Agriculture ministers say relations with China volatile
Agriculture ministers from across Canada say they hear canola farmers concerns about tariffs but it seems unlikely they can do much about them.
Federal, provincial and territorial ministers met in Winnipeg earlier this month, and sat down with leaders of canola groups. The groups aren’t happy with government support in the face of Chinese tariffs on canola, and want Canada to negotiate an end to the levies.
The tariffs are widely thought to be retaliation against Canadian tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.
Asked about dropping those duties, Federal agriculture minister Heath MacDonald said the government is reviewing the policy.
He called the situation with China volatile, and said the government has to make sure each decision doesn’t jeopardize another facet of the relationship.
MacDonald acknowledged that federal supports like larger interest-free cash advances won’t resolve the issue, but said they may help some farmers. He said he got the message that farmers want open markets.
Agriculture ministers talk regulatory reform, competitiveness
Regulatory reform and sector competitiveness were also key topics at the agriculture ministers’ meeting.
Speaking after the meeting on September 9, federal minister Heath MacDonald said there’s already been progress on modernizing some regulations.
Alberta minister RJ Sigurdson said the meeting tone was positive, and there was some movement he hadn’t seen before. However, he said his province is challenging the other governments to get serious
and to do everything possible to help farmers and ranchers be competitive.
Saskatchewan minister Daryl Harrison said farmers need infrastructure to be competitive. Canadian agriculture needs reliable and adequate railway and port capacity, he said.
Manitoba minister Ron Kostyshyn highlighted the need for solid business risk management programs. The ministers agreed to AgriStability program enhancements in July. Kostyshyn said the program’s equation needs to be revisited and simplified.
Keith Currie is president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. He told the ministers that regulatory modernization and infrastructure were priorities in his organization. He said Prime Minister Mark Carney’s promise to increase defense spending could mean an opportunity for rural Canada to capitalize on greater spending on ports, rail, energy and more.
Machinery, innovations on show at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 2025
The best and brightest in agriculture equipment and technology were recognized ahead of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, this week.
The show, held near Woodstock, Ontario, ran from September nine to 11.
Haggerty AgRobotic’s Monarch electric tractor took first place in the equipment category. The Monarch tractor is four wheel drive, and fully-electric with 70 horsepower. It also offers autonomous features.
Haggerty sales manager Jeff Pettit said one dairy barn has installed a feed pusher on their Monarch,
and it operates autonomously around the barn. It’s also a good fit for orchards and vineyards.
BioFerScience won the Livestock Innovation award for its ProFlora Post-Calving Calcium Bolus. The product is pitched as the first and only calcium bolus designed and manufactured in Ontario
specifically to support calcium levels in fresh cows after calving.
Company founder Benham Abbasian said the boluses contain three types of calcium: calcium proprionate, calcium chloride and calcium sulfate. These offer quick and sustained calcium release for transition cows. Each bolus also contains Vitamin D, Magnesium Oxide and a probiotic.
