Tokyo | Reuters — Member nations of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on Wednesday officially agreed to allow the United Kingdom to start the process of joining the pact, Japan’s economy minister said. Japanese Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters he welcomed the start of Britain’s joining process after hosting an […] Read more
Trans-Pacific trade partners agree for U.K. to start joining process
Five-year phase-in underway for farm boiler inspections
Agricultural exemption was highlighted by auditor-general in 2018 and will soon be closed
A five-year phase-in is now underway for owners of pressure boilers used in agricultural applications to bring their equipment into compliance with Ontario regulations. The change affects greenhouse operators and some maple syrup producers, wineries and mushroom growers. Why it matters: Compliance with TSSA regulations will increase safety for farm operators who use boilers. “The […] Read more
India’s federal police probe bosses of two fertilizer companies
Large-scale nutrient purchases often known to sway spot prices
Mumbai | Reuters — Indian authorities have opened an investigation into the heads of two leading fertilizer importing companies, alleging they secured commissions from overseas suppliers for inflating the prices of crop nutrient purchases. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India’s top crimefighting agency, said late Wednesday it was investigating U.S. Awasthi, managing director of […] Read more
Federal reprieve for imidacloprid cuts its application rates
Proposal for near-total ban rejected in Health Canada's final decision
A member of the neonicotinoid family of insesticides and seed treatments has been pulled back from the brink of an all-out ban in Health Canada’s final re-evaluation ruling. Most agricultural uses of imidacloprid — sold by Bayer under brands such as Gaucho, Merit and Admire, and by Adama under brands such as Alias and Sombrero […] Read more
COVID-19 underscores the labour shortage impact
Study shows sector vulnerability to labour shocks like a pandemic
COVID-19 has pushed the already-dire labour shortage in agriculture into sharp relief, and the numbers aren’t promising for the future. The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council’s (CAHRC) recent survey, Understanding the Effects of COVID-19 on Canada’s Agriculture Workforce, took the pulse of how COVID-19 has impacted agriculture. Why it matters: The pandemic has accelerated the […] Read more
Ex-GFO CEO to manage Seeds Canada
Barry Senft to help build up merged seed-industry group
The four Canadian seed industry organizations now operating as Seeds Canada have named their first organizer-in-chief. Barry Senft, whose resume in Canadian agriculture includes stints as CEO for Grain Farmers of Ontario, executive director for the Canadian International Grains Institute, chief commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission and second vice-president for Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, becomes […] Read more
Tory MP’s bill on farm transfer tax treatment moves ahead
Private member's bill now awaits Senate approval
A Manitoba Conservative MP’s bill to standardize the tax treatment for sales of farms and other small businesses has cleared the House of Commons and is en route to the Senate. Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire’s Bill C-208, which was introduced for first reading in February last year, passed third reading in the Commons on Wednesday. […] Read more
‘Extreme drought’ expands in Prairies
Southern Manitoba, southeastern Saskatchewan parched
MarketsFarm — The newly released map from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Drought Monitor (CDM) shows the Prairies’ ongoing drought getting worse. According to AAFC’s nationwide map released on Friday, southwestern Manitoba, parts of southern Saskatchewan and the southeast corner of Alberta are under CDM’s classification of Extreme (D3) drought as of April 30. Communities […] Read more
Province to fund worker safety, automation tech
The pandemic created risk where workers had to be close together
Ontario is investing $22 million to try to spark sector-specific innovation, especially related to worker safety. The Agri-Tech Innovation Program is a cost-share initiative spurring large and small farm operations and processors to adopt innovative and new technologies to increase the health and safety of workers and increase efficiencies and productivity. Why it matters: The […] Read more
Editorial: Inflation worries
Gen Xers have enjoyed the stability the economic system has given them
I’ve been lucky to have spent most of my adult life in very stable economic times. Interest rates have been low and steady. Global trade and economic growth have been measured and predictable. Governments mostly spent within their means. Then the pandemic roiled trading systems, supply chains and supply and demand and that’s made me […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
