If you've ever attended a formal meeting, it starts with an agenda and an agreement of what's to be discussed. These two simple things are actually profoundly important to a productive, respectful meeting. An agreed-upon agenda is just one small part of good governance, says Deb Stark, independent board member and former deputy minister of... Read More
Category: Ag Policy
The Canadian agriculture exporters' lobby group is saying no to proposed legislation it says could seriously undermine the country's trade interests. Michael Harvey, executive director of Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA), says that Bill C-282 poses a major risk by tying negotiators' hands, and signalling weakness to global competitors — all but inviting other countries... Read More
New Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew's mandate letter for the province's agriculture minister was made public on Monday. Ron Kostyshyn has returned as Manitoba's ag minister for a second term, after representing the agriculture portfolio in cabinet from 2012 to 2016 in the province's last NDP government. "Agriculture is the backbone of our provincial economy. As... Read More
Farm groups are calling on senators to reject any amendments to Bill C-234 coming from the Senate's agriculture and forestry committee. The private member's bill, which was was originally designed to remove the federal carbon price or tax from natural gas and propane used on farms for activities such as drying grain and heating barns... Read More
The proposed legislation aimed at removing the federal carbon tax from propane and natural gas used on farms is only a few steps away from becoming law, but the actions of a few senators last week have created a high stakes political scenario that will determine whether Bill C-234 lives — or ends up on... Read More
Michael Flynn has been named as the first executive director for Alberta Grains. Alberta Grains is the new organization created by the amalgamation of the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions, as of August 1, 2023. Flynn brings diverse experience in policy development, stakeholder engagement, and operations management to the organization and is poised to make... Read More
Shipments on the St. Lawrence Seaway have come to a halt as several hundred seaway workers have gone on strike as of Saturday night. Members of five local chapters of the Unifor union — approximately 360 workers — in Ontario and Quebec are on the picket line after failed negotiations with the St. Lawrence Seaway... Read More
The federal government, along with the provincial governments of Alberta, B.C., and Saskatchewan, have announced a total commitment of $365 million for AgriRecovery programs to help livestock producers affected by drought and wildfires this past summer. The awaited AgriRecovery funding, application details and timelines were announced on Friday, Oct 20. The total federal commitment to... Read More
The Senate's agriculture and forestry committee has approved a significant amendment to the legislation that was supposed to remove the federal carbon tax from propane and natural gas used on farms for at least eight years. The change to Bill C-234, introduced by Senator Pierre Dalphond on Thursday, would remove the proposed carbon tax exemption... Read More
The chair of the House of Commons' agriculture committee has introduced a private member's bill aimed at speeding up regulatory approvals of new seed genetics, feed products, and crop protection products for Canadian farmers. Kody Blois, Liberal MP from Nova Scotia, tabled Bill C-359 — An Act to amend the Feeds Act, the Seeds Act... Read More