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
Tag Archives politics — page 25
Ottawa announces funds to attract youth in agriculture
Senate committee hears that soils need new priority
Soil experts testify that the federal government should take a greater role in soil research and data management
The Senate committee on Agriculture and Forestry recently heard that agricultural soil is declining, and the issue needs more attention from the federal government. Five presenters, including several from Ontario, told the committee that trends to less tillage have declined as crop prices have generally been strong and farms have grown larger. Why it matters: […] Read more
Editorial: Markets, trade variables disrupt usual farm outlook
New layers of challenge keep being thrown over farmers trying to run their businesses in Ontario this spring. Wait, it actually started last fall, with a late and burdensome harvest, marked by unprecedented corn quality issues. High levels of DON in corn across the province, but concentrated in unlucky pockets, meant some farmers had to […] Read more
Opinion: Swine fever brings trade adversaries together
Capital Letters with Kelsey Johnson of iPolitics
At a time of frosty diplomatic relations and continued trade disputes, the world’s top animal health experts, industry and governments are banding together to fight a deadly hog virus. More than 150 officials from about 15 countries descended on Ottawa recently for a global forum on African swine fever. Their goal: to share information, learn […] Read more
Trade war fund needed for grain farmers: GFO
There are increased concerns now that it looks like the U.S. will further subsidize its farmers
Grain Farmers of Ontario is calling for the federal government to create a fund so that grain farmers are protected from losses during global trade disputes. Why it matters: American farmers received almost $9 billion last year from the American government to cover losses from trade and U.S. President Donald Trump recently promised $15 billion […] Read more
Politics often at heart of China trade retaliations
Researchers say the ultimate goal of retaliatory tariffs is to inflict economic loss on influential interest groups
China hasn’t just manipulated its regulatory system to block Canadian agriculture imports. Its use of phytosanitary standards to hurt foreign suppliers has been used against small countries similar to Canada and also against the United States. Why it matters: China is less restrained when using trade retaliation against smaller countries. “China refused bananas from the […] Read more
Opinion: Hurdles remain for North American trade agreement
Capital Letters with Kelsey Johnson of iPolitics
The chance of the United States-Canada-Mexico Agreement (USMCA) being ratified before the next Canadian federal election has likely slumped after a new American commission report found the deal would have a moderate impact on the American economy. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) released its highly anticipated analysis of the pending trade agreement in mid […] Read more
Opinion: Farmers caught in the middle
Capital Letters with Kelsey Johnson of iPolitics
From a young age, children are taught that words matter. They are repeatedly told that they should “use their words” and that the best stories are ones told in a language their audience (meaning their parents, teachers, siblings, classmates) can understand. These same communication rules apply to the agriculture industry. For years, the sector has […] Read more
OMAFRA takes a large cut in Ontario budget
Investments made in broadband internet, focus put on reducing deficit
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) was budgeted for a cut of more than $200 million by 2020 in the recent provincial budget. The first budget from the provincial Progressive Conservative government included modest increases to health and education budgets, but cuts to most other ministries, including agriculture. The actual budget […] Read more
Province hears from farmers on carbon tax
There’s little enthusiasm from the premier on a high speed rail proposal
The provincial Conservative government is continuing its push to negate the federal carbon tax. Premier Doug Ford, Rod Phillips, minister of environment, conservation and parks and Ernie Hardeman, minister of agriculture, visited Veldale Farms near Woodstock in late March to hear from farmers about the effects of the carbon tax. The meeting was closed to […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
