Glacier FarmMedia – Despite a massive roadblock between China and Canada, conversations on how to improve the trading relationship between the two countries are worth having. The Canada West Foundation’s (CWF) recent report entitled Re-engagement Strategies for China on Agricultural Issues, written by Carlo Dade, the CWF’s director of its Trade & Investment Centre and
Opinion: Playing the long game
Canada should consider how to re-engage China for when time is right
Federal committee ponders food-processing capacity
Opposition members say COVID response was underfunded
Glacier FarmMedia – The federal committee on agriculture and agri-food has begun its study into Canada’s processing capacity. During a Nov. 19 meeting, Conservative Party of Canada Agriculture Critic Lianne Rood joined her opposition colleagues in questioning the federal government’s decision to offer the sector $77.5 million in support, when some industry estimates suggest roughly $800 million is
No BRM breakthrough reached at ministers’ meeting
AgMins fail to find solution to business risk management program woes
No consensus on changes to business risk managements (BRM) programming was reached during the latest round of federal-provincial-territorial agriculture ministers’ meetings. After the meetings ended Friday, federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau explained Ottawa was willing to maintain the current cost sharing of the programs at a 60-40 split between her government and the provinces. Bibeau’s
COVID confidence a silver lining
The pandemic has spurred all-time high confidence in Canadian food system
A new report says Canadians have more confidence than ever before in the food system, but concern remains over rising costs. In its 2020 Public Trust Research Report, “Trends in Trust & The Path Forward,” the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI), 47 per cent of those surveyed report being confident in the overall direction
Agriculture committee finalizing BRM recommendations
Report will be sent to the federal agriculture minister for consideration
Members of the federal committee on agriculture are finalizing recommendations for business risk management programs ahead of federal-provincial-territorial meetings to discuss the matter. Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) Agriculture Critic Lianne Rood says a report will be sent to Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau ahead of meetings with provincial ministers, scheduled to take
President-elect Biden expected to be ‘very U.S. minded’
China, WTO and CPTPP are all international issues that could benefit
President-elect Joe Biden is not expected to drastically change American trade policy, but his approach to other nations, particularly China, will likely differ. “The spirit of American trade policy is actually quite consistent between the Democrats and the Republicans,” said Canola Council of Canada’s Brian Innes. “That spirit is being aggressive with the world to get terms that help America.”
Agriculture seen as engine of recovery for Canada
Bibeau touts more exports, regional supply chains and processing
Minister of Agriculture Marie-Claude Bibeau says Canadian agriculture will be the “powerhouse of the economy” as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, pointing to specific opportunities for the industry to grow. During a virtual “fireside chat” at the International Economic Forum of the America’s Toronto event on Oct. 27, Bibeau expressed optimism over export
Opinion: Universal internet helps make food more sustainable
Urban consumers could become great advocates for rural internet
Consumers wanting to reduce the carbon intensity of their food should advocate for better rural internet. Most agricultural towns have broadband, but in the country cell service fades. Telematics produced by farm equipment has to be stored, getting pushed to the cloud at the farmyards while IoT devices use networks, like LoRaWAn. Network-controlled automation is
More technology needed for post-COVID agriculture
A silver lining of the pandemic is that it has jump-started agriculture’s digital evolution, observers say
Experts speaking at the virtual Toronto Global Forum say a meaningful economic recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic should emphasize the need for technology in the agricultural sector. Alison Sunstrum, founder and CEO of CNSRV-X, said she hopes there is a digital response to the pandemic. “COVID-19 has put us on a digital fast track, farmers
AgriStability in Bibeau’s sights as ministers’ meeting booked
Removing reference margin limit a palatable option
Federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) ministers of agriculture are scheduled to meet Nov. 20 and 27 to discuss improving business risk management (BRM) programs. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie Claude Bibeau said she is confident counterparts from Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia will be willing to contribute their share to make significant improvements to AgriStability, the
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