Agri-food groups support provisions in the 2019 budget to trigger pesticide safety reviews when one is merited and not just because another country orders one on a product. While Health Canada and the Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency take a risk-based approach to pesticide approvals, other members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development employ
Common sense needed in pesticide reviews: agri-food groups
The PMRA has been stacking review upon review in some cases, critics say
Conservatives want action on the lingering canola crisis
Appoint an ambassador and increase advance payments, opposition leader, Andrew Scheer urges
It’s time for government action on the canola file, according to the leader of the opposition. Canada needs an ambassador in Beijing and should immediately increase the funds available to farmers under the Advance Payments Program (APP), says Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer. More than a month has passed since China banned imports of canola seed
Poultry farmers say trade response for the birds
They want the federal government to take a bigger-picture view of helping them to adjust to market losses
Chicken, turkey and egg producers say a big hit is coming and the federal government needs to help them adapt. They’re facing increased imports allowed under a series of trade deals negotiated by the federal government and say a big-picture approach is needed. That was the message Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC), Turkey Farmers of
No new major neonic restrictions: Health Canada
Existing restrictions remain, but they won’t be expanded for the foreseeable future
No new changes are coming to the use of neonicotinoids in Canada. There will be no new significant restrictions beyond those announced last year, Health Canada said April 10 in its final decision on its review of clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. The department said it will proceed with cancelling some uses of the products and
Animal care code updates gain funding
This includes the livestock transport code which has been condemned for being out of date
The National Farmed Animal Care Council (NFACC) will receive up to $4.56 million from the Canadian Agriculture Partnership to update important livestock care codes including the controversial animal transport one. The funding was announced by Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and will also be used by NFACC to update its dairy and goat care codes and
CFA pushes ag agenda for coming election
The group wants to draw attention to the agri-food sector in the looming federal campaign
With an eye-catching button and a pledge for politicians to sign, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture has kicked off its Producing Prosperity in Canada initiative. It aims to make it into a key talking point during the October federal election campaign. Producing Prosperity is aimed at building political support in all parties for policies that
Budget sets out process for regulatory reform
Agri-food is one of the sectors earmarked for review to streamline regulations
The federal government intends to launch a five-year, $67.8-million process to modernize its regulations in the agri-food and other sectors. The process, set out in the 2019 budget, comes in response to repeated criticisms of the regulatory burden facing Canadians. Last fall the agri-food strategy roundtable called for “an agile regulatory system that promotes the
No end in sight for supply management working groups
The slow pace of progress is due to the complexity of the issues at hand, say industry insiders
Talks on how supply-managed commodities can adjust to expanded import access to Canada under recent trade deals are proceeding slowly but industry isn’t worried just yet. Back on Oct. 29, the federal government announced Agriculture Canada would create three working groups to help the dairy and poultry sectors. By early February there had been a handful
Rollout of mental health programs for rural Canadians coming this year
4-H, Farm Management Canada and Farm Credit are working together to try to raise awareness of this issue
Rural Canada will see the rollout this year of several programs to raise awareness of mental health issues, the Commons agriculture committee has been told. 4-H Canada will launch a healthy living initiative in three phases to support the mental and physical well-being of its members across Canada, Erin Smith, interim CEO and director of
Cattlemen demanding Fisheries clarity
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association says the murky definition of ‘fish habitat’ is causing concern
A last-minute amendment to a Fisheries bill is endangering the cattle industry across Canada. The rules change could see producers accused of destroying fish habitat and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association is calling on senators to further amend the bill when they study it. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association said in a note it sent to MPs
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