China wants livestock farmers to use less corn and soybeans, which could increase demand for wheat, barley and peas
China’s new feedgrain policy should be a boon for western Canadian farmers, says an analyst. Reuters reports that the world’s largest consumer of the commodity issued new guidelines on April 21 recommending that hog and poultry producers use less corn and soymeal in their rations. The country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued a […] Read moreTag Archives COVID-19 virus
Producers face increased uncertainty as seeding begins
Farmers will be anxiously watching the skies this spring, hoping for needed moisture but hoping to avoid seeding slowdowns. Regardless of moisture, they’ll be farming beneath heavens that are filled with clouds that could part to reveal a beautiful sun or break out with furious storms. These clouds are the stories and issues hanging over […] Read more
Grain transportation faces post-pandemic challenges
Grain transportation was a smashing success during the first year of the pandemic, but post-pandemic times might contain some challenges revealed during COVID-19. That’s the view of agricultural economists Richard Gray of the University of Saskatchewan and Mohammad Torshizi of the University of Alberta. “The COVID-19 experience demonstrates that if industry recognizes that change is […] Read more
Meat plants receive funding
The federal government is investing $12.2 million through the Emergency Processing Fund for 42 meat processing companies in Ontario. The funding is designed to help recipients adopt measures to keep employees safe and increase the capacity of the facilities. This includes making adjustments to enable social distancing, purchasing reusable personal protective equipment, implementing biosecurity measures, […] Read more
Budget receives mostly positive reviews
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture says it is “pleased” the recent federal budget included some of its recommendations. Federal Finance Minister Chyristia Freeland’s first budget included significant spending to help producers transition to a greener economy, naming agriculture as a foundational pillar of Canada’s future. “CFA will be working closely with the federal government to […] Read more
Health officials should follow advice of migrant advocates
Reports of vaccinations for seasonal farm employees and workers at processing plants is encouraging, but more attention must be paid to the needs of international farm workers. Despite the federal government failing to adopt more assertive measures dictating when these essential workers will receive their shots, many provinces are starting to report COVID-19 vaccinations are […] Read more
Carbon tax refunded on natural gas, propane
Federal government commits in its budget to returning some of the money collected on those fuels; details expected later
The federal government says it recognizes farmers’ use of natural gas and propane and will return some of the carbon tax paid on those fuels. The April 19 budget, the first since 2019 and the first delivered by finance minister Chrystia Freeland, estimated farmers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario could receive $100 million in […] Read more
Easing COVID tensions at home starts with the parents
Q: Before the pandemic, I watched my wife drive off early in the morning to go to work, followed closely by the school bus emptying our house of all children heading to their classrooms. This left behind a somewhat lonely moment in solitude. That changed when the pandemic hit. At first it was fun and […] Read more
Labour shortage deepens for prairie farmers
About three million Canadians lost their jobs last spring as COVID-19 forced thousands of businesses to shut their doors or lay off staff. Meanwhile, many farmers needed employees last spring and summer, but few Canadians applied for farm jobs, despite record levels of unemployment across the country. A survey of farm operators has found that […] Read more
Agriculture a standout performer in midst of pandemic
Borders and international trade networks kept operating for agricultural trade even when other sectors were interrupted
Sometimes the biggest development is when little happens. Even though there were many temporary and limited disruptions of Canada’s domestic and export food and agriculture industries during the first year of the pandemic, the most significant result has been a sector that is operating at close to normal, according to an analysis by William Kerr […] Read more
