The U.S. agriculture industry — and economy as a whole — breathed a sigh of relief early Thursday morning when Labour Secretary Marty Walsh tweeted that a tentative agreement had been reached between rail companies and the unions representing railway workers that were threatening to go on strike on Saturday. The Canadian agriculture sector, for... Read More
Category: Canadian Agriculture Policy
Nitrogen has been a hot topic, not only in Canada when it comes to emissions reductions, but worldwide as Europe faces steep increases on natural gas prices, which may have crop rotations shifting in the coming years for those producers, creating a domino effect for North American growers. In Europe, they've see a 3600 per... Read More
Creating good policy is difficult at the best of times. In the current world of social media, tribalism, issue zealots, and partisanship, the ability to create policy that achieves the goals of all sides is rare. Politicians talk about unity, but what they really mean is unity of their side not connecting with the other... Read More
A new report commissioned by Fertilizer Canada and the Canola Council of Canada shows increased adoption of 4R stewardship practices could result in a 14 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from nitrogen fertilizer — approximately halfway to the Canadian government's 30 per cent reduction target for 2030. The study, released September 6, compares... Read More
Next month, China will appoint its next standing committee at its 25th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. President Xi is looking to lead an unprecedented third term, but, more broadly, the focus is on what direction the new group will take on China's domestic and international policy. Charles Burton, senior fellow with MacDonald Laurier... Read More
When looking at the overall picture, protein markets have battled the last while, amid rising costs, plant closures and export hiccups. But retail prices have also climbed, with consumer demand keeping pace here at home. For the hog industry, the result has meant a return to decent margins, but trouble could be brewing on the... Read More
The Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association has announced the hiring of its new CEO. Grant McLellan, who has served as chief of staff for several Saskatchewan cabinet ministers, including the ministers of agriculture and trade, will step into the role September 12th. He will replace Ryder Lee, who is moving on to serve as the general manager... Read More
Alberta farmers who pay a levy to the Alberta Barley Commission or the Alberta Wheat Commission will have the opportunity to vote on amalgamating the two organizations in October. The Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council, working with third-party advisor MNP and the two commissions, will be administering two online plebiscites: one for barley growers, and... Read More
In the food-grade soybean business, seed companies must maintain a sharp focus on end-user requirements and what growers need to do to meet those market demands. For Sevita International general manager Sandy Hart, the company's success rests on its ability to breed soybean genetics that create value for end-users through food qualities that include protein,... Read More
As the federal government has announced it's desire for a 30 per cent reduction in fertilizer emissions, specifically from nitrogen, the name of the game now is, how? For this Wheat School episode, Dr. Sheri Strydhorst, agronomy research specialist with the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commission, talks about the nitrogen cycle and takes a scientific... Read More