Now that the federal cabinet has been selected and we have spent the last ten days worrying about the challenges and pin-pointing the potential positives, the agricultural industry needs to step back and build a better game plan when it comes to lobbying. Over time, lobbying for the agriculture industry has transitioned from being focused... Read More
Category: Canadian Agriculture Policy
Methane production naturally occurs in the stomachs of ruminant animals, such as beef cattle. Microbes work together to carry out the digestion of plant cell walls, and one of the end products of the process is methane (which often gets "burped" out, not "farted.") Dr. Tim McAllister, research scientist in ruminant nutrition and microbiology at... Read More
Since the 40s, the number of farms in Canada are fewer and larger, a trend that holds every census. But digging in to a layer below that, are all farms getting a bit bigger year-over-year, or what does that dynamic look like? Plus, what factors are driving that average? Al Mussell, research lead at Agri-Food... Read More
Erin O'Toole has turned to a familiar face from Alberta to lead the agriculture file in his shadow cabinet. John Barlow, MP for Foothills, is back as the Conservatives' shadow minister for agriculture, a position which he previously held while Andrew Scheer was leader of the Conservative Party. "It's great to be back," says Barlow... Read More
Agriculture ministers from across the country have agreed to five broad priorities, but few details, for the next agricultural policy framework following three days of meetings in Guelph, Ont. The ministers released the "Guelph Statement" on Wednesday, which sets the direction for the suite of federal, provincial, and territorial programs from 2023 to 2028. The... Read More
With the latest federal election behind us, it's time to dig in to the task at hand: lobbying this new government. This week, federal, provincial, and territorial ministers are gathering to discuss business risk management, and the next ag policy framework. We also got the Conservative's shadow cabinet. To break this all down, host Kelvin... Read More
Addressing the shortage of workers in agriculture, "everything related to the climate transition," and preparing for an upcoming meeting with her provincial and territorial counterparts — those are the first three priorities Marie-Claude Bibeau mentions when asked about her to-do list as she returns as Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Following a third consecutive... Read More
For all the talk of other government departments having influence on the agriculture industry, it's important to remember that several challenges within the purview of Agriculture and Agri-Food can have a significant impact on other industries, too. There are also issues that may be thought of as an agriculture problem, but really have a significant... Read More
The re-scheduled date has been set for a two-day meeting of federal, provincial, and territorial agriculture ministers at Guelph, Ontario, following Marie-Claude Bibeau's reappointment to the federal cabinet as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. The meeting was originally slated to be held in September, but was postponed due to the federal election campaign. The ministers... Read More
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unveiled a 39-person cabinet for the next parliament. There are some new faces, but plenty of familiar ones as well, including Marie-Claude Bibeau, who returns as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Mary Robinson, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), says she's pleased with the news of Minister Bibeau's... Read More