This op-ed was submitted by Darcy Pawlik, executive director, Wheat Growers Association Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is laying off more than 660 staff. At least two major western research sites are said to be closing and more may follow across Canada. Add to that the departure of one of our most respected breeders in Swift... Read More
Category: Ag Policy
Cuts are beginning at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) as part of the Carney government's broader effort to reduce spending on federal government operations. Agriculture department employees whose jobs will be affected as part of the "workforce adjustment" are slated to receive formal notice today (Jan. 22). The department and Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald's office... Read More
Chinese customers have been quick to respond to the easing of trade barriers on Canadian canola and beef following Prime Minister Mark Carney's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Jan. 16. As part of a press conference on Jan. 20, Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald said one of Canada's largest beef exporters is shipping its... Read More
Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald hosted an in-person roundtable with national farm and commodity organizations in Ottawa on Jan. 20, kicking off consultations for Canada's next five-year agriculture policy framework. Dubbed the "Next Policy Framework" for now, the NPF will run from 2028 to 2033. The current framework — the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) —... Read More
The governments of Canada and Ontario have committed $20 million to support farmers, food processors, and agribusinesses to sell more Ontario-grown products around the world. The funding comes through the new Market Diversification and Trade Resiliency Initiative that will fund a variety of projects to increase competitiveness for farmers and agribusinesses, and support their expansion... Read More
This Ag Policy Connection episode features a wide-ranging conversation with Carlo Dade, Director of International Policy at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, on the future of Canadian agricultural trade amid profound global change. Dade outlines how Canada has entered a period of generational upheaval in international trade, driven by shifting U.S. policy,... Read More
The chair of the Senate of Canada's agriculture and forestry committee says he expects issues around agriculture and food will remain prominent in the upper chamber looking ahead to 2026. Agriculture is already appearing much more frequently in Senate debates than a few years ago, notes Senator Rob Black, in the interview above. “In the... Read More
Fertilizer markets are set to remain firmly supported for the next several years, with no meaningful price relief on the horizon, says Keith Busch, CEO of ClearCost. Structural supply deficits, trade disruptions, and rising logistics costs continue to lock in a higher global price floor—and Canadian growers are feeling the effects. Busch says both nitrogen... Read More
Farm groups and organizations representing farmers affected by China's tariffs are welcoming the tariff relief coming out of Prime Minister Mark Carney's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday. Under the agreement, China's tariffs on Canadian canola seed imports are expected to be reduced from over 80 per cent to 15 per cent as... Read More
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in China on Friday, and, by all accounts, had a productive meeting that included reaching a preliminary agreement-in-principle on several agricultural commodities. The Prime Minister's Office reports that by March 1, 2026, Canada expects China will lower tariffs on Canadian canola seed to a combined... Read More