YOUTH AG-SUMMIT:'Thought leaders' consider farming's future

Sustainability, leadership and innovation in agriculture guided four days of learning, debating and discussion among young "thought leaders" from 33 countries at this week's Youth Ag-Summit. The event, held in Canberra, Australia from Aug. 24 to 27, and organized by Bayer CropScience and the Australian youth organization Future Farmers Network, was set up to build[...]

NDP goes green in ag platform

Funding for organic farming, "green" farming, farmer co-ops and farm safety nets are on Jack Layton's to-fund list in the New Democratic Party's new agriculture platform. NDP leader Layton released the party's full platform Sunday in Toronto, with just over two weeks before a federal election. Among other points, the NDP's platform proposes a series[...]


Liberals offer "green shift" offsets for farmers

Sweetening the federal Liberals' proposed "green shift" plan in anticipation of an election call, party leader Stephane Dion proposes to put farmers among the beneficiaries of $900 million in "green" incentives. The Liberals' proposed "green shift" environmental and economic plan will now include a $250 million Green Farms Fund, $400 million in emissions reduction credits[...]

Canada's farms still largely Tory blue: poll

A new poll by Ipsos Forward Research before the Oct. 14 election puts Canadian farmers' support for the federal Conservatives at 59 per cent overall, well ahead of the pack but still down six points from 2006. The poll, conducted online from Aug. 22 to Sept. 6 with 856 members of "Producers' Perspectives: The Ipsos[...]


Farm Business Communications earns 11 at CFWF

Farm Business Communications came away with 11 national awards Saturday at the Canadian Farm Writers' Federation awards banquet in Courtenay, B.C. The Farm Business Communications division, based in Winnipeg and owned by Vancouver's Glacier Ventures International, operates this website and is publisher of Country Guide, Grainews, Canadian Cattlemen, the Manitoba Co-operator, Alberta Farmer Express and[...]

Grits pledge "regional flexibility" in ag programs

A $564 million "regional flexibility fund" for farm programming is among the promises on offer from the federal Liberals leading up to next month's election. Liberal leader Stephane Dion and members of the Liberal caucus and candidates' roster appeared Friday morning at a farm at Headingley, Man., just west of Winnipeg, to outline their plans[...]


Conservatives pledge "AgriFlex"-style program

A re-elected Conservative federal government will put up $500 million over four years to work with Canada's provinces on an "agricultural flexibility" program, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Thursday. A federal/provincial flexibility program will deliver "region-specific programs that help farm families cope with the costs of production pressures, promote innovation, ensure environmental sustainability, and respond[...]

Editors' Picks: Eat kangaroos, save world

Cutting back on beef and lamb and eating more kangaroo is being touted as a way for meat consumers to help combat climate change, the British ag newspaper Farmers Weekly reported Wednesday. "Sheep and cattle constitute 11 per cent of Australia's total greenhouse gas emissions. Kangaroos, however, produce relatively little methane because they are not[...]


AAFC to track more organic imports

A federal pilot project to track imported organic produce and get a better picture of market potential will expand to 20 new products, the federal agriculture department announced Wednesday. The 20 added products bring the total to 61, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said in a release. The project, which was launched last year, has made[...]

Equinox herbicide OK in canola crops

A Group 1 herbicide just coming into wide release this year has picked up federal approval for use in canola crops. BASF Canada's tepraloxydim herbicide Equinox, which was available only in "limited quantities" in 2007, will give canola growers an "additional opportunity to benefit from an extremely flexible and economical grassy weed control program," brand[...]