Federal economic statement offers little for agriculture

Federal economic statement offers little for agriculture

Changes to underused housing tax and biofuel-related tax credit among few interest pieces

Glacier FarmMedia – Agriculture mentions were light as the federal government unveiled its 2023 Fall Economic Statement Nov. 21. A search of the 141-page document for the term “agriculture” revealed only a handful of results. One of the few sections of interest for farmers referred to the use of waste biomass to generate electricity and […] Read more

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Senate speaker rules members bullied other senators over Bill C-234

Senators threatened retaliation if colleagues didn't "give way", attempted to constrain them in their duties, says speaker

Hot-tempered Conservative senators' actions over lightning rod Bill C-234 constituted intimidation, the Senate speaker ruled yesterday. "Senators have explained how they felt threatened and intimidated in the performance of their duties, here where we should model the best behaviour for our fellow citizens," said speaker Raymonde Gagné in her decision yesterday.

(Photo: Dave Bedard/File)

Canada’s Indo-Pacific ag office takes step forward

The joint CFIA-AAFC venture is part of a plan to diversify exports to the Indo-Pacific region

The federal government took another step yesterday toward establishing its Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office (IPAAO) in Manila, Philippines, with the appointment of its first executive director. Federal ag minister Lawrence MacAulay announced that Diedrah Kelly had been appointed to the post. Kelly is a long-time representative of Global Affairs Canada and recently was Canada’s […] Read more

Dairy Farmers of Canada aims to be carbon neutral by 2050.

Feds offer funding to reduce methane

Up to $12 million available to producers, companies and organizations

The federal agriculture department recently launched the Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge for cow-calf, dairy and feedlot producers. The objective is to stimulate innovations that will reduce methane emissions in cattle.  Up to $12 million will be awarded to innovators who advance low-cost and scalable practices, processes and technologies. Why it matters: Cattle are major contributors […] Read more

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Ottawa lines up with farmers on right-to-repair

Feds to call for owners to be able to repair their own equipment

The federal government says it’s siding with Canadian farmers on the right-to-repair debate. An announcement this week from the federal government called for an adjustment to the Competition Act that would prevent manufacturers from refusing to provide the means of device and product repair in an “anti-competitive manner.” That declaration came in the government’s 2023 […] Read more


File photo of a desk in Canada’s Senate. (Dougall_Photography/iStock/Getty Images)

Opposition accuses feds of ‘playing games’ on Bill C-234 

Conservative shadow minister says new Liberal senators set bill up for failure

The Conservative shadow minister for Agriculture, Agri-Food and Food Security has accused the Liberal government of “playing games” with a bill that would grant Canadian farmers a carbon price exemption for natural gas and propane used for barn heating and grain drying.

Canadian Agriculture and Agrifood Minister, Lawrence McCauley (right) and CCC vice president, crop production and innovation, Curtis Rempel at the funding announcement at the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre at Glenlea, Man.
 Photo: Don Norman

Canola sector gets research boost

The federal government is putting up $9 million to drive the sustainable growth of Canada’s canola sector. The funding comes from the AgriScience Program—Clusters Component, an initiative under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership and was announced today (Nov. 14) in Winnipeg by Lawrence MacAulay, the federal agriculture minister. “This new Canola Cluster will build on […] Read more

File photo of a desk in Canada’s Senate. (Dougall_Photography/iStock/Getty Images)

Senate votes down C-234 amendments

Changes would have pulled barn and greenhouse heating from carbon price exemptions

The Senate voted today to reject amendments that would have seen barn and greenhouse heating removed from Bill C-234. In a sitting on the afternoon of Nov. 7, senators voted no to the adoption of amendments made by the committee for agriculture and forestry. Twenty-eight voted yes, and four abstained. The Senate then voted to […] Read more