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Finding ways to encourage risk taking in agriculture climate resiliency is one recommendation of a Farmers for Climate Solutions report.
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Farm group wants climate at forefront of COVID-19 recovery

Farmers for Climate Solutions says farmers should lead the way in providing solutions

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Reading Time: 4 minutes A coalition of farm organizations, including several in Ontario, is calling for a Canada-wide recovery plan from the COVID-19 pandemic that puts a strong emphasis on agricultural resilience to climate change. A report released recently by Farmers for Climate Solutions (FCS) — members of which include the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO), National Farmers […] Read more
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CEBA program extended to Oct. 31

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Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Emergency Business Account program (CEBA), which was due to wind up Aug. 31 has been extended to Oct. 31. The program has been helpful to some farmers, but not to many others who have expressed frustration with the reasons for rejection by the government agencies administering the program. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister […] Read more
Canadian farms are facing large structural changes in global agriculture.
News

Agriculture policy overhaul needed: report

COVID-19 has exposed significant challenges, needed changes

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Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Drastic changes to markets, labour conditions and public perceptions are driving a need for new agri-food policies, according to a report from industry experts. Agri-Food Economic Systems’ latest policy note identified 10 pressures on the industry, each one varying in “magnitude, significance, urgency and permanence.” The report cited massive losses in food […] Read more
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Ministers’ orders could mean faster development of farmland

CFFO says new powers could reduce local input into land use changes

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Reading Time: 3 minutes Updated Sept. 11, 2020 The COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act is already a matter of concern for some agricultural communities in the Region of Durham as well as the Town of Ajax. The bill, passed in the Ontario legislature on July 21 gives ministers broader powers to override local planning, which could put more farmland at […] Read more
Producer groups say the billion-dollar figure amounts are misleading and that individual account amounts are insignificant.
News

Money in AgriInvest accounts ‘disappointing’: Bibeau

Minister continues to advocate that the ‘first line’ money needs to be spent

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Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau maintains farmers who need cash should first look to any available money sitting in AgriInvest accounts “The last numbers I’ve seen did not show that farmers had used their accounts very much. Some sectors a little bit more, but not in a significant way the last […] Read more
CEBA provides up to $40,000 in interest-free loans and forgives $10,000 of that if the loan is paid off in 2022.
News

CEBA dollars prove difficult for farm access

Farms have trouble getting funding due to lack of business accounts

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Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Farmers continue to have issues applying for Canadian Emergency Business Account benefits after the federal government deemed them eligible weeks ago. The problem centres on the requirement to have a business account at financial institutions. When the program was announced small businesses had to have $50,000 in payroll to be eligible. They […] Read more
File photo of a pedestrian crossing in front of the World Trade Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland in 2019.
News

Opinion: Canada’s work to reform WTO is good sign

The world trade order is wonky and floundering and needs leadership

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Reading Time: 2 minutes Canada’s efforts to reform the World Trade Organization are commendable. It is apparent more countries are deciding to turn inward rather than focusing on multilateral trade relationships. The United States, India, Italy and others have all taken actions domestically that have negatively impacted the ability of Canadian farmers to enter those markets. Canadian Agri-Food Trade […] Read more
Canada's Agriculture and Agri-food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau.
News

Opinion: Bibeau’s value largely rests on ability to reform BRMs

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Reading Time: 2 minutes The long-term value current federal Minister of Agriculture Marie Claude Bibeau will provide to farmers hinges largely on her ability to reform business risk management programming. That is a difficult and expensive task. Recall the current plan to reform business risk management (BRM) programs was made way back in 2017, at the same time Ottawa […] Read more

Feds put up $58.6 M for temporary foreign worker supports

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Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – The federal government is announcing $58.6 million in new money to further support temporary foreign workers in Canada’s agricultural sector, it was announced July 31. Spending is expected to focus on health and safety of temporary foreign workers in Canada. Farmers will be eligible to access $35 million, administrated through Agriculture and […] Read more

Opinion: Ending carbon tax not an electable position for leadership candidates

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Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Canadians can be forgiven for offering little more than passing shrugs at the ongoing Conservative Party of Canada leadership race. The ongoing pandemic, the governing Liberals’ handling of it, and the WE Charity scandal side dish are consuming our attention. At least for me, the political and cultural fractures in the United […] Read more

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