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
Tag Archives politics — page 20
Opinion: Ending carbon tax not an electable position for leadership candidates
Opinion: Business risk management reform remains possible
Among the long list of complaints to government from producers in recent months, their concern over business risk management programs has been the most consistent. Other grievances remain. The carbon tax is an irritant, but the now-futile campaign against it has lost steam throughout the pandemic. Lack of labour and access to foreign trade markets […] Read more
WTO trade pledge applauded
Glacier FarmMedia – The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance is applauding the World Trade Organization for its commitment to stable international trade during the COVID-19 crisis. Canadian officials joined other WTO countries in committing to maintain essential global links during the pandemic. Why it matters: Maintaining strong trading relationships and open international markets is vital to […] Read more
Grain farmer attack ads come with risk
Many of the frustrations of grain farmers are with issues outside of COVID-19 impact
The tone of a new advertising campaign created by Grain Farmers of Ontario has created division in the agriculture sector during the COVID-19 crisis. “You’ve already seen the empty shelves. The food supply chain is breaking,” says the advertisement, which comes from Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO). A worried-sounding narrator talks about food shortages over […] Read more
Opinion: Federal government knew impact of CUSMA timing on dairy
The federal government is willing to let Canadian dairy producers lose out on millions of dollars as a result of the new trade deal with the United States and Mexico. When MPs in Ottawa listened to testimony from agricultural leaders on the passage of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) in February, the bulk of concerns were […] Read more
Grain farmers target prime minister with attack ad
Grain farmers have not got same the funding attention from government as other sectors of the economy
Ontario’s grain farmers have launched an ominous, American-style attack ad aimed at Canada’s prime minister. “You’ve already seen the empty shelves. The food supply chain is breaking,” says the advertisement, which comes from Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO). A worried-sounding narrator talks about food shortages over visuals of ramshackle barns. The ad (see below), which […] Read more
CFA calls for emergency federal funding
The national organization warns of a “tipping point” for agriculture
Glacier FarmMedia – The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) wants the federal government to immediately prioritize food production by creating an emergency fund or financial backstop for farmers as part of its response to COVID-19. “We must ensure Canada’s domestic food supply is secure, not only for the duration of this battle, but long into […] Read more
Sorting through COVID-19 programs
Federal and provincial governments have created significant programs to support businesses and farmers. Here’s a summary.
COVID-19 has affected farmers and agri-businesses across all sectors of the agriculture industry. Provincial and federal governments are providing funding and options for producers as they deal with the pandemic’s effects. Why it matters: Some agriculture and food systems are struggling during COVID-19, especially farm and processing labour. Tax filing The Canadian Revenue Agency has […] Read more
Opinion: Keeping up in a fast-moving COVID-19 world
Foreign worker confusion shows the speed things are changing
It is difficult to write something timely about a situation that unfolds by the moment, as a glimpse into how matters have evolved in Ottawa over the past few days surely shows. The true impact of COVID-19 won’t be known for some time, especially because there is no clear indication as to how long the […] Read more
U.S. cash farm income expected to slump as government aid drops
Crop farmers are expected to face continued pressure from low prices
Reuters – U.S. net cash farm income will fall 11 per cent this year as production costs rise and government aid programs set up to assist producers during the U.S.-China trade war wind down, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast issued on Feb. 5. The drop, of $13.1 billion in inflation-adjusted 2020 dollars, […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
