The Ontario government is enhancing support for the beef sector by making more financing available through the Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program and also investing in the Ontario Beef Market Development Program. Expansion of the Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program will see available funding for beef farmers increase by $240 million to $500 million. The... Read More

There are about 85,000 acres of potatoes on Prince Edward Island, and every year an increasing number of those acres are planted to winter wheat after potatoes are harvested in September and October. It's a nice fit for the Maritime cropping rotation, says PEI-based Syngenta agronomist Eric Richter, because it gives growers the ability to... Read More

Developing good ag policy that improves the long-term sustainability of Canadian agriculture — economic, environmental, and social — is a messy process that requires a mix of many things, including engaged stakeholders, good data to inform decisions, and enough people willing to take action and lead with long-term vision. This was clear as we discussed... Read More

One of Canada's largest pork production and meat companies is planning to split into two independent businesses. Mississauga, Ont.-based Maple Leaf Foods is proposing to spin off its pork business and focus on consumer packaged protein food operations, creating two independent publicly-traded companies. Maple Leaf Foods would "continue to pursue its vision to be the... Read More

Each livestock group in Canada has a Code of Practice for Care and Handling that producers must follow. These codes, guided by the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC), follow a review process on a rotating schedule. Currently, the beef cattle, equine, pig, and poultry codes are being updated, and now the latest code up... Read More

Farmers and ranchers face many pressures to farm and raise animals in certain ways to meet sustainability-related goals of others, including food companies, lenders, and government. Clauses in crop contracts, carbon credits, government payments for rotational grazing or using nitrogen loss inhibitors, the federal fertilizer emissions reduction target, clean fuel standards, codes of practice, and... Read More