A final round of payments and programs for Canada’s supply-managed dairy and feather sectors — this time in compensation for the sequel deal to NAFTA — is now on deck for 2023 and beyond. Compensation to those sectors for domestic market concessions granted under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) was telegraphed in federal Finance Minister Chrystia […] Read more
CUSMA compensation set for supply-managed sectors
Feds pledge over $1.7 billion in payments, programs
Quebec Liberals’ new ag critic to also handle health file
Fortin to also handle regional development, forestry
A quick re-shuffling of shadow cabinet responsibilities will see the agriculture critic for Quebec’s provincial opposition Liberals now also handle the health file. The Liberals’ interim leader Marc Tanguay — who took over after the Nov. 7 resignation of Dominique Anglade following the Oct. 3 general election — announced Tuesday that Andre Fortin, the party’s […] Read more
Competition Bureau to probe soaring food prices
Retail food prices seen outpacing inflation
Reuters — Canada’s competition watchdog said on Monday it would examine factors impacting soaring food prices and whether more competition in the grocery stores sector could help lower costs for Canadians. Price rises for store-bought food have been outpacing the broader annual inflation rate for 10 consecutive months, and grew 11.4 per cent in September, […] Read more
Opinion: Synthetic milk is no longer a sci-fi fantasy, it’s here already
Backers of this alternative milk say their product is indistinguishable from the real thing
Reading Time: 3 minutes The global dairy industry is changing and among the disruptions is competition from alternatives not produced using animals, including potential challenges posed by synthetic milk. Synthetic milk is produced without animals. It can have the same biochemical makeup as animal milk, but is grown using an emerging biotechnology technique known as “precision fermentation” that produces […] Read more
Drought-stricken B.C. bracing for floods when rains return
Reuters — British Columbia on Thursday warned residents to prepare for flooding when rains eventually return after a prolonged drought exacerbated by climate change that has raised concerns about long-term damage to ecosystems ranging from glaciers to salmon rivers. The usually rainy western province has experienced weeks of record-breaking warm fall temperatures and minimal precipitation […] Read more
Barlow remains ag critic in Conservatives’ new shadow cabinet
Poilievre also names two associate critics for ag file
The federal Conservatives’ point person on agriculture will remain at that post under the party’s new leader. John Barlow, MP for the southwestern Alberta riding of Foothills, was named Wednesday as the Conservatives’ “shadow minister” for agriculture, agri-food and food security. Pierre Poilievre, who was named Sept. 10 as the official opposition party’s new leader, […] Read more
New vet database already a hit with livestock owners
It doesn’t fix the vet shortage, but can help find species-specific veterinary care closer to home
Reading Time: 2 minutes Having trouble finding a veterinarian? Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) recently created an online database of veterinary clinics in the province. The list is searchable in a radius of up to 200 kilometres and can be refined for specific species. “We often hear of people who have diverse livestock species like llamas, alpacas, honeybees, and […] Read more
Quebec ag minister cruises to re-election
Legault's CAQ scores bigger second majority
Quebec’s incumbent agriculture, food and fisheries minister will be returning to the province’s legislature as part of an even larger government caucus. Preliminary results in Monday’s provincial election put Francois Legault’s Coalition avenir Quebec (CAQ) in a solid majority government position with 90 of 125 seats, followed by Dominique Anglade’s Liberals, remaining in official opposition […] Read more
Dairy commission fills board vacancy
Green tech CEO named to commissioner spot on CDC board
Concerns that the Canadian Dairy Commission could be caught short at its board table have been resolved with a new appointment to a vacant commissioner’s chair. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Sept. 27 announced Shikha Jain will be the CDC’s commissioner for a four-year term effective Sept. 15. Jain, who lives at Guelph, is […] Read more
Saskatchewan, Manitoba to boost vet college seat quotas
Each province adding five subsidized seats at WCVM
Updated, Sept. 30 — With livestock producers’ needs at top of mind, 10 more student seats at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan will be spoken for starting next year. The college and the Saskatchewan and Manitoba governments on Thursday announced the two provinces will each step up their funding […] Read more
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