The world needs more Canada — at least when it comes to a sustainable agriculture initiative that’s garnered global attention. The Canadian-led initiative called Agroecosystems Living Labs (ALL) shows how to raise food sustainably in the face of climate change. It has been endorsed at the annual meeting of G20 agriculture ministers. ALL brings scientists,
Made-in-Canada sustainability approach gains support
The ALL initiative is endorsed at the G20 ag ministers' meeting for putting research into fields
Health Canada plan could harm veterinary drug market, CAHI warns
The organization says the department needs to get in step with other countries
A Health Canada plan to impose service fees on human and veterinary medicines will keep many treatments for farm and companion animals out of the country, says Jean Szkotnicki, president of the Canadian Animal Health Institute. The Canadian animal health market is 2.5 per cent of the global market and shouldn’t be treated like the
Rising consumer demand benefits dairy farmers
The growing market pull comes in the wake of lower prices and the face of trade uncertainty
The first half of 2018 has brought positive signs for dairy farmers but it’s hard to predict what the rest of the year will bring, says Farm Credit Canada. Butterfat production increased six per cent year over year to the end of April, bringing higher total revenues to producers even with a lower milk price,
Academics say GM wheat possible subversion
No one has offered an explanation for wheat to appear after 17 years, and far from its original plot
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency needs to keep investigating the still-unknown variety of genetically modified wheat found in Alberta last year, says the Canadian co-author of an article that speculates on who could have planted it. Rob Wager of Vancouver Island University, who specializes in biochemistry and molecular biology, is the co-author of ‘The Mystery
Italian opposition to Canadian durum a sore point
There’s been no clear indication of what Ottawa will do next
Other than meetings between Canadian and European cabinet ministers on the issue, there has been no action by Canada to reinforce its opposition to Italian pasta tariffs that have shut Canadian durum wheat out of what had been a key market. Cam Dahl, president of Cereals Canada, said the industry is pushing Ottawa to step
Federal funding to enable Soy Canada to learn more about growers
Study in 2017 identified market access and protein as two biggest risks to future growth
Soy Canada has been awarded $197,400 from the Canadian Agriculture Partnership to expand its knowledge of the country’s soybean growers to help plot ways to deal with 11 risks facing the sector identified in a 2017 study. Expanding market access and striking a better balance in the protein produced across the country were pegged in
Politicians to get an earful on CPTPP
Farm groups want passage of the bill to be a priority when Parliament resumes in September and will be making their feelings known
MPs and senators can expect to hear plenty from farmers all summer about the importance of quickly passing the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) bill, farm group representatives vow. They were in Ottawa June 21, the first day of summer, in hopes the politicians would see the light on the need to pass the
Health Canada still on track for phasing out imidacloprid
A final decision is expected by December after a summer consultation
Cereal, speciality crop and fruit and vegetable growers are gearing up for a final attempt to convince Health Canada that eliminating most agricultural uses of the neonic insecticide imidacloprid is an environmental step backward. The department said May 31 that an updated pollinator assessment by the Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency found that while the risks
MacAulay chided for asserting farmers support carbon tax
Farm groups say they’re concerned about climate change and other environmental issues, but that doesn’t mean they support this policy
Despite widespread criticisms of the federal carbon tax from farm groups, Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay has told both senators and MPs that farmers back it. “Farmers fully support it,” MacAulay told the Senate. “I can assure you the farmers are fully on our side and have always helped in this area.” The minister’s answer blended
Prairie soy sector standing still
The budding soybean industry in Western Canada is suffering from lack of local processing
Western Canada’s soybean sector is experiencing its chicken-or-egg moment. Production has grown quickly over the past several years, but still nobody has stepped forward to build a soybean crush plant in the region, according to Ron Davidson, executive director of Soy Canada, even though the economics are now in support of it. He told the
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