Farmers and farm workers feel we finally have a seat at the Canadian immigration table with the recent Agri-Food Immigration Pilot project announced in July. At last we can say agriculture is part of Canada’s official immigration plan, with the new immigration pilot allowing 2,750 federal immigration spots. Farm workers and butchers of all skill […] Read more
Tag Archives politics — page 24
Opinion: Agriculture is finally at the immigration table
Recent pilot program is a large step to making immigration work for agriculture
Comment: China’s meat import move risks stoking consumer anger
An extremely Chinese tight market for pork leaves little room to reject Canada’s exports
Glacier FarmMedia – China’s rejection of all Canadian meat is a stunning act considering forecasts that pork prices there will rise 70 per cent or more in the coming months, topping records hit in 2016, as its hog herd staggers under the onslaught of African swine fever. Pork is by far the most important meat […] Read more
Province makes internet investment promise official
Conservatives commit to improve rural internet and cellular phone service
The Ontario government is investing $315 million over five years to expand internet access and cell phone service to more rural and remote families in the province. Premier Doug Ford made the announcement July 23 in Lucan, with several cabinet ministers in attendance. “Twelve per cent of communities don’t have cell signal or high speed […] Read more
Federal government funding $6 million to Canada Pork International
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has announced $6 million will be invested in Canada Pork International (CPI) to focus on strengthening, diversifying and growing of Canada’s pork exports. It will help to boost the awareness of the industry in the priority international markets. Why it matters: A halt to exports to China has made finding other […] Read more
U.S. hog farmers benefit from diverse markets
They were significantly less affected by declining Chinese market access than soybean or sorghum farmers
Reuters – U.S. hog farmers lost hundreds of millions of dollars in export sales to China and Mexico after President Donald Trump launched his trade wars last year. But the sector has largely offset those massive losses by cobbling together new customers in smaller markets from Colombia to Vietnam, according a Reuters analysis of data […] Read more
France’s Hulot calls on parliament to vote against EU-Canada trade deal
Paris | Reuters – Popular former environment minister Nicolas Hulot on Monday urged the French parliament to vote against the EU-Canada trade deal in a last-minute bid to block the agreement. The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) provisionally took effect from September 2017, but still needs to be approved by all 28 EU […] Read more
Hopping mad
Why a move by Clearview Township to restrict some on-farm processing could have implications for value-adding across the province
Clearview Township hops grower says a bylaw passed earlier this year means it has fewer rights than apple and grape growers to market directly to consumers. The bylaw passed in March means no farmers other than those growing grapes and apples can create consumer products on farm with an alcohol content. While apple growers can […] Read more
Agriculture best understands its own program needs
Letter to the editor: Moving CAP funding for organizations from agri-food to the bureaucracy makes little sense
Dear Editor, In the end, who understands the issues of farming, agriculture and agri-food better than the industry itself? Recently, the province launched a program, called “Place to Grow: Agri-food Innovation Initiative, – a program which will help drive innovation, reduce red-tape, and address industry priorities”. From their media release, “under the Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP), this initiative […] Read more
Agriculture minister says progress made on reducing bureaucratic burdens
After a year in power, Ernie Hardeman touts attention to mental health by OMAFRA
The provincial Conservative government has found the first steps it has taken to reduce bureaucracy for farmers to be obvious and easy ones. After consultations “the things that were brought forward we could do without difficulty to make life easier,” said Ernie Hardeman, Ontario’s minister of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs in an interview to […] Read more
Ottawa announces funds to attract youth in agriculture
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau recently announced a new investment of up to $3.75 million designed to help bring youth into the agriculture industry. The Youth Employment and Skills Program will provide funding to employers in agriculture to hire Canadian youth, ages 15 to 30. It aims to create opportunities for Canadian youth, […] Read more
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