Canada’s push to expand trade relationships is picking up speed, but not all deals are being met with equal enthusiasm—particularly when it comes to beef imports. Tyler Fulton, president of the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), says that renewed negotiations between Canada and the Mercosur bloc, which includes Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, raises significant concerns for... Read More
Category: Canadian Agricultural Policy
Regulatory reform and red tape reduction are up for discussion in Ottawa right now, but questions remain about whether that urgency is translating into meaningful change for Canadian agriculture, says Pierre Petelle, president and CEO of CropLife Canada. Earlier this month, Health Canada announced that the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) would be renamed the... Read More
Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced the creation of a new advisory committee on Canada-U.S. economic relations leading up to the review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade deal this summer. The 25-member committee includes several people who work in agriculture or have agriculture-related backgrounds, including the following individuals: Michael Harvey: executive director of the export-focused Canadian... Read More
As planters and air seeders begin to roll, a different kind of groundwork is being laid in Ottawa. Bill C-273, the Facilitating Agricultural Regulatory Modernization Act—or simply, the FARM Act, is a new private member's bill aimed at speeding up approvals of new seed, feed, pest control, fertilizer, and veterinary products in Canada. The bill... Read More
The Canadian government expects to reduce annual spending on operations by $27 million following the closure of seven Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) research facilities. New financial details were disclosed in a letter from Deputy Minister Lawrence Hanson to members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food earlier this week. The... Read More
Canada's pesticide regulator has a new name as of April 1, 2026. Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (better known as PMRA) is now the Pesticides Regulatory Directorate (PRD). The PRD maintains the same mandate as the PMRA, looking after the registration and evaluation of products that fall under the Pest Control Products Act. The... Read More
There's a renewed push in the House of Commons for quicker approvals of agricultural products that are available in other countries with similar scientific standards as Canada. Southern Alberta Conservative MP David Bexte introduced a private member's bill on April 14 that would require 90-day approval for feed, seed, pest control, fertilizer, and veterinary products... Read More
Canada's approach to trade with the U.S. and the imminent re-negotiation of the North American trade deal must go beyond emotional arguments and appeals to friendship, according to Manitoba's senior representative to the U.S. Former CTV and CBC journalist Richard Madan was hired last June to open a provincial office representing Manitoba's interests in the... Read More
Saskatchewan has announced the Emergency Use Registration for two per cent liquid strychnine has been expanded to allow a broader range of Saskatchewan rural municipalities (RMs) access management of Richardson's ground squirrels (a.k.a. gophers) until November 2027. Last week, the Saskatchewan and Alberta governments announced areas where the emergency use registration would apply. Saskatchewan's initial... Read More
Rising fertilizer prices and ongoing questions about supply have many Ontario growers watching the market closely this spring. But according to insights shared at the first Ridgetown Agribusiness breakfast meeting this week, availability—not price—may be the more important factor shaping fertilizer decisions as the 2026 planting season approaches. Southwest Ag Partners agronomist Jason Van Maanen... Read More