What’s the danger of building regulations on a “precautionary principle?” Is the Ontario government’s push to regulate neonicotinoids moving too quickly? That’s part of the discussion that Real Agriculture’s Bernard Tobin had with Paul Wettlaufer and Mark Wales, both of whom are farmers and directors with Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). In the interview below... Read More
Category: Ag Policy
Two webex meetings and two in-person public consultation meetings took place in Ontario this week. At issue is the proposed increased regulation of neonicotinoid seed treatments for corn and soybean crops. Real Agriculture’s Bernard Tobin attended the London meeting on Tuesday (you can hear a recap of the event here), and spoke with Steve Klose,... Read More
The first public consultation meeting regarding impending neonicotinoid seed treatment regulations got underway yesterday in London, Ontario. Real Agriculture’s Ontario field editor Bernard Tobin was there to cover the event. The meeting format may have surprised some, as opportunities for individuals to speak were kept to a minimum. Instead, government officials from both the agriculture... Read More
The federal government introduced a bill in the House of Commons on Tuesday that contains measures aimed at improving producer payment security when a grain buyer fails to pay for delivered grain. Bill C-48 — the Modernization of Canada's Grain Industry Act — would also update the mandate of the Canadian Grain Commission and adjust... Read More
With the deadline for submissions just weeks away, farm groups are making their recommendations to the Canada Transportation Act Review Panel on how the Canadian rail system can be improved. Although the statutory review of the Canada Transportation Act looks at the legislative and policy environment surrounding the Canadian transportation system as a whole, grain... Read More
Late last month, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture elected members of its new board — including Don McCabe, who farms in Lambton county, as the new president. Shortly after the annual meeting, Real Agriculture’s editor, Lyndsey Smith, caught up with McCabe to talk about opportunities and challenges facing the Ontario farmers as we move into... Read More
When Megan Lacelle and Kaitlyn Van De Woestyne needed to tackle a particular project for their fourth year University of Regina journalism course, Megan immediately thought of telling the story of Jim Commodore. While the step-change occurring with the PFRA pastures is an ongoing news story in and of itself, it's Jim and Jim's history... Read More
With speculation swirling around the privatization of the Canadian Wheat Board, the chief strategy officer for CWB has published an open letter explaining why much of grain marketer's commercialization plan is being kept confidential. Although she doesn't mention Farmers of North America's offer specifically, Dayna Spiring describes why bids to acquire CWB may have been... Read More
The Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) have publicly asked its members not to attend next week's government-hosted public consultation meetings. The meetings are slated for Tuesday in London, Ont., and Thursday in Toronto, to discuss the impending increased regulations required for access to neonicotinoid seed treatments. Barry Senft, CEO of GFO, says his organization feels... Read More
Panel thus morning about Grain Strategies exchange rates, freights, GMO’s, all in buying decisions #GaryinGeneva pic.twitter.com/UItItUj3Hb — Gary Stanford (@senatrstanford) November 13, 2014 Many in Western Canada may be surprised to learn that the Triffid flax fiasco of 2009 is still weighing heavily on the minds of some European customers. That’s according to Gary Stanford,... Read More