario’s premier, Kathleen Wynne, announced the province was committed to the establishment of a cap and trade system to “address climate change by limiting sources of... Read More
In theory, price transparency is required for a free market to be efficient. In reality, farmers like to know they’re getting a fair value for their grain. A lack of transparency was seen by some producers as one of the reasons why the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly needed to be dismantled. That wish was granted... Read More
After a 41 year career with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canad, and building his reputation as a world-class wheat breeder, Dr. Ron DePauw has joined SeCan in the position of Science Advisor. DePauw recently retired from AAFC, a career marked by the successful breeding of prairie-farm-staple AC Barrie. DePauw was also a co-developer of AC Lillian,... Read More