Ottawa — Members of Parliament sitting on the committee dealing with agricultural issues continue to hear concerns over the federal government’s response to COVID-19. During the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food’s online meeting Wednesday, representatives of the Canadian Mushrooms Growers’ Association raised “grave concerns” over the support CMGA members have received. CEO Ryan
Federal ag supports ‘too little, too late’ for mushroom growers
Timing of programs for TFWs, surplus food purchases leaves aid out of reach: CMGA
Set-aside funds snapped up
Cattle and pork producers tell MPs $100 million for program is not enough
A federal committee was told the $50 million made available by Ottawa for a set-aside program in the beef industry has already been spent, according to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA). Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced up to $50 million in AgriRecovery funding was being earmarked to fund a COVID-19 set-aside program for cattle producers,
Federal government offers more measures to help agricultural sector
Latest moves include investment fund, changes to TFW program
The federal government continues to unveil policies and dollars it says will assist the agricultural sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. A $100-million fund, launching in partnership with Calgary-based Forage Capital Inc., will be used “to support proven, viable companies through unexpected business disruptions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.” According to the federal government, Farm Credit
Bibeau faces off with opposition MPs over pandemic supports
The government is under pressure to come up with more farm aid
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau confirmed to a parliamentary committee that the cost of business risk management (BRM) programs would exceed its usual expense because of COVID-19. Typically around $1.6 billion is spent on the programming each year, but earlier this month Bibeau told the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food the amount
Opinion: Digital committee meetings face technical and time limitations
Politicians may have to drop some of the partisanship to get the job done
Our members of parliament should be applauded for their efforts to practise democracy during these trying times. MPs have taken to meeting online to conduct parliamentary committee meetings. So far, they have proven challenging but workable. Recent meetings of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food committee have highlighted the inconvenience. There are regular technical
Labour shortages persist, hort sector says
Horticultural Council warns sector output will drop for lack of workers, support
Ottawa — The Canadian Horticultural Council warns the federal government is using inaccurate numbers to describe how many temporary foreign workers are currently in the country. During a virtual meeting of the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food, CHC president Brian Gilroy said food security continues to be threatened as a result of labour
Report links business management, mental health of farmers
Farm women, young farmers report higher levels of stress, difficulties coping
Ottawa — A new report from Farm Management Canada (FMC) calls for action after determining 75 per cent of Canadian farmers reported being moderately to highly stressed about unpredictable interference, workload pressure and financial pressures. But how a farmer plans his or her business — and associated risks — can help lower that statistic. The
Comment: Support for farmers will flow through existing programs
The feds are trying to bring provinces on board with mixed results
In how it decided to pay out $252 million in support for farmers and processors, Ottawa is demonstrating it would prefer to lean on existing federal-provincial programming. Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau has consistently pointed to existing tools in the tool box as ways to find pandemic relief for farmers, a message
Opposition MPs critique government’s COVID-19 response for ag sector
Pandemic puts ag committee meeting online
Ottawa — Opposition MPs used the first meeting of the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to critique the federal Liberals’ $252 million aid package for farmers and food processors. During the May 5 online meeting, Quebec MP Richard Lehoux, the Conservatives’ associate agriculture critic, charged the
Agri-food tech expected to be a post-pandemic growth industry
Ag, food sectors may seek out more e-commerce, labour-saving tools
Ottawa — A researcher at the University of Guelph says the COVID-19 pandemic will spark agility – particularly related to technology – in agriculture. “(The pandemic) has re-emphasized the need to get access to some of the technology that exists in other sectors and are not easily accessible in agri-food systems,” said Rozita Dara, an
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
