Provinces and territories can apply starting April 1 for chunks of a three-year, $25 million federal fund to support programs that encourage on-farm adoption of precision ag tools or use of renewables from ag waste. Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay on Monday launched the fund, to flow through what’s dubbed the Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) […] Read more
‘Clean’ tech adoption up for federal funding
Canada prepares for legal pot with new license class, labels
Toronto | Reuters –– Canada’s health regulator on Monday set out thresholds for a new class of cannabis cultivation and processing licenses, and outlined strict requirements for the packaging and labeling of recreational marijuana ahead of its legalization this year. The proposals were published in a document released by Health Canada, taking into account feedback […] Read more
Hemp acres, prices down for 2018
CNS Canada — With a large carryover from last year’s crop, hemp acres in Canada are expected to be down this year along with the price. “We had a bit of overproduction in 2017. It doesn’t take much to overproduce a crop when you’ve got 100,000 acres. So it’s a delicate, delicate balance,” said Russ […] Read more
Looking for hemp opportunities down under?
Reading Time: < 1 minute Australia and New Zealand have approved the sale of foods derived from hemp for human consumption. Hemp in Australia and New Zealand is cultivated under strict licensing arrangements and prior to this approval was only permitted for use as a source of fibre for clothing and building products. “Short-term opportunities for Alberta companies exist for […] Read more
Ottawa’s big cheque will pay even bigger dividends, says pulse group
But critics decry federal grants to next-gen industries
Reading Time: 4 minutes Critics are calling it “corporate welfare,” but the supporters of a protein supercluster say $150 million-plus in federal funding will turn pulses into the next canola. There’s never complete buy-in for this sort of government action, but projects like this typically aren’t possible without government funding, said Ron Styles, acting president of Protein Industries Canada. […] Read more
Trade bloc Mercosur, Canada launch talks for trade deal
Asuncion| Reuters — South American trade bloc Mercosur formally launched discussions for a trade deal with Canada on Friday, in a move officials said would signal an embrace of free trade at a time other countries are moving toward protectionist policies. For Canada, the talks with the group, which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, […] Read more
Asia-Pacific nations sign sweeping trade deal without U.S.
Santiago | Reuters — Eleven countries including Canada and Japan signed a landmark Asia-Pacific trade agreement without the U.S. on Thursday in what one minister called a powerful signal against protectionism and trade wars. The deal came as U.S. President Donald Trump vowed earlier in the day to press ahead with a plan to impose […] Read more
Canada sticks to measured tack in U.S. trade row
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada is sticking to its keep-calm strategy as U.S. President Donald Trump ramps up trade war rhetoric, convinced that no move is the best move for the country with the most to lose, but critics say it risks being a soft target if its strategy fails. While the European Union immediately […] Read more
Glacier FarmMedia launches Farmtario
Canada’s largest publisher of farm magazines and newspapers has cultivated a new source of news for farmers in Ontario. Launched Wednesday at the London Farm Show, Farmtario will be a biweekly print publication starting April 30. Its website, Farmtario.com, is available immediately. “We see a bright future for Ontario agriculture and we’re proud to announce […] Read more
U.S. pushes NAFTA talks pace, warns of political headwinds
Mexico City | Reuters — Mexican and U.S. officials pushed on Monday to speed up NAFTA negotiations, with the U.S. floating the idea of reaching an agreement “in principle” in coming weeks to avoid political headwinds later this year. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, showing impatience at the slow pace of the talks, said Mexico’s […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
