Ottawa | Reuters — The treatment of migrant workers in Canada by some farmers is disgraceful and the federal government is seeking to fix the problem, the country’s health minister told a parliamentary committee on Friday, as farms battle COVID-19 outbreaks among their employees. Outbreaks of coronavirus infections have killed three people and infected hundreds […] Read more
Health minister calls treatment of some farm workers a ‘national disgrace’
Ministers discussing changes to Canada's TFW program
Tam seeks details on Ontario’s COVID-19 farm worker guidelines
Windsor-Essex area reports six ag-related outbreaks as of Thursday
Ottawa/Toronto | Reuters — Canada’s top public health official said on Thursday she plans to seek more information from Ontario about the province’s plan to allow some COVID-19 positive people with no symptoms to return to their jobs — a risky policy, according to workers’ advocates and some doctors. Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, issued […] Read more
Garden program helps kids discover their green thumb
Reading Time: < 1 minute Agriculture for Life has partnered with the Calgary Horticultural Society to offer the Juniors Garden Club. The initiative aims to encourage kids to explore, learn new skills and build confidence by growing their own food. The program, which began May 27 and runs for 14 weeks, has weekly emails with instructions on how to plant, […] Read more
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair cancelled for 2020
Near-century-old annual ag showcase put off to 2021
Two years shy of its 100th anniversary, Toronto’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair has been called off for 2020. Organizers said Wednesday the event, which was scheduled for Nov. 6-15 at Toronto’s Exhibition Place, has been cancelled “due to our ongoing concern regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.” First held in 1922, spearheaded by Ontario cattle producer W.A. […] Read more
U.S. settlements not expected to change availability, labels for glyphosate, dicamba
Bayer to pay up to US$12 billion to resolve ag chem, PCB claims; company is "not contemplating" a Canadian glyphosate settlement
Updated, June 25 — Farmers in Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere shouldn’t expect any changes to availability or label directions for Bayer’s stable of glyphosate and dicamba herbicides, coming out of a massive settlement for thousands of lawsuits, the company says. The German company announced Wednesday it expects to spend up to $12 billion in […] Read more
Mexico to resume sending farmworkers to Canada after safety agreement
Mexico City | Reuters — Mexico will resume sending temporary farmworkers to Canada after the two countries reached an agreement on improved safety protections for labourers on Canadian farms during the coronavirus pandemic, the Mexican government said Sunday. Mexico said last Tuesday it would pause sending workers to farms with coronavirus infections after at least […] Read more
National seeds sector groups put merger plan to vote
New organization, if approved, would be called Seeds Canada
Members of five national seed sector organizations are set to vote this summer on their proposed amalgamation under a single banner, Seeds Canada. A “detailed ratification package” has gone out to members of the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA), Canadian Seed Institute (CSI), Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA), Canadian Plant Technology Agency (CPTA) and Commercial […] Read more
TFW program to be overhauled after COVID-19 outbreaks on farms
"The piece that's missing is enforcement"
Winnipeg | Reuters — Canada is overhauling its temporary foreign worker program, a government spokeswoman said on Friday, after coronavirus outbreaks on Ontario farms sickened hundreds and led Mexico to demand assurances of proper safeguards. As part of the review, surprise inspections of working and living conditions on farms will immediately increase, Ashley Michnowski, communications […] Read more
Co-op Refinery, union reach tentative labour deal
Proposal now goes to ratification vote
The operators of one of Western Canada’s biggest fuel refineries have reached a tentative deal with the union representing workers locked out since December. The deal, if ratified in an employee vote, would end the lockout at Federated Co-operatives’ (FCL) Co-op Refinery Complex (CRC), a major bulk fuel supplier to farmers and rural co-ops across […] Read more
COVID-19 knocks Agribition off 2020 calendar
Organizers look to 2021, plan 'new digital experiences' in meantime
Another of the Prairies’ major agricultural exhibitions has removed itself from the 2020 schedule. The 50th edition of Canadian Western Agribition, which was scheduled for Nov. 30 to Dec. 5 this year at Regina’s Evraz Place exhibition park, has been postponed to Nov. 22-27, 2021. Organizers of the not-for-profit event said Wednesday they made the […] Read more
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