If there's one thing farmers want less of, it's paperwork. However, in the current climate of "don't just say you're doing the right thing — prove it," verification programs and the corresponding administration are on the rise. Verification and best management practice programs are not new for Canadian farmers, from the Environmental Farm Plan, to... Read More
Category: Canadian Agriculture Policy
The oat market once again appears headed for a burdensome supply this fall, as strong prices through much of the winter have led growers to pencil more oats into their seeding plans for 2020. New crop prices have started dropping in recent weeks, but many growers on the eastern side of the Canadian Prairies signed... Read More
Japan has closed all schools for a month, Romanians are facing empty supermarket shelves, and some firms in England have asked staff to work from home. The fear of coronavirus is spreading, and it's spreading into the commodity markets. "Traders and markets caught obviously the fear of the virus," says Pro Farmer policy analyst Jim... Read More
It can be easy to think about Canadian grain, canola, soybeans, or meat as just commodities — a product bought and sold, traded, and shipped. And that's true, of course, but those commodities are also eventual meals for Canadian customers, even if those customers live in places such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia, or the Philippines.... Read More
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture is calling on the federal government to resolve the issues with railway blockades, as agriculture sits on a "tipping point" of lost revenue, lost trade, and potentially an animal welfare issue, as propane, once again, is not making its way east. In Quebec, 85 per cent of poultry barns are... Read More
Farm groups across the country have ramped up pressure on the federal government to address the impact of the federal carbon tax and to recognize agriculture's positive contributions in capturing greenhouse gases. Both Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) in Manitoba and the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) have released studies quantifying the cost of the... Read More
While the full implementation of the rules will happen over the next 24 months, Canada's new livestock transport rules came into effect February 20, 2020. Anyone who transports livestock — including producers — need to make sure they are familiar with notable changes to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) Health of Animals Regulations (Part... Read More
The new code of practice being developed for grain farms across Canada is aimed at proactively building public trust, potentially mitigating the need for increased paperwork and regulations down the road, according to the vice-chair of the Canada Grains Council. The voluntary code of practice — being created by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crops... Read More
The Port of Vancouver enables the trade of approximately $200 billion in goods, and sustains $11.9 billion in GDP across Canada. It's forecasted to grow at about 3.5 per cent annually, and there is much to do to prepare for that level of growth. "We're very busy — have been very busy, looking 10-20 years... Read More
National hog and poultry groups are welcoming proposed legislation aimed at mitigating animal health risks from trespassers on farms. Conservative shadow minister for agriculture and Foothills MP John Barlow introduced Bill C-205 on Tuesday. The private member's bill would make it an offence under the Health of Animals Act to enter, without lawful authority or... Read More