It's with much fanfare, pomp and circumstance, confetti cannons and more that we roll out the following news: Lyndsey Smith, editor of this illustrious web site is moving to Ottawa to open our fifth bureau. (The other four are Lethbridge, somewhere in the Special Areas of Alberta, Guelph and, currently, Winnipeg. There will be a... Read More
Category: Ag Policy
Following on the heels of a recommendations report that came out of the Beef Strawman process, a new study completed by Toma & Bouma suggests three main ways Canada's beef industry can improve its profitability. The Canadian Beef Industry Benchmark study, conducted with the help of Drs. Steve Morgan Jones and Allan Preston, suggest that... Read More
Is rural Ontario unique – or indispensable? Some would argue both. And a new poll designed to eek out rural priorities suggests they’re right. The poll in question, which opened after the provincial election was called last week and closed yesterday (May 7) at 5 p.m., was led by the Rural Ontario Institute. And while... Read More
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Transport Minister Lisa Raitt announced Monday, May 5, 2014, that the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act (Bill C-30) passed third reading in the House of Commons and has been referred to the Senate. This legislation aims to put into law measures for Canada's logistics system to move agricultural products,... Read More
The federal government's proposed Bill-30, dubbed the "Fair Rail for Grain Farmers" act, hit a snag while moving through the legislative process yesterday, as the bill was sent back to committee over an amendment being deemed "out of order." At issue was the amendment proposing railways compensating shippers over poor service — what some have... Read More
Earlier this week, Ontario's Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk confirmed what people in Ontario's horse racing industry have known and lived through for the past two years. In the Auditor General's special report on the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Modernization Plan and cancellation of the Slots-At-Racetracks Program (SARP), Lysyk concluded that “OLG developed its Modernization Plan... Read More
The Ontario government has announced a program to help beekeepers rebuild their colonies, as a means to maintain the essential role honeybees play in the pollination of agricultural crops. Harsh winter conditions and ongoing health threats, such as from varroa mites or other pests, have knocked back bee populations. The province is anticipating higher than... Read More
The devil is in the details of a new two-year pilot program in Ontario designed to bring local food and wine together in farmers’ markets. But if the agri-food sector has enough patience to see it through, I believe everyone involved – farmers, wineries and consumers – can come out on top. Starting tomorrow, Ontario’s... Read More
It's Earth Day — a day for reflection on our impact on the earth. Invariably, it's also a day for promoting alternatives to the common way we do things — alternative energy being a main focus. In Ontario, government-funded alternative energy initiatives such as biomass generation, wind or solar energy has stirred controversy. Whether it... Read More
An abrupt farewell to the jig-inspiring music and the busy clinks and clangs of dishes filled the silence. The webcast streaming from the Winnipeg Chamber of Congress began and Claude Mongeau was set to hit the stage. Mongeau's stance on logistics was likely already understood by all in attendance, given his role as CN's president... Read More