Mar 18 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Farming will be a much different occupation 25 years from now. Ottawa—While the farm of the future will look considerably different than today’s typical operation, there will be one constant over the years, says Howard Mains, the head of Tactix Consulting. Consumers will demand to know more and more about their food and farmers […]
Mar 13 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — CFIA found no evidence of pests or bacteria of concern in Canadian canola. Ottawa—Canada has told China to prove its claims of contaminated Canadian canola because an investigation by Canadian officials found neither pests nor bacteria of concern in the oilseed shipped by Richardson International. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said the Canadian Food Inspection […]
Mar 12 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Congestion problems peaked through the fall. Ottawa—The Canadian Transportation Agency is asking the railways, primarily CN, for more information on congestion and service problems in the Vancouver area last fall that prompted complaints by shipper groups. The CTA asked CN seven questions and CP two and invited shippers who participated in the first phase […]
Mar 11 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — The agriculture sector could become part of the climate change solution. OTTAWA—Frustration with the federal government’s failure to deal with the agrifood sector’s complaints about the impact of the carbon tax on their operations flared up among delegates to the Canadian Federation of Agriculture annual general meeting. A long winded presentation by Environment Canada […]
Mar 6 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — MacAulay highlighted the issue shortly before he was moved from the agriculture portfolio. Ottawa – The back page of the March 5 issue of the Hill Times, the twice weekly report on Parliament Hill and the federal government, screamed out the problem bedeviling the agrifood sector. The full page ad from the Canadian Meat […]
Mar 5 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Agrifood groups have a long list of action items for Marie-Claude Bibeau. Ottawa—In recent months, national agrifood organizations began taking a two pronged approach to advancing their interests with the federal government adopting a short term plan leading up to the October election and a long term one for after the vote. The surprise shuffle […]
Feb 26 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Ottawa—New federal livestock transportation regulations are disappointing when it comes to the best outcome for animals and poultry being shipped, agrifood groups say. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association said in a statement the Canadian Food Inspection Agency should have waited for the completion of research funded in part by Agriculture Canada on best practices to ensure […]
Feb 21 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Government payments transformed from a lifejacket to an enabler for the sector. Ottawa—In the graphs and understated prose of the Farm Income, Financial Conditions and Government Assistance Data Book compiled by Agriculture Canada is the story of a remarkable turnaround in the farm sector during the last decade. Based on 2016 numbers, the Book […]
Feb 19 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — The federal government has to take a bigger picture view of helping them to adjust. Ottawa—Chicken, turkey and egg producers will take a serious hit in the coming years from increased imports allowed under free trade deals and they want the federal government to take big picture view of helping them to adapt. That […]
Feb 6 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Ottawa–Transport Minister Marc Garneau surprised the Hamilton and Oshawa port authorities Feb. 5 by proposing they be amalgamated into a new entity. Equally surprising he didn’t include the Toronto Port Authority in the equation. “This action is being taken to improve port efficiencies and planning in the region,” Garneau said in a statement. The port […]
Feb 5 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Backers in the agrifood industry are aiming to have program ready this fall. Ottawa—A lot of behind the scenes work has gone into an agrifood industry led initiative to make the Canada Brand a draw to consumers around the world. The goal is to have the strategy ready for whomever forms the government after […]
Feb 4 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — 4-H, Farm Management Canada and Farm Credit trying to raise awareness. Ottawa – Rural Canada will see the rollout this year of several programs to raise awareness of mental health issues, the Commons agriculture committee has been told. 4-H Canada will launch a healthy living initiative in three phases to support the mental and […]
Jan 31 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Until the program is working, it will be hard to assess its usefulness, experts say. Ottawa–– A new federal program to attract foreign workers to rural and northern communities might be a start in solving the chronic worker shortage that affects farms and food processors across the country, says the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. CFA […]
Jan 30 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Bernadette Jordan has lots to do before the October election, says PM. Ottawa—Prime Minister Trudeau has given his new rural economic development minister her marching orders but they’re virtually silent when it comes to helping agrifood reach its $75 billion export target set in the 2017 budget. The mandate letter for Bernadette Jordan says […]
Jan 29 2019 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Four areas of possible reform launched. Ottawa— The 13 partners in a Canadian led initiative to modernize the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have agreed to seek more members and launch discussions on four specific areas of reform. Known as the Ottawa Group, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the European Union, Japan, Kenya, […]