When Manitoba New Democrats campaign this month in the provincial election race, they will be able to brag in rural ridings that the provincial farm economy is much stronger this year than elsewhere on the Prairies. According to Agriculture Canada’s farm income projections for 2003, Manitoba’s realized net farm income of $615 million will be […] Read more
Stories by Barry Wilson
APF funds called into question
In the midst of friction between Ottawa and farm groups over the proposed agricultural policy framework, Agriculture Canada projections of record program payments to farmers this year are raising questions about whether the promised $1.8 billion annually under the APF will be able to meet future needs. The department projects that in 2003, a record […] Read more
Report’s author says he was independent of Ottawa
RED DEER – One of the chief authors of a third-party review that largely endorsed the government design of new farm safety nets insists he was not paid to give the federal government the answer it wanted. Larry Martin, chief executive officer of the Guelph, Ont.-based George Morris Centre, said in an interview May 1 […] Read more
Farm safety net fight won’t die
The national farm lobbies that have formed the backbone of opposition to government proposals for new farm safety net designs continue to denounce a so-called “third party” assessment of the government’s plan as incomplete and unconvincing. But while one group vows to carry on the fight, another plans to move on to other issues, unhappily […] Read more
CFA tussles with CBC news show
Briefly last week, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture thought it would get a dose of valuable national television exposure in its fight against Ottawa’s agricultural policy framework. Then, after political wheels ground within political wheels, and the CBC became suspicious that the farm lobby was trying to manipulate the network, the appearance was scuttled. The […] Read more
One grain lobby group decides to pick its battles – Opinion
More than two months ago, during the countdown to the scheduled April 1 launch of the agricultural policy framework and its controversial safety net programs, a senior rural Liberal MP lamented the “brinkmanship” that had gone on between Agriculture Canada and dissenting farm groups. Paul Steckle, chair of the House of Commons agriculture committee, urged […] Read more
Critics question validity of consultant’s report
Consultants hired by Agriculture Canada to review projected benefits of the agricultural policy framework found exactly what skeptical farm leaders predicted they would – APF proposals live up to their federal billing as a better farm policy structure. Federal agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief touted the results as proof that proposals now being implemented are good […] Read more
Federal farm policy still on track
For many farm leaders opposed to the design of Ottawa’s proposed new farm safety net package, the writing seems to be on the wall – the federal government is determined to push the agricultural policy framework into existence this year despite strong farm opposition. Last week’s “third party” review, paid for by Ottawa and endorsing […] Read more
Fisheries toughens ag enforcement
Farmers across the country have to expect a growing vigilance by governments in trying to stop contamination of inland fish habitat by farm pollutants, says the head of Environment Canada’s prairie enforcement unit for Fisheries Act violations. “The big message to farmers is that they have to do whatever is necessary to stop runoff of […] Read more
No growth in trade
The World Trade Organization is warning that war, international tensions and some shaky world economies point to little growth in trade volumes this year. The Geneva-based organization said trade is expected to grow by less than three percent this year, well below typical 1990s growth rates. “These trade figures reflect the growing economic and political […] Read more
