Alberta farmer and former farm group leader Tara Sawyer has been sworn in as Alberta's new Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, as of May 21. Premier Danielle Smith unveiled a series of changes to the provincial cabinet on Thursday, after finance minister Nate Horner and his colleague Matt Jones announced they would not be seeking... Read More
Category: News
Canada’s ability to grow agricultural exports and strengthen trade relationships in Indo-Pacific markets depends on addressing critical transportation bottlenecks, says Fertilizer Canada president and CEO Michael Bourque. In this conversation with RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney, Bourque discussed a coalition letter sent to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Transport Minister Steve MacKinnon urging federal leadership on long-term... Read More
Canadian farmers are being introduced to a new national initiative designed to help bridge one of agriculture’s biggest technology gaps: proving whether new agtech innovation and tools actually deliver value under real farm conditions. Following its launch this month in Winnipeg, the Agriculture Innovation, Validation and Adoption Network (AIVA) aims to connect farmers, researchers, and... Read More
The Canadian Oilseed Processors Association (COPA) has named Mark Walker as its new executive director, effective May 19, 2026. Walker was previously the vice-president of markets and trade with Cereals Canada, leading domestic and international market development. He has also served as a board member of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, as a manager with... Read More
Health Canada has launched a 45-day public consultation on slashing red tape for industrial hemp, a move long sought by hemp growers and industry who say the crop should be treated as an agricultural commodity rather than a controlled substance. According to a notice published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on May 16, the... Read More
Alberta’s canola producer organization is calling on the federal government to compensate farmers for financial losses tied to the trade dispute with China. In a letter sent May 8 to Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, the Alberta Canola Producers Commission says Ottawa must offset the economic fallout from China's anti-dumping investigation... Read More
Fresh off President Trump’s trip to China, the initial lack of details sparked a negative reaction from analysts and traders. Monday, however, saw a quick reversal in market direction as broad agriculture grain/oilseed commodity markets moved higher following the White House’s weekend release of a fact sheet outlining elements of the agreement. Livestock markets, meanwhile,... Read More
In 2026, farmers and ranchers have faced both expected and unexpected challenges and opportunities. Analyzing the April 2026 Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index results reveals a clear divergence in outlook between livestock and crop producers. While that may not come as a surprise, the numbers certainly emphasize the contrast. When it comes to current farm financial... Read More
The Ontario Soil Management Committee (OSMC) is announcing an important update to soil sample handling recommendations used in Pre-Sidedress Nitrate Testing (PSNT), a widely adopted tool to guide nitrogen management in corn production. Following a comprehensive review of recent research led by Dr. Josh Nasielski and Ken Janovicek at the University of Guelph, the OSMC... Read More
The U.S. government is imposing countervailing duties on fresh mushrooms from Canada, in a move the Canadian mushroom industry says unfairly penalizes growers for standard agricultural tax rules. As a result of a preliminary decision published this week, U.S. customs officials will begin requiring cash deposits from importers of Canadian fresh mushrooms when the determination... Read More