When CDC Triffid flax was discovered in export shipments to Europe in 2009, the result was devastating to Canadian producers and shippers. Canada's flax industry exports to the EU were suspended and even after strict testing policies came into place, are still not at pre 2009 levels. At the time the news broke, the industry... Read More

Talk about supply management and whether or not it should fit in Canada’s future continues to find a place in our media. To be honest, whenever I see a link for a National Post article relating to the system for dairy, poultry and eggs, I have a hard time clicking since I can usually guess... Read More

Macleans Magazine website has been surveying the general public on the future of supply management. With Primeminister Harper suggesting that all things are on the table, the media has really picked up the debate on the future of supply management in Canada. Vote in the Macleans Poll With Harper suggesting taht everything is on the... Read More

With the recent ruling by the World Trade Organization declaring elements of the U.S. Country Of Origin Labelling program to be unfair, Canadian livestock producers feel that the first steps have been made in restoring exports lost when the program began. While Canadian producers applaud the move, there is an underlying skepticism that this decision... Read More

With the successful return of Sidney Crosby to the NHL after a long hiatus and a great deal of the country having received some pre winter blasts of snow and cold, hockey has pushed its way back into the spotlight. With that in mind, we thought it would be a good time to look into... Read More

With Bette Jean Crews not seeking re-election for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture Presidency, there were three contenders for the the Presidency. The candidates were Mark Wales, Don McCabe and Wayne Black. Both McCabe and Wales were Vice Presidents with the OFA this past year. In an incredibly close second vote, Mark Wales edged out... Read More

I hear and understand some of the issues that consumers have with the supply management structure. I do at times struggle with other farmers criticizing the supply management structure and saying that "it has to go." Why would a member of the farmer brethren, a fellow peer, a guy that farms right beside a dairy... Read More

This week I attended a meeting in Toronto for the Canadian Seed Trade Association and there was some stunning visuals. If you are in the seed business you are traditionally concerned mainly about purities, hybridity, low level presence, international regulatory harmonization and research. Looking around the room it was quite noticeable that there is a... Read More