The grain company rejoined the organization at its March 12 annual general meeting after nearly a nine-year hiatus.

“Richardson is a significant player in the industry in a number of different capacities, including as an exporter and processor, so it’s great to have them around the table as a member of the council,” said council president Chris Davison.

Richardson withdrew its funding from the canola council, the Flax Council of Canada and Soy Canada at the end of 2017.

It had been spending more than $1 million per year funding the three organizations.

“We don’t think we got the value out of it,” Jean-Marc Ruest, Richardson’s senior vice-president of corporate affairs, said at the time.

Davison said the council maintained a working relationship with Richardson over the ensuing years.

Recently he discussed the council’s updated priorities with the grain company.

“That led to a decision from them to rejoin the council as a regular member,” he said.

WHY IT MATTERS: Richardson was the only major grain company that was not a member of the council.

He doesn’t know what tipped the scale.

“That’s a question you might have to ask them,” said Davison.

“I think it’s more than one thing.”

Richardson was contacted for this story but did not reply in time to meet The Western Producer’s publication deadline.

One of Richardson’s original concerns surrounded the council’s extensive work on agronomy when the private sector had its own agronomists working in the countryside.

The council seemingly addressed that concern when it announced a “refreshed” strategic framework on July 31, 2025.

In that announcement, the organization said it would no longer maintain a field-based agronomy team.

Davison said the council will instead focus on maintaining or enhancing the ability to innovate, promoting canola’s role in biofuel, ensuring market access for canola products and conducting targeted market development around the world.

Exporters and processors provided $1.33 million, or 36 per cent, of the council’s core funding in 2025.

That compares to $1.55 million contributed by provincial grower groups, $750,000 from life science companies and $21,000 from affiliate memberships.

Davison would not divulge how much Richardson would be paying in 2026.

“We don’t talk about the amounts that individual organizations contribute,” he said.

However, he noted that it will be helpful to have the grain company back in the fold when it comes to tackling priorities and co-ordinating and aligning activities.

“The more of the industry that we have represented at the table the better that is,” said Davison.

Aaron Anderson of Richardson is one of three new directors for 2026-27. He will be a director-at-large nominated by the council’s board.

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Aaron Anderson of Richardson International is listed as one of three new directors for 2026-27.

Anderson will be a director-at-large nominated by the council’s board.

It is an interesting development because Richardson withdrew its funding from the Canola Council of Canada, the Flax Council of Canada and Soy Canada in late-2017.

It had been spending more than $1 million per year funding the three organizations.

“We don’t think we got the value out of it,” Jean-Marc Ruest, Richardson’s senior vice-president of corporate affairs, said at the time.

WHY IT MATTERS: The board appointment suggest industry heavyweight Richardson may have rejoined the commodity group.^

There were no press releases issued by either the canola council or Richardson about the company rejoining the fold.

The Western Producer has contacted both organizations and is waiting for a reply.

One of Richardson’s original concerns was over the canola council’s extensive work on agronomy when the private sector already had its own agronomists working in the countryside.

“Is there an element of duplication that should be looked at?” said Ruest at the time.

The council seemingly addressed that concern when it announced a “refreshed” strategic framework on July 31, 2025.

In that announcement, the organization said it would no longer maintain a field-based agronomy team.

The council said it would instead focus on three core priorities:

• Sustainable and reliable supply — growing the volume of Canadian canola to meet domestic and global market needs.
• Stable markets for value optimization — growing the economic value of canola by developing and defending markets for Canadian canola and canola products.
• Member service excellence — delivering continued value to members through council services and working to strengthen coordination and engagement with industry partners.

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Earlier that Friday, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a $5 billion package to aid businesses and industries facing tariffs and job losses. Of that, $370 million over two years was designated for canola producers and the domestic biofuel industry. Carney said that includes increasing that maximum interest free portion on the advance payments program from $250,000 to $500,000.

China recently hit its Canadian canola seed imports with a 75.8 per cent levy and previously slapped 100 per cent tariffs on canola oil and meal. The latter measures are believed to be in response to Ottawa’s 100 per cent duties on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles. The surcharge on the seed is part of China’s ongoing investigation into allegations of canola dumping by Canada.

‘Discouraged’

“We are discouraged with the government’s support package for the industry. The measures announced today do not reflect the seriousness of the challenge facing the value chain,” CCC president and CEO Chris Davison said in the press statement.

“Farmers should not be expected to borrow their way out of this situation,” added CCGA president and CEO Rick White. “The advanced payments program is not designed to provide the required support canola farmers need under this situation.”

Davison and White said the changes the federal government says it will make to enhance Canadian biofuel production don’t go far enough.

Rather than implementing financial supports, the two presidents said the feds need to resolve the trade issues with China.

“We are calling on the federal government to urgently work with us to provide meaningful and impactful support for the industry as we continue to navigate this trade crisis,” they said. “The federal government must pursue all avenues to resolve the current trade dispute with China and re-open that market for the Canadian canola industry.”

– With files from Jonah Grignon, Glacier FarmMedia

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The council announced July 31 the five-year framework includes a new focus for the industry and was developed with stakeholders across the value chain.

It said it will concentrate on three core priorities of ensuring sustainable and reliable supply to meet domestic and international needs, increasing the economic value of canola by developing and defending markets and delivering continued value to members.

As a result, the council is realigning its internal structure to meet the new priorities.

“This includes a re-focused agronomy function, with an eye to the future, that works to identify and address threats, production risks and innovations that will impact Canadian canola in the years ahead. As a result, the council will not maintain a field-based agronomy team moving forward,” the council said.

More to come.

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Today the Trump administration confirmed that previously announced tariffs of 25 per cent will be applied to imports of a broad range of Canadian goods, including canola seed, oil, and meal, effective immediately.

“The U.S. decision to go forward with 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian-grown canola and canola products will be felt across the canola value chain, with devastating impacts on farmers, input providers, canola crushing activities, and exports of canola seed, oil, and meal,” said Chris Davison, Canola Council of Canada (CCC) president and CEO, in a media release.

NUMBER ONE CANOLA MARKET

The U.S. is Canada’s number one market for canola exports and also a market that is highly integrated with the Canadian canola industry. Total export value in 2023 was $8.6 billion and in 2024 reached $7.7 billion, with record high volumes including 3.3 million tonnes of canola oil and 3.8 million tonnes of canola meal.

The national canola growers’ group also weighed in.

“The uncertainty created by this situation continues to impact farmers as they inch closer to planting the 2025 crop,” said Rick White, Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) president and CEO. “The damaging blow caused by tariffs will be felt by every canola farmer, starting with the price they receive at delivery and will extend to the full range of their operations, ultimately reducing farm profitability.”

A recent analysis completed by the CCC on the impact Canadian-grown canola has on the U.S. economy also draws attention to the economic benefits the U.S. derives from the Canadian canola industry, which averages US$11.2 billion per year and includes US$1.2 billion in wages.

There is U.S.-based processing and refining, transportation, bottling and packing, and it is also widely used in food products, restaurants, and the livestock sector on that side of the border.

STRENGTHENING TRADE RELATIONSHIPS

The two groups said they will be “focused on strengthening the Canada-U.S. trade relationship and amplifying the mutual benefit our nations receive from canola trade” by conducting advocacy activities in the U.S. and engaging with the Canadian government to advance the canola sector’s interests.

“The canola industry delivers a true win-win for both Canada and the U.S., and we must do everything we can to restore smooth, predictable, tariff-free canola trade between our two countries,” the release read.

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Board elections were held yesterday at the council’s annual general meeting, CCC said in a news release today.

Ritter takes over from Jennifer Marchand, who completed a two-year term as chair but remains as a director on the board.

Chris Anderson of DL Seeds and Tyler Groeneveld of Corteva Agriscience also joined the board. Outgoing members were David Kelner and Ryan McCann.

The CCC board for 2024 to 2025 is:

• Charles Fossay, Manitoba Canola Growers Association
• Justin Nanninga, Alberta Canola Producers Commission
• Dean Roberts, Canadian Canola Growers Association
• Ed Schafer, SaskCanola
• Ryan Law, Bunge
• Tracy Lussier, Louis Dreyfus Company
• Jeff Pleskach, Cargill Ltd.
• Kevin Wright, Archer Daniels Midlands Company
• Jarrett Beatty, Parrish & Heimbecker
• Jennifer Marchand, Cargill Ltd.
• Tessa Ritter, Viterra
• Trevor Veenendall, G3 Canada Ltd.
• Chris Anderson, DL Seeds
• Tyler Groeneveld, Corteva Agriscience
• Garth Hodges, BASF

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The Canola Council of Canada celebrated a return to normalcy at its annual meeting at the Canadian Crops Convention in Ottawa.

“Our theme this year is ‘from adversity to opportunity’ and I think that’s very fitting,” said Jim Everson, the group’s president.

Production has rebounded following the drought of 2021, meaning there’s opportunity to develop new markets again.

As the pandemic restrictions have eased, the industry has returned to being able to have important face-to-face meetings.

And exciting new developments like renewable diesel promise to supercharge demand in the future.

He spoke to Gord Gilmour of Glacier FarmMedia and Karen Briere of the Western Producer following the AGM on March 9.

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Such reductions of nitrous oxide from 2020 levels would fall well short of the Canadian government’s voluntary target of a 30 per cent cut, however.

Some farmers say using less fertilizer would jeopardize crop production in Canada, the world’s third-biggest wheat exporter. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government maintains that deep emission reductions are possible without mandatory fertilizer cuts.

A similar debate between farmers and government has led to large protests in the Netherlands, where that country is taking much stricter measures than Canada.

“We support the federal government’s strong push to reduce Canada’s emissions, but we cannot sacrifice food productivity,” said Karen Proud, CEO of Fertilizer Canada, whose members include manufacturers Nutrien and CF Industries.

The 14 per cent emissions cut would result from a “moderate” increase in nitrogen use and farmers’ adoption of better management practices, called 4R, which emphasize applying fertilizer of the right source, at the right rate and time and in the right place, the report from Fertilizer Canada and Canola Council of Canada said. Some farmers have already used the 4R approach for more than a decade.

Under that scenario, crop yields would increase even as emissions fall.

Farmers will adopt more sustainable practices if their costs are offset elsewhere, such as by higher crop revenue or government incentives, the report said.

Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said she welcomed the finding that better nutrient management can cut emissions by nearly half of the government’s goal. Fertilizer companies should also keep developing new products that produce lower emissions, Bibeau said.

Agriculture emissions account for 10 per cent of Canada’s overall emissions, and Trudeau’s government is aiming to cut national emissions by 40-45 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030.

— Rod Nickel is a Reuters correspondent in Winnipeg.

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“And what we found, which is consistent with other research projects, is that when you feed canola meal to dairy cows, the milk production increases, and typically milk quality as well,” said Brittany Dyck, a senior manager with the Canola Council of Canada. “That was observed in this study. And what we also observed was that … methane emissions were reduced as the amount of canola meal on the diet was increased.”

Why it matters: The higher fat content of canola meal compared to soybean meal appears to have milk quality and methane emission benefits. 

A canola council news release said the diets fed to cattle consisted of 52 per cent forage and 48 per cent concentrate, balanced with 16 per cent crude protein. For canola meal, the cattle were fed eight, 16 or 24 per cent canola meal in their rations.

“There’s no kind of magic number for how much canola meal to include in a diet, or there’s certainly no reason to restrict the amount of canola meal in a dairy diet based on the performance results that we see,” Dyck said. “So, cows do really well and continue to, and really, the best results were seen at that very high level.”

Gabriel de Oliveira Ribeiro, a University of Saskatchewan professor in the animal and poultry science department, said canola meal has a higher level of fat than soybean meal, resulting in lower methane emissions.

He credited the amount of food being eaten for the increase in milk production.

“For dairy cows, we always want to make them eat as much as they can because dry matter intake is really well correlated with milk production.” 

De Oliveira Ribeiro said feeding high levels of canola meal to cattle isn’t a concern.

“If they were overfeeding proteins, that would be a concern. But when we look at their diets, the protein content of their diet is really on the range that we would want.”

The canola council report said milk production climbed steadily in linear fashion when cattle were fed rations containing eight, 16 and 24 per cent canola meal.

The opposite was true for methane emissions.

“Intake was increasing, new production improved, and methane linearly decreased,” he said. “It would be interesting to have a few higher levels (of canola meal in rations) than that, to check where that stopped.”

Dyck said it is a step in the right direction for the dairy industry, which often receives scrutiny from consumers.

“The dairy industry is really innovative, and always doing a lot to really try and make sure that they are efficient, sustainable, and I think that’s really true,” Dyck said.

De Oliveira Ribeiro said he could see producers of dairy cattle adopting the findings of this study into their dairy cow rations.

This article was originally published at The Western Producer.

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Despite ongoing conversations, the Canola Council of Canada had been informed Chinese importers were no longer interested in purchasing Canadian canola seed.

Technical conversations, the release said, had not shown an “immediate resolution was possible.”

At this time, Canola Council President Jim Everson said, the industry had no choice but to try and find alternative markets for Canadian canola seed.

That news release confirmed what many in agriculture had feared for weeks, after Chinese officials pulled Richardson International’s export licence because of, still unproven, concerns about what it called “hazardous organisms.”

Canadian farmers are now caught in the middle of escalating trade and diplomatic tension between Ottawa and China, which also happens to buy 40 per cent of the canola Canada exports.

The fear now is whether the situation, which brings with it possible political and economic pain, will further escalate.

With spring seeding fast-approaching and agriculture markets upset by the uncertainty, the fear about what the dispute with China could mean for farmers’ bottom lines grows by the day.

Canada’s canola problem with China is yet another fire for Trudeau’s embattled Liberals to fight at a time when the party has spent much of 2019 on the defensive.

Internationally, Canada-China diplomatic relations are strained. China remains livid about Canada’s arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer for Chinese telecom giant Huawei, following an extradition requested from the United States.

Canada said the arrest was necessary to uphold the rule of law because Canada and the U.S. have an extradition treaty.

That did little to mute Chinese anger.

The diplomatic dispute has also cost Canada its ambassador to China, who was fired by the prime minister after he suggested to reporters Wanzhou had a strong legal case.

Closer to home, the Trudeau government has spent more than month on the defensive following allegations the prime minister’s office inappropriately pressured the former attorney general in relation to a file involving SNC Lavalin.

It’s a political crisis that has seen two cabinet ministers, a senior adviser to the prime minister and the clerk of the privy council (this country’s top bureaucrat) resign and triggered a 31-hour voting marathon in the House of Commons.

The possibility of a drawn-out dispute with China over canola exports is also unlikely to do the Liberals any favours in Western Canada, where the economy is already a hot-button issue thanks to troubles in the energy sector.

The agriculture sector is a major employer in Western Canada. In Alberta alone, it’s estimated 3,000 jobs are directly tied to canola, with 70 per cent of the province’s exports to China related to canola.

Then, there are the political concerns. Those who follow Canadian politics know that the East-West political divide is as much reality as the urban-rural spread. With a federal election just around the corner, fears over western alienation are re-emerging.

From the start, the Trudeau government only had a handful of western voices in its caucus outside of British Columbia, thanks to the fact western Canadian voters, particularly on the Prairies, tend to vote Conservative.

Both Liberal MPs from Calgary now sit as independents. Edmonton MP Amarjeet Sohi, Trudeau’s natural resources minister, has his hands full with the economic and market access struggles of Canada’s oil and gas sector — another file of great importance to many Western Canadians.

Fellow Edmontonian Randy Boissonault, meanwhile, sits on the House of Commons justice committee that until recently was handling the SNC Lavalin affair.

The task of finding a solution to the canola problem has fallen to International Trade Minister Jim Carr. The importance of the file is not lost on him. The Richardson’s family has deep ties to Winnipeg – where Carr is from.

Carr has said there is no scientific basis for China’s concerns about pests in Canadian canola.

Conversations between Canadian and Chinese officials are ongoing. While Beijing has provided preliminary technical evidence, so far there’s been no sign the Chinese are willing to change their minds on the issue.

Carr is scheduled to testify in front of the House international trade committee on the canola-China dispute in early April alongside Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau.

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