We bring you "This Week on Real Ag" for September 18th, as Kelvin Heppner recaps some of the bigger ag stories from the past seven days. This week's podcast includes updates on harvest, railway and government relations, grain markets and COOL, as well as some dialogue about A&W's new egg marketing campaign. Oh and of... Read More
Category: Agriculture Policy
If you’re one of the farmers who submitted an application for Growing Forward 2 funding and were turned down, you’re not alone. Whenever a new or changed funding model rolls out, there’s always a learning curve. But does a first rejection mean you should abandon the application? Not necessarily. As Margaret May, regional program lead... Read More
Canadian Pacific Railway (CP Rail) has filed a lawsuit against the Government of Canada, appealing changes to rail regulations brought forward in Bill C-30 — The Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act. CP Rail names the Canadian Transportation Agency and the Attorney General of Canada in the suit, which was filed with the Federal Court... Read More
The Canadian Canola Growers Association is investing $5 million in agriculture policy research at the University of Saskatchewan. The grower organization has announced a one-time contribution to establish the CCGA Agriculture Policy Chair in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. “Agriculture policy development is a cornerstone of the work we do at CCGA; we believe... Read More
A coalition of North American meat and livestock organizations is keeping its legal options open as it attempts to have U.S. country of origin labeling (COOL) rules repealed. According to the industry, COOL is costing Canadian cattle and hog producers around a billion dollars per year. On Friday, a group that includes the Canadian Cattlemen’s... Read More
I've often heard travelling farmers suggest their peers ignore the customs declaration form that asks whether or not you've recently visited a farm or are returning to one. The fear, is, of course, that the customs staff might waste your time with needless questions, disinfecting of boots and so forth. I've never paid much heed... Read More
In a move that might be seen as a good ideological fit, Farmers of North America has launched a campaign asking its members whether they would be willing to invest in purchasing a majority interest in the former Canadian Wheat Board (now known as CWB.) The farmer alliance says a producer-owned grain handling company would... Read More
Following a report that says the World Trade Organization has sided with Canada and Mexico in the dispute over U.S. country of origin labelling rules, a coalition of American food and agriculture organizations is urging Congress and U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack to immediately suspend COOL if the WTO rules against the U.S. Although the... Read More
If ever you've heard anyone say that new agriculture and food traits aren't regulated or tested, you'll want them to watch the following interview. A key aspect of this year's Momentum Tour, put on by Monsanto Canada, was the roll-out of two new crop traits — TruFlex canola and Xtend soybeans. Sharp-eyed readers will note... Read More
The Grain Farmers of Ontario have been rather busy — from moving in to a new, larger office space, to tackling big issues like announced increased regulation of neonicotinoid use in the province, to potentially bringing new commodity groups under the GFO banner, there's been no shortage to keep Henry Van Ankum, GFO chair, busy.... Read More