Grain shippers hopeful promised policy remedies will come to fruition in the spring
Advocates are expressing optimism that promised new legislation from the federal government this spring will bring needed improvements to rail service for grain shippers after a crippling backlog in 2014 stalled shipments across the Prairies. Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevators Association (WGEA), an advocacy group for grain companies, said he expects […]
Saskatchewan managing its farmland as a strategic asset
PARLIAMENT HILL—Saskatchewan is managing farmland as the strategic asset that it is in this province. This means, among other things, keeping it available to our farmers and ranchers. Restrictions on farmland ownership in Saskatchewan have been in place in some form for over 40 years. We recently undertook significant public consultations in Saskatchewan to make […]
Farmers already struggling with energy costs await new carbon-tax environment
If farmers facing rising energy costs don’t get some relief from the government, they may have to figure out ways to lower input costs themselves. “This is a real, real concern for farmers,” said Serge Buy, CEO of the Agricultural Institute of Canada. “It’s a real concern in a lot of provinces. I know that […]
Agriculture
Feeding growing population an enormous challenge, plant science industry committed to research and development
Re: “Agribusiness mega-mergers won’t help to feed the world,” (The Hill Times, Jan. 18, p. ). The job of feeding the world as the population continues to grow is well recognized as an enormous challenge. What’s less well recognized is the farmers’ challenges of increasing threats from insects, weeds, and diseases. Pesticides and modern plant breeding innovations are […]
Fourth agricultural revolution can be a Canadian strength
TORONTO—U.S. President Donald Trump’s demagogic America First crusade makes the Trudeau government’s promised innovation strategy all the more important. Canada will need to develop new and more competitive products and services to meet diversified markets around the world. To deliver results, the promised innovation strategy should build on where we have demonstrated strengths and significant […]
Agribusiness mega-mergers won’t help to feed the world
Regulators around the world, including Canada’s Competition Bureau, are currently reviewing a trio of agribusiness mega-mergers that were announced over the last 13 months. Decisions on all three are expected by the end of 2017. The planned mergers—the marriage of Dow and Dupont, ChemChina’s purchase of Syngenta, and Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto—are collectively valued at […]
Canada can pick up where UN climate talks left off, help small-scale farmers
The Paris Agreement set the stage in 2015: agriculture and food matter to climate change. The Committee for World Food Security sent the same message to the world during its October meetings, that the climate is changing, so should our food. Agriculture was one of the important issues to be discussed at the UN climate […]
It’s time that food security be on the table
Food insecurity affects more than 4 million Canadians and involves issues of poverty, health care, agriculture, climate change, education, and more. In early December, the Senate Liberals hosted a public Open Caucus meeting to discuss what steps can be taken to address the issue of food security in Canada. There was a consensus that the […]
Making good on food promises
In 2012, the then-United Nations special rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter, visited Canada at the government’s request. It was the first such mission to an industrialized country. Government ministers at the time were vocal in their disapproval that a UN office focused on food security should consider a rich country like Canada worth a visit. […]
