The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crops now realizes it made a mistake in proposing a code of practice for grain farmers before first demonstrating why it’s needed, says roundtable chair Jason Lenz, seen here in a video from last year promoting the code. 

Proposed grain code morphs into sustainability ‘tool’

Group revamps controversial code after extensive consultations with buyers and farmers

After four years and considerable controversy, Canada’s grain industry has revamped its proposed code of practice by turning it into a sustainability “tool.” A cross-Canada working group developed the guide, which is focused on practices already widely employed by farmers and on raising awareness of that stewardship, according to the chair of the Canadian Roundtable

A freighter is loaded with grain from a terminal at Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet. (Maxvis/iStock/Getty Images)

Grains sector backed to develop export rejection insurance

Code of practice for 'sustainable' crops also in works

The organization representing Canada’s crops sector will get public funding to develop an insurance plan against the “unpredictability” of export customers. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, speaking Wednesday at the CropConnect conference in Winnipeg, announced over $430,000 for the Canada Grains Council to develop a pilot insurance product for grain exporters. Such an insurance plan


Little piglet in piggery with other pigs

Pork pain management rules begin July 1

All castration and tail docking will require pain management, a change the industry says it’s ready for

Another component of the updated Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs is about to come into effect, with the deadline to begin use of anesthetic and analgesics when castrating or docking tails set for July 1. While nearly all hog farmers are prepared for the new pain control requirements, a recent