Federal ministers have received their marching orders from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the 43rd Parliament. For minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Marie-Claude Bibeau, those orders include several initiatives focused on trade, economic development, tax treatment of farm succession, food waste, and water quality. The mandate letter lays out what Trudeau's government prioritizes... Read More
Category: Canadian Agriculture Policy
The new NAFTA (USMCA) has a path to ratification in the U.S. congress now that the Democrats and the White House have come to terms on negotiated compromises. Both Canada and Mexico will ratify the deals in the coming weeks with relative ease, while the U.S. focuses all its trade threats on the European Union... Read More
Ontario has introduced its draft legislation to increase security on farms — the Security From Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, 2019. The focus, certainly, is on the biosecurity and food risk associated with non-authorized people traipsing through farms and interfering with animals on their way to slaughter. The act, likely to be passed in... Read More
Full details are still in the works, but it appears that the cattle industry — dairy included — will get a two-year delay on enforcement of new transport regulations set to come into force in early February. The federal minister of agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced at a parliamentary reception this week that the grace period... Read More
After two years of negotiating, debate, and threats of destruction, the renegotiated NAFTA deal has a clear path to a congressional ratification with the Democrats and the U.S. President agreeing to the required changes. For agriculture, the USMCA — new NAFTA or CUSMA, whatever you want to call it — has always been about stability,... Read More
For decades now we have frequently heard phrases like, "We need to speak as one," or "We are better together than fighting among ourselves," when it comes to agriculture policy in this country. While the phrases have been uttered, there never seemed to be any real action. Now, don't get me wrong, a historical lack... Read More
Collaboration is one thing that many agriculture groups already do, but can you imagine the work that could be done if everyone — yes, everyone — was working together to reach one goal? That's the message astronaut, author, and public speaker Dr. Dave Williams gave while speaking at this year's Public Trust Summit. "There's always... Read More
Black swan events have transformed agriculture. From the invention of canola to precision agriculture and the emergence of the African Swine Fever (ASF), these extreme and unpredictable events — both good and bad — continue to shape the industry's future. Is Canadian agriculture and the agri-food system resilient enough to absorb the potential negative impacts... Read More
Five Canadian seed-based associations are finalizing the process of merging into one, industry-wide organization, and while the move is a welcome one across the industry, the process comes at a challenging time in the agriculture industry. Still, the move is needed and a positive one, say industry participants. The Seed Synergy process is to create... Read More
There is a new seed organization in the works for Canada. The actual name has yet to be decided and several details have are still to be hammered out, so for now it will be called "NSO" short for — you guessed it, new seed organization. But while the new name and governance is not... Read More