(Staff photo)

Federal food policy consultations underway

The long-discussed-and-debated notion of a public pan-Canadian food policy has taken a move forward with a new online survey from the federal government. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay on Monday announced an initial round of consultations and called on the public to “share their input to help shape a food policy that will cover the entire

grain cars

Grain sector likes transportation act changes

Time will tell, but the industry says the Bill C-49 changes should lead to better grain service

After decades of complaining about poor rail service for grain, western farmers and shippers say Bill C-49, the Transportation Modernization Act, is close to what they’ve been asking for. Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA), which represents Western Canada’s major elevator companies, said it includes most of the changes it


Trade minister knows rural trade concerns

His constituency in Quebec is also home to many dairy farmers

Trade Minister François Philippe Champagne likes to talk about how the proposed trade deal with Europe will eventually see most Canadian exports to the continent enter duty free. At the same time, his political circumstances make him well aware of rural concerns about the deal’s impacts, he told the Senate foreign affairs committee. In addition

organic produce section of store

Organic industry pushes back on regulatory changes

Sector spokespersons say moving rules governing organic production under a 
larger regulatory framework will limit market opportunities and create 
needless new certification requirements

A spokesperson with Canadian Organic Growers (COG) says the organic industry is confident it’s made a strong case against having its rules shifted into a larger regulatory framework. At issue is the migration of the Organic Products Regulation (OPR) into the Safe Foods for Canadians regulation. In 2012, the passage of the Safe Foods for


Government grilled on Agriculture Day

Most of the responses included little new information offered up in the heat of the debate

Opposition senators and MPs celebrated Canada’s Agriculture Day Feb. 16 by grilling the government on farm policy but reaped little for their efforts. However, Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay rebounded Conservative Farm Critic David Anderson’s call for a return to farmers of a $100-million surplus the Canadian Grain Commission racked up in recent years. It was

Canada’s supply management model for world: MacAulay

A new, national dairy ingredient strategy has yet to be implemented, 
but that hasn’t stopped southern farmers from fretting

If American dairy producers are upset with new ingredient strategies north of the border, Canada’s federal government hasn’t heard about it — at least not through official channels. Speaking at a conference in Winnipeg last week, Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-Food minister said he isn’t aware of protectionist concerns coming out of the U.S. and that


MacAulay pitches importance of Canada-U.S. agri-food trade

At a recent meeting of U.S. agriculture legislators he pointed out the balanced nature 
of agriculture and food trade between the two countries

Amid rumblings of U.S. action against Canadian agri-food imports, Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay recently spelled out the importance of cross-border trade to American agriculture leaders. In a speech in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to the annual meeting of the State Agriculture Leaders and the Legislative Agriculture Chairs Summit, MacAulay said in 2016, “$50 billion in agriculture

Dairy Commissioner Jennifer Hayes.

Jennifer Hayes named dairy commissioner

Outspoken supply management advocate latest member of industry body

Jennifer Hayes, a Shigwake, Que. dairy producer, is now commissioner of the Canadian Dairy Commission. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced the three-year term Jan. 3. The CDC is a Crown corporation established in 1966 to co-ordinate federal and provincial dairy policies and create a control mechanism for milk production aimed to avoid shortages and surpluses,


Processor-producer spat back in the open

Ingredient pricing disagreement wasn’t causing any sparks in recent times but it was always in the background

Food processors and supply-managed farmers are upset with each other again, over border controls for ingredients. Consultations launched by Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay on contentious agri-food border issues brought the old dispute back into public view. The minister said the consultations will examine potential changes to the Duties Relief and the Import for Re-Export programs.

Herd of Holstein Friesian cows

Dairy sector gets $350 million from feds

The investment is intended to offset losses expected in the sector when CETA is implemented

Dairy farmers and processors are welcoming a $350-million investment in their sector ahead of the Canada-Europe Trade Agreement coming into force. The $250 million over five years, available through the Dairy Farm Investment Program, will assist farmers to update their equipment to improve productivity, said an announcement from Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay. The money would