For those just starting their careers in agriculture, it might seem strange to think that one of the most controversial topics in the past was about whether or not farmers could sell their own wheat and barley to an end user. Just eight years ago, the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) had its single desk removed.... Read More
Category: Canadian Agricultural Policy
As we navigate value chains in a global pandemic, many ag and food commodities are experiencing supply disruption and major shifts in demand of both product and destination. These shifts are perhaps most evident in protein markets, and Michael Young, president of Canada Beef, says that the value chain is adapting as well as it... Read More
Most Canadians support the continued closure of the Canada/U.S. border to everything but the most essential travel, according to a recent IPSOS survey. But even that essential movement, such as that for trade, may be under threat as those moving across the border weigh the risks of entering the U.S. during a major ramp up... Read More
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has named 25 young Canadians to its Canadian Agricultural Youth Council (CAYC). As a consultative body, the CAYC is a group of young Canadians that will provide advice, enable on-going dialogue on food-related challenges and opportunities, share information and best practices, and advise the government on the strengths and weaknesses of... Read More
The impact of COVID-19 on the livestock industry has been severe. There were weeks of packers operating at half to no slaughter capacity, market-ready cattle waiting to get on a truck, and the food service sector being crippled due to closures. One of the measures suggested to help mitigate the financial strain by the cattle... Read More
The United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW Canada) recently presented to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit to advocate for better health and safety protections for migrant workers labouring in the Windsor, Ont., area. The county and area has been hard hit by COVID-19 at local farms and farm businesses, including hundreds of positive cases... Read More
Cattle prices are holding steady for most of the U.S. and Western Canada on strong wholesale demand. Ranchers, too, are cautiously optimistic as pasture and hay supplies are good and calf prices have been holding steady. It's not all sunshine and green grass, however, says Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange, as there are still... Read More
Premier Doug Ford set up at Lambton-Kent-Middlesex-area Carven Farms to announce not only the province's $7 billion share of the federal $19 billion "safe re-start" of the economy, but also to announce the planned bump to Ontario's risk management programs would go ahead a year early. The federal transfer payment is to cover health care,... Read More
More than two months after the federal government announced $50 million in emergency funding for provinces that want to offer cattle set-aside programs, the Manitoba government has still not released any information on what the program will look like for beef producers in the province. The cattle set-aside initiatives aim to help cover the costs... Read More
For most of Canada, producers are playing the waiting game. They're keeping an eye on their crops and are getting ready for harvest, but they might be wondering what the markets are doing and how they'll market their commodities. Canola is the go-to crop for profitability on the Prairies. Some areas definitely have enough moisture,... Read More