With the signing of the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or NAFTA 2.0, farmer groups opposed to the American administration’s America-first, trade policies are stepping back from their ramparts, but only a little. Farmers for Free Trade is a bipartisan American producers’ campaign to remove or prevent tariffs and trade barriers and came about as it […] Read more
Opinion — page 2
U.S farmers still push for freer trade
Canadian food banks see steady increase in demand
As the holiday season descends on us, the annual pleas for donations to local charities ring loud amid the merriment of the season. It’s the season of giving. A time to lend an extra helping hand to those who need it most. A new report from the Ontario Association of Food Banks shows the need […] Read more
Letters to the editor – December 6, 2018
Supply management key to chicken industry Re: “Has Chicken Industry Lost Out?” WP, Nov. 15. No, the Canadian chicken industry has not lost out. In fact, it continues to gain. Chicken continues to be the first choice of Canadians. Per capita consumption grew again this past year, for the fourth year in a row. Overall, […] Read more
Feds keep eye on how farms manage leasing expenses
The federal finance department has already indicated that it is taking aim at family farm businesses structured as corporations and the way income removed from the corporations is treated for tax purposes. Payouts to family members are usually most heavily taxed as straight income but to a lesser degree as dividends. The intent of the […] Read more
Blog: To tidewater or bust
Western Canada is suffering from inadequate infrastructure to get commodities to tidewater, but the path to address the shortcoming is unclear. In 2012, then Prime Minister Stephen Harper moved to fast track the approval process for large infrastructure projects in Canada by giving cabinet ministers discretion on the scope of environmental assessments needed for developments. […] Read more
BLOG: Looking at construction through the gender lens
During the G20 meeting at Buenos Aires, Argentina, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau discussed why it’s important to look through a gender lens when considering large infrastructure projects. “You might not say what does a gender lens have to do with building this new highway or pipeline. Well, there are gender impacts when you bring construction […] Read more
BLOG: Should public scientists talk to the public?
In November of 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent a mandate letter to each of his ministers, including Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay. In the letter, Trudeau made it clear that the federal government should be open and transparent. “It is time to shine more light on government to ensure it remains focused on the people […] Read more
Grinning and bearing it on NAFTA2
I doubt I’m the only Canadian not exactly celebrating the official Big Man Signing of NAFTA2, which happened this morning. After all, it’s pretty much a case of Canada and Mexico making a bunch of concessions in order to stop U.S. President Donald J Trump tearing up NAFTA entirely and leaving us in a never-ending […] Read more
Trust in food system falls, but opportunities still exist
It was a surprise to see public trust in the food system drop in the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity’s 2018 survey of consumers, but it might not be as bad as it looks, and there is opportunity in consumers’ hunger for more information. For the first time in 12 years, consumers who feel the […] Read more
Agricultural associations still relevant
Compared to most farmers I meet, I came into the world of agriculture much later in life. I grew up in Vancouver where there is not a lot of farming. It was rare even to find a backyard garden. Lucky for me, the area I grew up in had an abundance of wild berries and […] Read more
