Jeff Traeger, President and Chief Executive Officer with UFCW Local 832, said the strike vote was a first for the plant and was taken in response to Maple Leaf’s refusal to take the bargaining process seriously so far.

Maple Leaf has been pushing major concessions at the table, and the union members have shown they are united and want a fair deal, he said.

The union and Maple Leaf were back at the bargaining table Monday, Nov. 17. Negotiations are expected to continue right up to the current contract’s expiry on Dec. 31.

UFCW 832’s bargaining committee is made up of seven members from various departments at the plant, and three staff members from the union. The committee first started to collect proposals from the membership in February and brought these proposals to the bargaining table in May.

The Lagomidiere plant in Winnipeg produces and packages pork products, including bacon.

The post Workers at Maple Leaf’s Lagimodiere plant in Winnipeg give overwhelming strike mandate appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The non-profit organization has opened its Member Needs Help service to all Canadian manufacturers, whether they are EMC members or not, to “foster collaboration and knowledge sharing within the manufacturing community” regarding Canada/U.S. trade relations.

“This edition addresses pressing questions inspired by industry challenges, providing a platform where you, the experts, can share insights and solutions. EMC is also committed to supporting manufacturers in finding answers to these complex issues,” the website said.

Click here for a full list of resources and to sign up for email updates.

EMC will also host a virtual information session with a customs broker on Feb. 6 at 10:30 a.m. CST to answer questions regarding the new tariffs and their impacts.

For more information or to register, click here.

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U.S. President Donald Trump announced last week that Canadian and Mexican goods would be subject to a 25 per cent tariff beginning on Feb. 4. As well, Canadian energy would be subject to a 10 per cent tariff. In response, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Feb. 1 that US$30 billion worth of items coming from the U.S. would also be subject to 25 per cent tariffs starting on Feb. 4, while other goods worth US$125 billion would have a 25 per cent tariff imposed on them as of Feb. 25.

Earlier on Monday, Trump announced the implementation of tariffs on Mexican goods would be delayed by a month after Mexico committed more troops along the U.S./Mexico border.

The American imports to be tariffed starting on Tuesday include live poultry, meat and dairy products, eggs, honey, frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables, coffee and tea, wheat, rice, barley, canola oil, juices and alcoholic beverages, and cigars and cigarettes.

Other items include rubber tires, leather goods, lumber and paper products, clothing and footwear, home furnishings, tools, jewellery, silverware, home appliances, lighting fixtures, motorcycles, unmanned aircraft and firearms.

“These countermeasures are effective immediately and will remain in place until the U.S. eliminates its tariffs against Canada. Canada’s countermeasures do not apply to U.S. goods that are in transit to Canada on the day on which they come into force,” the Department of Finance said in a statement.

To read the full list, click here.

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Glacier FarmMedia—It’s hard to describe the feeling of wandering through the Deer Meadow Farm’s Every Child Matters and Turtle Island corn mazes south of Winnipeg. To be completely candid, it was humbling to walk along the pathways of this monument for people like my grandmother, Annie (Prince) Cook, older sister to decorated War Hero Sgt. Tommy Prince and a residential school survivor.

It was humbling to tread through the paths of this maze, because it felt sacred and meaningful. An offering of validation and reconciliation.

For so many years they were forgotten, and they didn’t matter—or at least that’s what they believed. Some children never made it home and many of the children who survived these schools grew up, lived complex lives rooted in trauma and died never knowing that they or the suffering they endured would ever matter or be recognized.

Walking through the short, drought-ridden rows of corn on a warm Sunday afternoon while listening to the sound of my kids chasing one another through the rustling corn stocks laughing and screaming in excitement felt like a moment of validation for people like my grandmother. In all her life she didn’t get a chance to witness a reckoning or a nation coming to terms with what the Canadian government did to her and the estimated 150,000 First Nation, Inuit and Metis children who attended residential schools.

In the middle of the “Every Child Matters” corn maze—the heart—there’s a sign that reads: This Maze is to remind us that all our children matter. It is a tribute to every child that was taken from their home and separated from their family, stripped of their culture and identity, victimized by those in authority and treated like second-class citizens in what is supposed to be one of the greatest countries in the world to live in and be a safe place to live in.

In 1914, Duncan Campbell Scott, former Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs confessed: “Insufficient care was exercised at the admission of children to the schools. The well-known predispositions of Indians to tuberculosis resulted in a very large percentage of deaths among the pupils. They were housed in buildings not designed for for school purposes, and the buildings became infected and dangerous to the inmates. It is quite within the mark to say that fifty per cent of the children who passed through these schools did not live to benefit from the education which they had received therein.”

After the discovery of the unmarked graves of 215 children on the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School on the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation last June [June 2021], the nation shuddered and let out a collective gasp. Canada’s barbaric and racist legacy that is the residential school system was glaringly obvious as the remains of children were being discovered.

It was a moment that hit Vince Rattai, owner and operator of Deer Meadow Farms hard.

“I’m a 55-year-old white man, if I’m learning than other people are learning. If I’m thinking about this then I’m sure other people like me are thinking about it too,” He said. “How could this happen? It’s shocking to hear about these discoveries. These kids were taken and many of them never made it home.”

Like so many Canadians, Rattai felt a deep sense of grief and wanted to do something to honour the lost children. He got in touch with [former] Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief, Arlen Dumas, whom he’s spoken to before, and together the men worked to create the “Every Child Matters” and Turtle Island corn mazes. Dumas supplied the designs and shared knowledge with Rattai, who came up with First Nations trivia that is displayed on billboards throughout the maze.

“I learned more from Arlen in an hour than I learned from watching 10 years of news,” he said.

In years past Rattai and his team have designed corn mazes in his fields that reflect important moments and experiences for Manitobans, but this was the first time the cornfields at Deer Meadow Farms were etched for a cause.

“I’m not a cause driven person,” he said. “However, this year I knew we needed to do something on Every Child Matters. I felt pressed to do that. I felt like I’ve never done human rights before and we should.”

Corn holds significant meaning for Indigenous people. Farming and agriculture where a way of life. The plant has historically not only had a practical meaning and use to feed and nourish, it also a spiritual meaning and teaching. The Ojibway word for corn is Mandaamin. Though there are different variations of this this legend, the legend of Mandaamin is that he was a spirit man— the spirit of corn —who sacrificed himself for the Ojibway people.

Mandaamin was a gift from the creator, so that the Ojibway people did not have to depend on the hunt and the waters alone for food.

I didn’t grow up learning about my culture or of any of the teachings of our people. I didn’t practice our traditions, or even know where I came from. My grandmother, Annie, died when I was a baby. I have a handful of old photographs of her as an old woman, cradling me as a baby, but that’s it. Our lives touched briefly before hers ended, and yet I have this profound sense of love and loss for her.

But I am learning now, and I am sharing her name and her story— what I know of it— because it’s important and she mattered.

—Shelley Cook is a member of the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation and lives on Treaty 1 (Winnipeg, Manitoba.) She is Indigenous relations advisor with Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries and a former columnist with the Winnipeg Free Press.

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Glacier FarmMedia—More than a century after its creation, there is no visible sign remaining of the File Hills Farm Colony in southern Saskatchewan. But the painful memories of an experiment that epitomized the culture of assimilation permeating that era’s attitudes towards Canada’s Indigenous peoples still live in the collective memories of residential school survivors. Likewise for some of the racist attitudes and policies that still exist today.

Rather allowing that piece of history to define the story of Indigenous agriculture, a new generation – this time under Indigenous leadership – is working to create a different future for First Nations in the sector.

Thomas Benjoe, president and CEO of FHQ Developments, points to the File Hills Colony as an example of how projects touted at the time as progressive actually held Indigenous agriculture back.

He is leading efforts by First Nations in the File Hills area to carve out a new legacy for Indigenous people in agriculture. FHQ Developments is operated by the 11 First Nations (including Peepeekisis) belonging to the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council.

Painful legacy

As the the 19th century bled into the 20th, the region’s Indian agent William Morris Graham devised the colony as a way to prevent Indigenous residential school graduates from reverting to traditional lifestyles once they completed their time at these schools.

Specially chosen graduates of residential schools were given an opportunity to farm on prime agriculture land belonging to the Peepeekisis Cree Nation, even though many of them were not members of that nation.

Members of Peepeekisis were displaced to a smaller area, while select graduates were encouraged to live like colonial homesteaders – and afforded many luxuries their peers didn’t have.

The Canadian government held out the colony as an example of how Indigenous populations could be assimilated but disregarded how it was preventing other First Nations from acquiring land, machinery and capital needed for long-term success.

Indigenous farmers were at the mercy of Indian Agents who could limit what was grown, control their access to equipment and what lands they could access.

The File Hills Colony eventually became riddled with controversy due to disputes over what amounted to illegal redistribution of reserve lands and suspicion that the government agents overseeing the operation were making off with some of the profits.

Legal action was filed in the 1950s to have the colony removed.

Earlier this year, the federal government provided $150 million in total compensation to Peepeekisis First Nation, with an option to acquire 18,720 acres of land.

“In creating and implementing the Colony Scheme, Canada breached its fiduciary duty to the Nation by failing to protect the Nation’s interest in the land and not providing any compensation to the Nation,” says a government release. “The historic and ongoing harm that the Colony Scheme caused to the Peepeekisis Nation created community divisions and animosity between families and members. The legacy of the Colony Scheme continues to impact the Nation to this day.”

Now considered to be an example of colonial oppression, the File Hills Colony colony forced a Euro-centric, agrarian way of life upon Indigenous communities.

“All of these things, all of these policies, have significantly worked against Indigenous communities to be able to actively participate and create that long history of what we need in the ag industry,” says Benjoe.

Overcoming the past

He sees overcoming that rocky history and re-engaging in agriculture as an important opportunity for First Nations.

“It’s not just from a producer’s perspective, it’s from a tech, manufacturing, and supply chain, where we’re looking at it in a in a much bigger picture of how we can invest in and how we can participate,” he says. “We need to be a part of that leading edge work that is happening all around us, and if we don’t, we’re going to miss out on huge opportunities to participate and create, and be a part of an industry that is both sustainable and renewable.”

While the potential is real, so are the barriers.

Benjoe says the legacy of the File Hills colony and other government policies have led to “barriers for success” and a drop in enthusiasm for agricultural projects among First Nations.

But access to capital is the biggest hurdle holding them back.

“We just can’t compete in an agriculture industry that requires significant capital investment where we can’t get loans,” he said.

“We just don’t have the access to capital that is required to be able to participate at the level that is needed in the ag industry.”

Without access to money for projects on reserve, FHQ Developments is now looking elsewhere: off reserve lands.

“We’re shifting as an organization towards those types of opportunities. Just because, you know, access to capital on reserve is going to be very, very difficult,” he says.

Another way of continuing to look for ways to establish collateral is by finding low-risk ways of getting in the door, says Benjoe.

“Over time, we’re able to demonstrate our capacity and be able to fully participate in much larger contracts and take on more risk with our customers. And so that’s what we need to see in the ag industry,” he says.

Engagement

Through the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, Benjoe is trying to make it easier for companies – in and outside of agriculture – to engage with First Nations through the creation of an Indigenous engagement charter.

“There’s no excuse for any organization, any business in Saskatchewan, to not do something. There’s resources, there’s tools, there’s training, there’s guidance, that’s all there for you now,” he said.

“You have all the levers to be able to allow us access. And if you don’t know how, or if you’re uncomfortable about going down this path, talk to us.”

Agriculture has a blueprint to look to on how best to engage First Nations. Benjoe points to the oil, gas and mining sectors as industries that have set a pretty good foundation of active participation with Indigenous communities.

In those sectors, First Nation-specific procurement policies, engagement and community investment are much more common than what is found in agriculture.

“What I need to be able to see and be able to advocate for is to work with those major ag companies and say, ‘Well, how can we get you thinking about reconciliation? How do we get the organization developing the right policies and making the right investments in unity?” he says.

“That’s where we see the opportunity, and that is why we are pushing forward within the ag industry.”

Champions needed

As Benjoe continues to seek “champions to step up” on the industry side of agriculture, he also expects more action from government.

“The role that government needs to play is around the policy and around the investment, we need them to make capital available, or set up loan loss provisions for us,” he says.

While government programming specific to First Nations and agriculture has increased in recent years, there is still little offered.

What is, such as the five-year, $8.5 million Indigenous Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative launched by the federal government in 2018, is oversubscribed. The program was designed to “support Indigenous communities and entrepreneurs who are ready to launch agriculture and food systems projects and others who want to build their capacity to participate in the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector.”

Funding per project was capped at $500,000 per year, and in 2021 – three years into the five-year mandate – applications were suspended because the demand was too high.

“Indigenous communities want to participate, it’s just, you’re not putting enough effort and enough dollars towards it, that we can participate at a larger level,” Benjoe says.

“When I think about things that I want to participate in, in the ag tech or manufacturing or supply chain sector, there is a significant amount of capital that we’re going to have to invest.”

The post Reconciling the painful past creates hope for a more promising future appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Glacier FarmMedia—The setting is a farmyard in central Saskatchewan, in a summer of record heat and drought. Judging from the line of vehicles parked along the road, it might have looked like a small auction. At lunch-time, on a day when the temperature would rise into the mid-30s, farmers and ranchers wearing the protection of long-sleeved shirts traded worries about a meagre cut of hay, dry as dust, and the hard decisions that will follow soon enough: whether to sell cattle or somehow find feed enough to keep them over winter. Farm talk.

Earlier in the morning, though, they had listened, seated on blankets on mowed grass, accepting the authority of the Cree elder who talked protocol while his assistant prepared the pipe to pass around an imperfect circle. This was a day of honest commitment. That was what the pipe is for, the elder said, on this farm where Treaty Four and Treaty Six territory meet.

After lining up for bannock, women and men, Indigenous and settler, spoke in their turn in two large circles. They spoke of many things, but mostly of treaty, land, and sharing, of hunting for food, of plants for medicine and ceremony. The province’s Treaty Commissioner, Mary Culbertson, drew a direct line between the 2016 shooting death of the young Cree man, Colten Boushie, on another Saskatchewan farm and this gathering. An Indigenous man who raised four children on wild game said it had become more dangerous and difficult to do so. A rancher recalled teepee rings and stories of a wintering camp that trouble the lie that the land was a blank slate given to his ancestors. He knew otherwise.

Those who came from every direction returned home with signs to post on their fencelines, big enough to read from the road: Treaty Land Sharing Network. Indigenous Land Users Welcome. Some of them wondered aloud how their neighbours would react not just to the signs, going public in this way, making their practices visible, but to those made welcome by them. Later, one said, he was ready with an answer: “There is no danger in sharing land; that’s what treaty people do.”

This description, I know, will draw at least three reactions. The first is deep, immediate anxiety – the kind that farm people get whenever land, treaties, and Indigenous peoples appear in the same sentence. This is easily the toughest rural subject to raise in a room, or in a column. The second is scepticism – the kind that comes to Indigenous peoples from their own long experience of colonialism. They will wait to see that the Network actually makes a difference in a province where anti-trespass laws and sale of Crown land increasingly restrict access.

The third is disbelief – the kind that comes condescendingly from good progressive people in Canada’s large cities, who know that rural prairie places are hotbeds of racism and that rare exceptions only serve to prove the rule. They support the cause of reconciliation, no question, but too often that simply means having the right opinion at a safe distance.

 Audio: Listen to this excerpt from Roger Epp’s conversation with Western Producer reporter Ed White in 2021.

On September 30, Canadians will mark a new National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We will do so in the aftermath of the fresh discoveries this spring of unmarked graves on the sites of former residential schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan, and others sure to follow. People who hadn’t paid much attention to the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, its Final Report, and its Calls to Action, issued in 2015, were sincerely troubled by what they learned.

The TRC was never only about a residential school system that, for several generations, took children from families and communities for purposes that it summarized as cultural genocide. It was not about closing a “sad chapter” in our history. It was not about compensation – a separate process altogether. Under skillful leadership, it became a national forum that invited Canadians into the hard work of rethinking their own country, past and present, and taking meaningful steps towards what it called “a new way of living together.”

To that end, I continue to hold two positions. The first is that the work of finding that new way is too important to be left to a national government in Ottawa. It must be local and relational. The second is that it is dangerous and wrong to assume that rural prairie communities are locked into relationships of antagonism, fear, and indifference. If anything, rural places where settler and Indigenous people live in proximity ought to generate a much more productive, practical conversation about next steps than the national one. In some cases, they already have. In choosing to live as neighbours, they enact the spirit of sharing and mutual aid that is the spirit of the treaties.

Which is why the launch of the Treaty Land Sharing Network was such an important, hopeful event, even if it starts with a small group. For those of us who were on that Saskatchewan farm on that hot summer day, who shared in ceremony, it was about people who share the countryside, together setting a different course than the one scripted for them.

—Roger Epp is a political science professor with the University of Alberta who has researched and written extensively about the rural West and settler-Indigenous relations.

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The Netherlands is known for its greenhouses and its seed production. A tour on the third day of the World Seed Congress concentrated on both of those leadership positions for the country.

At the Syngenta Tomato Vision seed research facility near Amsterdam, the company screens around 800 potential varieties of tomatoes each year, of which two or three will end up as options for growers.

WATCH: Tackling the labour crunch with robotics

The company is helping to test a robotic tomato picker made by Pittsburg startup Four Growers. In a row of the research tomatoes, there could be 40 different varieties. Geoffrey Hipps, a technical sales representative for Syngenta, said they are finding that there are differences in the ability of the automated system to harvest some varieties of tomatoes.

Syngenta is known for its specialty tomato varieties, namely the small, sweet, snacking tomatoes growing in popularity. The labour to harvest small tomatoes individually is greater than for large tomatoes so the automated system is finding a place there.

The first commercial system for Four Growers has been installed in a greenhouse in Canada.

The biosecurity is incredibly high at the facility, which meant visitors could not take any cameras into the facility. No video of the vacuum-based robot could be taken.

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus is the largest disease concern for tomatoes and is taking up a significant amount of Syngenta breeders’ time as they work to breed resistance.

Cut lettuce a seed development priority

At the Rijk Zwaan seed research greenhouse, south of Rotterdam, the company has 500 varieties of lettuce for sale, and it continues to screen for new varieties all the time.

There is more lettuce being grown in greenhouses, especially in Europe. Spain, which supplies European supermarkets with lettuce in the winter, struggles with a changing climate, said Bauke van Lenteren, a marketing specialist with Rijk Zwaan.

Greenhouse vegetable production is mostly moving to hydroponic production and that’s what is tested at Rijk Zwaan’s large research facility.

The company is also responding to the increased demand for cut lettuce which consumers can pick up in stores and throw directly into a salad. The company has developed a conventional trait that helps lettuce grow more uniform leaves, which the lettuce processors like as it makes the final cut product more uniform.

The post Dutch greenhouse seed production aided by technology appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

There are now enough of the major crop-producing regions in the world with a pathway to market for gene-edited crops to start to drive new products.

This is expected to create a race to market for products, which will not have to go through the arduous, costly and time-consuming pathway for genetically modified crops.

The critical difference is that gene-edited crops involve turning on and off genes within the genome of the crop, without introducing genes from other species, as has been the case for genetically modified crops.

Canada is now green on global maps shown at the World Seed Congress in Rotterdam. There’s regulatory certainty for gene-edited crops after regulations were announced in April. That means Canada can play a part the rapid growth of innovation around the world.

It’s been a lot of work for Canadian seed and crop groups to continue to push the need for clear gene-editing regulations.

Krista Thomas, vice president of trade policy and seed innovation with the Canadian Grains Council said the outcome of the Canadian process yielded a good result.

“I think Canada’s regulatory approach for gene editing is the best in the world because it’s pragmatic and it’s science-based and it maintains a product-based approach,” she said at the World Seed Congress where she was a panellist in a session on the state of gene editing regulations around the world.

Watch: John Greig reports from day two of the World Seed Congress

There are already signs that a lot of the innovations will come early on from new companies, such as Pairwise in the United States. Pairwise is a six-year-old North Carolina company that now employs 120 people and is working to submit early products into the newly created regulations in countries around the world.

Pairwise was the first to have a gene-edited produce crop go to market in the United States, with its mustard greens in 2023. The company aims to make fruits and vegetables more attractive to people, such as working to create a pit-free cherry. Pairwise is also working on higher-yielding corn, with an about 10 per cent increase, after only two years of development, said Dan Jenkins, vice president of Regulatory and Government Affairs for Pairwise.

Other parts of the world are also growing their ability in gene editing. In Africa, there’s a concerted effort to develop the lab and human capacity to work on gene editing, with eight countries in the African Union with regulations that allow gene editing.

Europe targets microplastics in seed coatings

New European regulations are pushing seed companies to find ways of coating seeds without using materials that end up as microplastics in the environment.

Microplastics occur when plastics break down and are persistent in the environment, meaning that the polymers aren’t soluble in water and don’t degrade. There’s increasing concern about the volume of microplastics being found in the environment around the world.

Polymers are used to help ensure the crop protection product flows precisely onto the seed and then sticks to the seed. They also help reduce dust from the products as the seeds run through a planter, said Rob Pronk, global marketing manager with Incotec, which provides seed treatment products to seed companies.

The agriculture sector is a small contributor to microplastics, but “we feel responsibility to do something about this,” says Bert Compaan, research manager of seed pathology at Bejo Zaden, a Dutch seed company. He is on an International Seed Federation committee that created a position paper on microplastics in seed treatments that calls for the elimination of the practice.

Campaan was part of a panel at the ISF’s World Seed Congress recently in the Netherlands.

The European Union’s legislation on microplastics was passed in October 2023 and gives companies five years to find replacements for products without active ingredients and eight years for the polymers in crop protection products.

New agreement targets illegal seed use

The global seed sector getting serious about the use of illegal seed.

A memorandum of understanding was signed at the World Seed Congress involving 13 organizations from around the world focused on stopping the illegal use of seed.

The group includes the Seed Association of the Americas, where Canada is a member.

While there is some concern about farmers saving privately developed seeds in Canada, the challenges in Canada pale compared to other parts of the world. Canada is unique in that much of the wheat seed grown in Western Canada is from public breeding programs.

There’s more concern with non-farmers who are collecting and reselling seed for their profit.

Antonio Villaroel, managing director of Gestión de Licencias Vegetales (GESLIVE), an organization in Spain, said that of 750 cases his group has taken to court over the past 30 years, only about 12 were farmers.

Of greater concern are other industry sellers of illegal seed including some cooperatives, grain traders and seed dealers.

In Brazil, Diego Risso, executive director of the Seed Association of the Americas, says about 40 per cent of soybeans planted could be illegally grown.

The announcement was made at the International Seed Federation’s World Seed Congress where deal-making on seed is common, with a large room with 300 tables kept busy over three days.

Marco van Leeuwen, outgoing president of the ISF, says that the organization also has work to do to clean up what happens around the congress, and companies and individuals who are found to support the sales of illegal seed won’t be allowed at the congress.

The post Gene editing race, illegal seed use in crosshairs at World Seed Congress appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The World Seed Congress is on in Rotterdam, Netherlands with a discussion of the major issues facing the seed and crops sector.

The event brings close to 2,000 people together from around the world, including seed production companies, national trade associations and researchers. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands even showed up to open the congress by planting some seeds.

The major issues on the agenda include the challenges that the decline in free trade and globalization brings to major suppliers of seeds, the acceptance of gene editing and the technology involved in that process.

Seeds move from everywhere to everywhere

The move from free trade to tit-for-tat application of sanctions and increased use of non-tariff trade barriers has made business more challenging for seed companies, which have global supply chains.

Marco van Leeuwen, president of the International Seed Federation and managing director of the Rijk Zwaan vegetable seed company says the company is buffeted by increasing disputes among countries that decide to impose sanction or to not to trade with each other. He also says that during the COVID pandemic, countries identified domestic food production as a strategic priority. That included seeds. However, that’s also meant that some countries have closed their border to some seed imports.

“We breed varieties in country one, we test varieties in all the countries with the appropriate climatic conditions, and then we have to produce seeds, which we do again in other countries,” said van Leeuwen.

Then, those seeds are brought back to one country for packaging and distribution.

There’s about eight times more seed movement between countries than just 20 years ago, said Michael Keller, executive director of the International Seed Federation.

Food and Agriculture Organization working quicker

The sense of urgency to move food aid quicker, including the means for areas in crisis to grow food, requires the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to work more efficiently.

The FAO’s Deputy Director General Beth Bechdol told a press conference at the World Seed Congress that as part of the United Nations, the FAO has similar attributes to the UN such as being “highly bureaucratic, deeply institutionalized and very complex”.

But the American from a seven-generation farm in Indiana, said there’s need for speed and agility in managing food aid.

“There’s no more time for competition, there’s no more time for stepping over one another. There’s no more time for turf battles,” she said.

FAO is promoting science and technology as a way to more quickly get food to people.

“I would not say that science and innovation five years ago, 10 years ago were some of our biggest messages to the world’s agricultural leaders. Today it’s undeniable,” Bechdol said.

Gene editing is not the same debate as GMO

A panel of researchers and companies working on gene editing said there’s a long way to go until there’s wide acceptance of gene-edited crops. However, the debate isn’t as polarized as  when genetically modified crops were introduced.

Genetically modified crops involved moving novel genes into new species, whereas gene editing involves turning genes already in an organism on and off.

There’s less trepidation about working with genetics than in times past, but there are also significant global issues that can be helped by gene-edited crops. Securing food supplies and managing climate change are among issues that resonate with consumers.

Ania Lukasiewicz of Wageningen University said that some gene therapies that use gene editing technologies are being accepted, and that should help the acceptance of gene editing in other areas.

Claudia Hallebach, general counsel and head of global IP for KWS Group said that experience will help convince people. Take them to a field of sugar beet destroyed by a virus and the public will have both an emotional and scientific understanding of the impact of gene editing.

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Alberta Farmer Express

Aug. 20, 2020: Olymel’s Red Deer plant holds at one COVID case

Aug. 18, 2020: Red Deer hog plant books first COVID case

Aug. 14, 2020: COVID-19 lands at another Cargill meat plant

Aug. 11, 2020: Now is the second-best time to create your business plan

Aug. 10, 2020: Pandemic fallout could get very grim before it gets better

Aug. 10, 2020: Hog sector is grim, cattle is recovering

July 30, 2020: Pandemic poultry: Interest in backyard chickens is soaring

July 29, 2020: Alberta loosens animal slaughter rules after pandemic hit packers

July 27, 2020: Farm aid is raining down south of the border, but not in Canada

July 24, 2020: Farewell, fairs: Alberta’s ag societies struggling during pandemic

July 15, 2020: Retail proves a lifeline for Alberta cheese-making family

July 13, 2020: Agriculture can lead Alberta out of pandemic woes, say leaders

July 10, 2020: Open Farm Days ready to rise to the challenge

July 8, 2020: Organic sector sees strong demand even as pandemic batters consumers

July 7, 2020: Supply management lives up to its name during pandemic

July 6, 2020: WheatStalk in Fairview still a go for August

June 26, 2020: Life on the ranch during COVID-19

June 23, 2020: Young producers wonder if there’s a future in the cattle sector

June 23, 2020: National speaking event cancelled this year

June 22, 2020: Beekeepers to get $1 million for replacement colonies

June 18, 2020: Oh, give me a home: Canada’s bison have nowhere to go

June 15, 2020: Pandemic brings trials and triumphs for ag students

June 15, 2020: Want a great big show of community spirit with that?

June 12, 2020: There’s never been a better time to spruce up your town

June 11, 2020: Cattle sector knows about learning and adapting

June 9, 2020: Livestock research gets even more complicated during pandemic

June 8, 2020: Crisis creates opportunity to attract badly needed workers

June 3, 2020: Planning for success can also help you in a time of crisis

June 2, 2020: Pandemic creating waves and surprises in food sector

June 2, 2020: With beer taps off, malt barley demand down

June 1, 2020: What was learned from BSE and what we’re learning now

June 1, 2020: Farm groups ‘disappointed’ by research cuts

June 1, 2020: Two national campaigns launched for food supply chains

May 29, 2020: The need is greater than ever — and the volunteer spirit even stronger

May 28, 2020: Caring for horses through the COVID-19 pandemic

May 26, 2020: Local, diverse veggie varieties part of food security, says seed group

May 25, 2020: Livestock feeders urged to call before making changes

May 22, 2020: 4-H online auctions to help charities and food banks

May 21, 2020: JBS resumes second shift at Alberta beef plant

May 21, 2020: Grants available for worker safety training

May 20, 2020: Is there a better way? How COVID-19 might transform packing plants

May 20, 2020: Life and its blessings continue during these troubled times

May 19, 2020: Alberta’s cattle producers facing a wall of worry

May 19, 2020: Thicker international borders feared from pandemic

May 14, 2020: ‘Learn to do by doing’ sums up 4-H pandemic response

May 14, 2020: Chicken farmers cut production, but no aid sought

May 13, 2020: Alberta hog farmers say financial aid not nearly enough

May 13, 2020: Verified Beef looks to remote audit system

May 13, 2020: Add some farm safety education to home schooling

May 12, 2020: Laid-off foreign workers may get conditional clearance for other jobs

May 11, 2020: Growers relieved as Alberta garden centres declared an essential service

May 7, 2020: Adjustments likely ahead for StatsCan’s early acreage estimates

May 6, 2020: COVID-19 aid ‘falls short,’ farm groups warn

May 4, 2020: Hook space at a premium in small rural abattoirs

May 4, 2020: Where will all the cattle go?

May 4, 2020: Demand soars as consumers find new appreciation for local food

May 1, 2020: Quota reduction ends dumping of milk in Alberta

May 1, 2020: Pandemic threatens federal field research this year

May 1, 2020: Protective equipment in short supply, some child care centres open

Apr. 30, 2020: Producers need $35 a hog immediately, says Alberta Pork

Apr. 29, 2020: Alberta’s cattle sector takes a direct hit from pandemic

Apr. 29, 2020: Cattle ranchers urged to lobby their MLAs for quick action

Apr. 28, 2020: McDonald’s Canada to import beef

Apr. 27, 2020: Pork sector’s calls for aid heard, not yet answered

Apr. 24, 2020: It’s a whole new ball game for research associations this spring

Apr. 24, 2020: Farm equipment supply chains functioning well

Apr. 23, 2020: Calgary Stampede cancelled for 2020

Apr. 23, 2020: Pig farmers seek aid of $20 per hog against market crash

Apr. 22, 2020: Are there shortages on your ranch?

Apr. 21, 2020: Unprecedented demand swings forcing milk to be dumped

Apr. 20, 2020: Pandemic pushes rural internet speeds to the breaking point

Apr. 20, 2020: SPCA helping Alberta’s rural residents feed their animals

Apr. 20, 2020: Rationing internet a pandemic side-effect

Apr. 18, 2020: Joint U.S.-Canada border approach to pandemic seen as well-managed

Apr. 16, 2020: Ag industry a potential ‘bright spot,’ post-pandemic

Apr. 16, 2020: Third major Alberta beef plant confirms COVID-19 cases

Apr. 16, 2020: Cattle feeders need ‘urgent’ help, say industry officials

Apr. 15, 2020: Beef cattle producers seek new set-aside plan

Apr. 15, 2020: Foreign workers starting to arrive, livestock group says

Apr. 14, 2020: Alberta farmland values likely to be unaffected by COVID-19

Apr. 13, 2020: Cattle producers press for lower price insurance premiums

Apr. 9, 2020: Alberta, Ontario open online portals for domestic ag work

Apr. 8, 2020: Plummeting french fry sales have potato growers re-evaluating

Apr. 8, 2020: Focus on production this year — not prices — say market watchers

Apr. 8, 2020: Road tests suspended in Alberta

Apr. 7, 2020: Keeping up is hard to do during these trying times

Apr. 7, 2020: Albertans coming together while keeping their distance

Apr. 6, 2020: Beef demand soars as consumers ‘aggressively’ stock up

Apr. 3, 2020: Canada’s pork sector up to speed, aware of challenges

Apr. 3, 2020: ‘There’s no better feeling’ — distillery makes, gives away, hand sanitizer

Apr. 2, 2020: Co-operation, nimbleness the order of the day in cattle sector

Apr. 2, 2020: Tips for branding and safe processing of cattle

Apr. 2, 2020: COVID-impact on research efforts to be minimized

Apr. 2, 2020: Alberta’s goat community is taking care of each other

Apr. 2, 2020: Alberta’s provincial meat inspectors to train for federal duty

Apr. 1, 2020: Add COVID-19 to your safety plan for spring seeding

Apr. 1, 2020: Thrust into the spotlight, the farm sector shines during pandemic

Apr. 1, 2020: Livestock or pets not considered a risk for COVID-19

Mar. 30, 2020: Sick employee disrupts slaughter at Harmony Beef

Mar. 26, 2020: Make food supply an essential service, says Alberta’s ag minister

Mar. 26, 2020: No need to ramp up egg production, says official

Mar. 25, 2020: Lots of flour to go around, millers’ association says

Mar. 25, 2020: 2018 cash advance deadline extended on pandemic concerns

Mar. 24, 2020: It might seem far off — but a bright new future is before us

Mar. 24, 2020: Decision on temporary foreign workers a boost for Alberta beekeepers

Mar. 24, 2020: Alberta Milk working to increase milk supply

Mar. 23, 2020: In the face of this crisis, we will all carry on

Mar. 20, 2020: Ahead of any emergency, plan for the worst

Mar. 19, 2020: No delays expected in fertilizer distribution

Mar. 18, 2020: Pork supply chain not experiencing disruptions, says hog marketing agency

Mar. 18, 2020: Seed supplies are strong, no delivery problems expected

Mar. 17, 2020: Call your vet before you go to clinic during COVID-19

Mar. 17, 2020: Livestock auction marts to decide on next steps

Mar. 17, 2020: Where to get information on COVID-19 in Alberta

Mar.14, 2020: Impacts on ag expected as COVID-19 rocks markets

Canadian Cattlemen

Aug. 14, 2020: Outbreak linked to Cargill’s Case Ready plant in Calgary

Aug. 14, 2020: JBS to resume U.S. share listing plan after COVID-19 fallout

Aug. 13, 2020: McDonald’s resuming all-Canadian beef supply

Aug. 12, 2020: CCA focuses on COVID-19 recovery, trade and public engagement

Aug. 7, 2020: Canadian Beef Industry Conference goes online

July 30, 2020: JBS invests $19-million in safety measures amid COVID-19 pandemic

July 18, 2020: U.S. meatpackers try air cleaning tech after COVID-19 outbreaks

July 7, 2020: Upcoming public trust research to consider effect of COVID-19

July 6, 2020: China suspends beef imports from Cargill plant

June 30, 2020: Pandemic amnesia

June 22, 2020: Cattle pricing during an economic crisis

June 17, 2020: Canadian Western Agribition postpones 50th show until 2021

June 16, 2020: Small processors alone won’t create strong supply chain, say beef producers

June 16, 2020: Challenging times bring opportunities to connect with customers

June 15, 2020: Relationship between union and plant management suffers under COVID-19

June 12, 2020: What happened in Canada’s biggest beef plants this spring?

June 11, 2020: Writing the handbook on COVID-19

June 9, 2020: Supporting 4-H during COVID-19

June 8, 2020: Riding towards next year country: Comment

June 3, 2020: Direct-marketing beef during a pandemic

June 3, 2020: Flattening the cattle supply curve

June 2, 2020: Writing history during a pandemic

May 25, 2020: Mink infect two humans with COVID-19, Dutch government says

May 21, 2020: Conservation organization calls for support for beef producers during pandemic

May 21, 2020: President’s cattle call finds expected marks in U.S.

May 20, 2020: VIDO-InterVac making progress on COVID-19 vaccine

May 19, 2020: Trump floats halt to U.S. cattle imports as pandemic hurts ranchers

May 15, 2020: COVID-19’s continuing chaos

May 14, 2020: WLPIP calf price insurance deadline extended

May 13, 2020: More Mexican beef headed to U.S. dinner tables as supply crunch bites

May 13, 2020: Pulling through the COVID crisis: CCA report

May 12, 2020: The Antonine plague: Comment

May 11, 2020: Cargill to shut Montreal-area meat plant temporarily

May 6, 2020: Trump asks U.S. Justice Department to look into meat price disparities

May 4, 2020: Cargill’s High River plant reopens with two slaughter shifts

May 1, 2020: Broken chain: Protecting the workers who process Canada’s meat from COVID-19

May 1, 2020: As meat plant infections rise, Canada lets packers choose when to close

Apr. 30, 2020: Public education, without scapegoating, key to slowing COVID-19

Apr. 30, 2020: Cargill to restart High River beef plant Monday

Apr. 29, 2020: Worker safety starts at the plant, but it stops at home

Apr. 28, 2020: Trump orders U.S. meat processing plants to stay open

Apr. 28, 2020: Brooks and High River fight to dampen COVID outbreaks

Apr. 23, 2020: Tyson to shutter beef facility as workers tested

Apr. 21, 2020: Slaughterhouse closures lead to adjustments

Apr. 21, 2020: Canada sees no beef shortage, but prices may rise due to coronavirus

Apr. 20, 2020: Cargill to temporarily idle High River beef plant

Apr. 18, 2020: CFIA funded to build up inspection corps against COVID-19

Apr. 17, 2020: Reduced shifts, closures see cash cattle prices sink

Apr. 16, 2020: Prices steady, demand quiet due to COVID-19

April 16, 2020: CCA calls for BSE-era set-aside framework to mitigate processing backlog

Apr. 15, 2020: Weaker fed cattle prices weigh on feeder market

Apr. 13, 2020: Cargill halts second shift at High River beef plant

Apr. 12, 2020: China’s beef imports to drop as hotpot comes off the boil

Apr. 9, 2020: China reclassifies dogs as pets, not livestock

Apr. 8, 2020: USDA to probe surging beef prices versus falling cattle prices

Apr. 7, 2020: Universities adapting to COVID-19, says UCVM dean

Apr. 6, 2020: Feeder market lacks buying interest: Klassen

Apr. 6, 2020: The cruelty of the coronavirus

Apr. 3, 2020: Canada Beef focuses on meal prep as retail demand surges

Apr. 3, 2020: Meat processors increase biosecurity measures

Apr. 3, 2020: No food shortage in sight, however…

Mar. 31, 2020: U.S. senators scrutinize meat packers’ profits during pandemic

Mar. 30, 2020: COVID-19 strains already-battered Ontario beef industry

Mar. 28, 2020: University of Saskatchewan reviewing research projects

Mar. 27, 2020: Alberta’s Harmony Beef halts slaughter on positive COVID-19 test

Mar. 26, 2020: JBS sees steady trade flows but flags export woes

Mar. 24, 2020: University of Manitoba restricts research activity

Mar. 24, 2020: Manitoba auction marts restrict access

Mar. 24, 2020: Feeder market remains vulnerable: Klassen

Mar. 24, 2020: As meat demand rises, processors raise pay for farmers, workers

Mar. 23, 2020: With COVID-19, home cooking is getting its mojo back: Charlebois

Mar. 23, 2020: COVID-19 shifts bull buyers online

Mar. 20, 2020: Beef sector mobilizes against supply disruptions

Mar. 19, 2020: Feed weekly outlook: Grain prices mostly steady through market turmoil

Mar. 17, 2020: Simple goes bad

Mar. 17, 2020: Uncertainty drags on Canadian cattle markets

Mar. 16, 2020: U.S. under pressure to keep slaughterhouses open

Mar. 3, 2020: Coronavirus fears weigh on feeder markets

Country Guide

Aug. 14, 2020: Hanson Acres: On the run in our COVID-19 summer

Aug. 13, 2020: Feds line up projects for surplus food program

Aug. 5, 2020: COVID-19 case confirmed at Maple Leaf hog plant

Aug. 4, 2020: How are Canada’s top conservation farmers faring through COVID-19?

July 29, 2020: Tax credits for donated food

July 28, 2020: Can COVID-19 save community supported agriculture?

July 27, 2020: BASF unveils InField Innovation Tours

July 21, 2020: More COVID support needed: study

July 9, 2020: China’s slower meat imports seen worsening its protein shortage

June 29, 2020: Ontario pledges farm recruiter crackdown as COVID-19 outbreaks grow

June 24, 2020: U.S. senators question packers over exports to China during pandemic

June 19, 2020: TFW program to be overhauled after COVID-19 outbreaks on farms

June 16, 2020: U.S. meatpacking workers often absent after plants ordered to reopen

June 6, 2020: COVID concerns weigh on chicken farmers, processors

June 3, 2020: Dutch to cull mink at farms hit by COVID-19 outbreak

June 2, 2020: Editor’s Note: More different, more the same

June 1, 2020: Federal ag supports ‘too little, too late’ for mushroom growers

May 29, 2020: Tyson to shut Iowa pork plant against COVID-19 outbreak

May 28, 2020: Farm workers cram daily into U.S.-Mexico border tunnel

May 25, 2020: Outdoor Farm Show relocating to cyberspace for 2020

May 22, 2020: New Brunswick to lift ban on temporary foreign workers

May 21, 2020: What’s your emergency plan?

May 19, 2020: Canada, U.S. agree on extension for ban on non-essential travel

May 14, 2020: Packaged-food majors see sales spike in pandemic

May 13, 2020: Australia requests China trade talks over beef, barley

May 12, 2020: Opposition MPs critique government’s COVID-19 response for ag sector

May 8, 2020: Canada’s growers look to reopening garden centres to salvage dire year

May 6, 2020: Nutrien cuts 2020 forecast as corn demand, potash prices hit

May 2, 2020: B.C. health officials order two more poultry plants closed

Apr. 30, 2020: COVID-19 surges at reopened JBS Colorado beef plant, union says

Apr. 28, 2020: Demand may encourage more red lentil acres: AGT

Apr. 26, 2020: P.E.I. plans AgriStability top-up, AgriInsurance discount

Apr. 23, 2020: Vancouver health officials shut poultry processor

Apr. 22, 2020: EU sets out COVID-19 support for farmers

Apr. 20, 2020: JBS shuts Minnesota pork plant due to coronavirus

Apr. 17, 2020: U.S. announces coronavirus aid for farmers, food buys for poor

Apr. 16, 2020: Logistics, lack of containers hamper pulse crop movement

Apr. 13, 2020: ‘Elbow to elbow:’ North America’s meat plant workers fall ill, walk off jobs

Apr. 13, 2020: Federal government to backstop TFW isolation with funding

Apr. 9, 2020: USDA raises corn, soy, wheat supply outlook

Apr. 8, 2020: Maple Leaf poultry plant shuts for ‘deep cleaning’

Apr. 6, 2020: The changing conversation around food

Apr. 3, 2020: Kraft Heinz cuts output at three plants, adds mac and cheese shifts

Apr. 3, 2020: Pandemic planning leads to staff cuts at Agropur

Apr. 1, 2020: CBOT weekly outlook: Pandemic drives Chicago prices lower

Mar. 30, 2020: COVID-19 cases shut Olymel hog slaughter plant

Mar. 26: 2020: U.S. egg prices hit record levels as pandemic buying boosts demand

Mar. 25, 2020: CBOT weekly outlook: Wheat futures underpinned for now

Mar. 24, 2020: Safety protocols in place for farmers’ grain deliveries

Mar. 23, 2020: Cash advance repayment deadlines extended

Mar. 21, 2020: Plans in development to get temp foreign workers into Canada

Mar. 19, 2020: Saskatchewan pares ag spending in estimates

Mar. 18, 2020: No Prairie farm fuel shortages expected in pandemic

Mar. 9, 2020: Ethanol makers see demand surge on hand sanitizer stockpiling

Mar. 9, 2020: Oil price war spells bad news for Canada, global market

Farmtario

Aug. 17, 2020: CEBA dollars prove difficult for farm access

Aug. 14, 2020: Winter conferences join in one digital event

Aug. 11, 2020: Cannabis industry readies for M+A after COVID-19 boosts weed demand

Aug. 7, 2020: Food still top consumer concern

Aug. 5, 2020: Turning off the milk tap

Aug. 5, 2020: Farmers being unfairly blamed for COVID-19 spread among workers

Aug. 5, 2020: COVID-19 means push back of Clean Fuel Standard

July 30, 2020: Crop delivery protocols changing due to COVID-19

July 29, 2020: Road map needed to guide agriculture industry post COVID-19

July 27, 2020: Foreign worker fallout

July 27, 2020: The man in the mask: Editorial

July 24, 2020: Agriculture technology incubators evolve during pandemic

July 22, 2020: Long-term market outlook appears promising for pork and beef

July 17, 2020: Feds proposing to expand wage subsidy program

July 9, 2020: Ontario to insure for crop loss due to lack of labour

July 7, 2020: COVID-19 leads to cancellation of Foodgrains Bank fundraising events

July 3, 2020: Ontario investigating 17 temp agencies after virus outbreaks on farms

June 30, 2020: Analysts see COVID-19 as unlikely to impact farmland values

June 26, 2020: Canada’s livestock sector can learn from pandemic

June 25, 2020: Tam seeks details on Ontario’s COVID-19 farm worker guidelines

June 25, 2020: Royal Agricultural Winter Fair cancelled for 2020

June 23, 2020: OFVGA recommending on-farm COVID-19 testing

June 23, 2020: Study looks at COVID-19 and food system

June 19, 2020: Food exporters to China asked to declare produce coronavirus-free

June 18, 2020: Fall quota level based on ‘rebound’ in chicken demand

June 17, 2020: Delays continue for foreign worker arrival

June 16, 2020: Mexico to stop sending workers to Canadian farms hit by COVID-19

June 16, 2020: CERB plan, U.S. border closure both extended

June 16, 2020: Ontario Federation of Agriculture to develop ag jobs support system

June 15, 2020: When the farm becomes the school

June 15, 2020: The blessing and curse of being essential: Editorial

June 15, 2020: Fonterra says China dairy imports jump as lockdowns ease

June 12, 2020: Agri-food worker protection funds increased

June 9, 2020: COVID-19 cases, deaths lead Ontario to test migrant farm workers

June 8, 2020: How well are farmers handling their pandemic fame?

June 8, 2020: Tam concerned over alcohol, junk food use during pandemic

June 2, 2020: WTO trade pledge applauded

June 1, 2020: Panelists say COVID-19 outlines shortfalls in agriculture industry

June 1, 2020: Dairy services gradually return to farms

June 1, 2020: Sollio outlines pandemic recovery plan for food sector

June 1, 2020: Olymel pork plant workers take slaughter into OT

May 29, 2020: Dairy Xpo cancelled, new poultry show still on

May 28, 2020: Tyson to shut Iowa pork plant against COVID-19 outbreak

May 27, 2020: Easier interprovincial meat trade could be allowed in a meat shortage

May 26, 2020: Protein market shows rapid growth and many changes

May 26, 2020: Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show cancelled, digital event planned

May 25, 2020: Hay market tight, but concerns with COVID-19-related demand

May 22, 2020: New report identifies challenges of COVID-19

May 22, 2020: Ontario’s plowing match latest COVID-19 casualty

May 20, 2020: 34 Ontario fairs cancelled due to COVID-19

May 19, 2020: Food service shutdowns challenge system

May 15, 2020: Trust and telehealth services keep veterinarians rolling

May 14, 2020: Hog farmers give back to processing workers

May 13, 2020: Packaged-food majors see sales spike in pandemic

May 13, 2020: Grain farmers target prime minister with attack ad

May 11, 2020: Agri-food tech expected to be a post-pandemic growth industry

May 8, 2020: Are crops and meat Canada’s best soft power tools?

May 8, 2020: CFA calls for emergency federal funding

May 6, 2020: Ontario extends fruit, forage insurance premium deadlines

May 6, 2020: COVID-19 highlights need for reliable Internet access

May 5, 2020: The new paperless way

May 5, 2020: Managing COVID-19 risks during planting

May 4, 2020: Sorting through COVID-19 programs

May 4, 2020: Farm management will be critical in 2020: Editorial

May 1, 2020: Farm groups look for funds to shore up COVID-19-created losses

May 1, 2020: CFA seeks $2.6 billion in support for producers

May 1, 2020: The changing conversation around food

Apr. 30, 2020: New Brunswick ag groups rip province’s ban on foreign workers

Apr. 30, 2020: Major Ontario pork packer expects to re-open Monday

Apr. 29, 2020: In a COVID-19 world, is local better?

Apr. 28, 2020: Ontario wants rule-cutting suggestions

Apr. 28, 2020: Governments funding farmers’ move to online sales

Apr. 27, 2020: Neil Currie now working with Bioenterprise

Apr. 24, 2020: Field-level research continues, but with COVID-19 distancing

Apr. 24, 2020: Livestock research evolves under COVID-19

Apr. 23, 2020: Farm groups offer finance committee food security for thought

Apr. 21, 2020: Taste for local food explodes

Apr. 21, 2020: Pandemic pushes pesticide applicator course online

Apr. 20, 2020: Independent meat processors show increase in sales during COVID-19

Apr. 20, 2020: When the ordinary becomes extraordinary: Editorial

Apr. 20, 2020: Global grain supply chains hit with Minor COVID-19 snags

Apr. 17, 2020: COVID-19 spurs new clash between Big Oil, Big Corn

Apr. 16, 2020: Trump administration aims to buy milk, meat to help farmers

Apr. 16, 2020: Home cooking back in vogue now that we’re stuck at home

Apr. 15, 2020: Ontario company creates solution for COVID-19 monitoring

Apr. 15, 2020: Farmers to know soon whether new wage supports work for them

Apr. 15, 2020: Increased federal support for TFWs welcomed

Apr. 14, 2020: Biofuels expect hard hit with reduced travel

Apr. 13, 2020: Beef Farmers of Ontario ask for curb on cull sales

Apr. 12, 2020: Quebec pork plant to restart at reduced pace

Apr. 9, 2020: Business is booming for farmers selling direct

Apr. 8, 2020: Pork Congress latest COVID-19 cancellation

Apr. 8, 2020: Ontario launches web portal to connect farmers and workers

Apr. 8, 2020: Contest celebrating veal postponed due to COVID-19

Apr. 7, 2020: Great maple syrup year overshadowed by coronavirus chaos

Apr. 7, 2020: Essential service designation should keep farm inputs moving

Apr. 6, 2020: Ontario extends RMP deadlines for crops, livestock

Apr. 6, 2020: Food system resilience should be priority: Editorial

Apr. 6, 2020: Keeping up in a fast-moving COVID-19 world

Apr. 6, 2020: Commodity markets in uncharted risk territory due to COVID-19 concerns

Apr. 4, 2020: Olymel reducing Ontario hog numbers

Apr. 3, 2020: Ontario drops cannabis from essentials list

Apr. 3: 2020: Thoughts on dumping milk during COVID-19

Apr. 2, 2020: Some Ontario milk not being picked up as market shifts

Apr. 1, 2020: Tight supply chains pose food system risks with virus

Mar. 30, 2020: Fairlife plant opening delayed by COVID-19 travel restrictions

Mar. 30, 2020: Tips for safe bull sales

Mar. 30, 2020: Ontario ethanol production drops with low prices and demand

Mar. 26, 2020: Dairy sector shuts down most visits from off-farm providers

Mar. 24, 2020: Ideas conference goes virtual due to COVID-19

Mar. 23, 2020: Agriculture and supply chain part of essential service list

Mar. 23, 2020: Meat packing sector needs federal inspectors

Mar. 19, 2020: Distilleries make sanitizers to meet pandemic demand

Mar. 18, 2020: Take extra steps to keep farm workers safe during COVID-19

Mar. 18, 2020: Crop input availability should be normal despite COVID-19

Mar. 18, 2020: Temporary foreign workers exempt from Canada’s travel ban

Mar. 18: Federal COVID-19 response for ag sector remains unclear

Mar. 17, 2020: Seasonal workers caught up in COVID-19 border closure

Mar. 16, 2020: Ontario agriculture event status

Mar. 13, 2020: Sick with COVID-19? Stay away from animals if possible

Mar. 13, 2020: Ottawa farm show, March Classic cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic

Mar. 11, 2020: CBOT weekly outlook: Markets focused on virus, oil prices, stocks

Grainews

July 27, 2020: National COYF cancelled for 2020

July 7, 2020: Lentil prices off pandemic peak

June 22, 2020: Mexico to resume sending farmworkers to Canada after safety agreement

June 17, 2020: COVID-19 knocks Agribition off 2020 calendar

June 17, 2020: Redefining face-to-face contact: Toban Dyck

June 16, 2020: Pandemic may pose market opportunity for pulses

June 12, 2020: India’s levy cut on lentils part of balancing act

June 1, 2020: A few tips on livestock risk management

May 21, 2020: What makes us trust a Chinese conspiracy video over experts?: Toban Dyck

May 19, 2020: USDA sets coronavirus aid payments for corn, soy, wheat

May 11, 2020: Managing ourselves in times of crisis

May 7, 2020: Ag in Motion outdoor farm show going online instead for 2020

May 5, 2020: Trudeau pledges $252 million in COVID-19 aid for farmers, processors

Apr. 30, 2020: Grains, oilseeds, pulses hold their own amid pandemic

Apr. 30, 2020: Agriculture is getting the job done: Editorial

Apr. 28, 2020: Supply chain working but canola groups have concerns

Apr. 27, 2020: Canada’s Farm Show postponed

Apr. 24, 2020: Lessons from 1918: looking after your health and safety during COVID-19

Apr. 23, 2020: Seeding during the COVID-19 pandemic

Apr. 21, 2020: G20 ag ministers say COVID-19 measures shouldn’t disrupt food supply

Apr. 19, 2020: AgriStability deadline extended for 2020

Apr. 16, 2020: ‘So far, so good,’ fertilizer sector says

Apr. 8, 2020: Agriculture rises to the occasion for COVID-19: Belanger

Apr. 8, 2020: Cattle market absorbs recessionary factors

Apr. 6, 2020: Canadian, U.S. farms face crop losses on foreign worker delays

Apr. 3, 2020: Coronavirus having an impact on cattle market

Apr. 2, 2020: Farming deemed essential in new federal pandemic guidance

Mar. 30, 2020: Saskatchewan crop insurance deadline pushed to mid-April

Mar. 30, 2020: Ottawa expected to ‘officially’ declare ag an essential service

Mar. 26, 2020: Farm suppliers race COVID-19 spread for planting season

Mar. 26, 2020: Cross-border truckers exempt from mandatory isolation

Mar. 25, 2020: Important to heed COVID-19 advice: Lee Hart

Mar. 24, 2020: Farming through the coronavirus

Mar. 24, 2020: Pulse weekly outlook: Lack of willing sellers underpins prices

Mar. 23, 2020: Risk management in a chaotic world

Mar. 23, 2020: Solid demand, logistics underpin durum bids

Mar. 23, 2020: Panic buying, lockdowns may drive world food inflation

Mar. 18, 2020: Prairie elevators’ staff aim for on-site distancing

Mar. 18, 2020: ICE weekly outlook: More virus volatility expected in canola

Mar. 17, 2020: Grain price slump attracts bargain-hunting by importers

Mar. 16, 2020: COVID-19 and farm workers: How do we manage on the farm?

Mar. 5, 2020: Ag chem industry watching COVID-19’s spread

Manitoba Co-operator

Aug. 21, 2020: Manitoba Ag Ex cancelled due to COVID-19

Aug. 20, 2020: Manitoba Pork, stakeholders make contingency plans to relocate hogs

Aug. 20, 2020: Safety concerns prompt call for pork plant closure

Aug. 18, 2020: Brandon pork plant’s exports to China suspended

Aug. 17, 2020: Manitoba Ag Days cancelled for 2021

Aug. 13, 2020: COVID-19 strikes Brandon pork plant

Aug. 13, 2020: COVID-19 a shared problem: Editorial

Aug. 11, 2020: Contingency plans tentatively in place for Brandon pork plant closure

Aug. 11, 2020: Leaving town for the country: Comment

Aug. 10, 2020: Self-guided 4R tour brings new research in era of COVID-19

Aug. 6, 2020: Union seeks temporary halt for major Manitoba hog plant

Aug. 5, 2020: COVID-19 confirmed at Maple Leaf Brandon plant

Aug. 5, 2020: Strawberry business booms after slow start

July 31, 2020: Record grain movement expected as crop year ends July 31

July 30, 2020: Drive to digital keeps farm shows going

July 27, 2020: Diploma in Agriculture students celebrate with virtual convocation

July 24, 2020: Provincial sesquicentennial, staycations make historic sites of interest

July 22, 2020: Food affordability still top consumer concern: CCFI

July 21, 2020: Ontario headlines on COVID-19 don’t tell the Manitoba farmworker story

July 21, 2020: Culinary in the age of COVID

July 16, 2020: A global barn raising: Editorial

July 15, 2020: Novel 4R Nutrient Stewardship Self-Guided Field Days created

July 15, 2020: Food recovery program should be permanent and expanded

July 13, 2020: Have gun will travel

July 13, 2020: Pandemic shows value of local education oversight

July 1, 2020: CUSMA pact takes effect under cloud of disputes, COVID-19

June 23, 2020: Advocacy group says migrant workers deserve better

June 23, 2020: Canadian food promotions shouldn’t be needed — but they are

June 22, 2020: Manitoba Beekeepers expect reduced production

June 19, 2020: Brazil cattle slaughtering slumps as COVID-19 hits packers; chicken and pigs resilient

June 18, 2020: The worst may be behind us, ethanol industry says

June 18, 2020: Pork sector still facing uncertain landscape

June 18, 2020: Students and the farm labour crisis: Editorial

June 17, 2020: Hog sector hit hard by pandemic

June 17, 2020: Fifteen COVID-relief programs for farmers and their employees

June 17, 2020: Heroes, only for a while: Charlebois

June 16, 2020: CERB plan, U.S. border closure both extended

June 16, 2020: Farm COVID safety Q-and-A

June 16, 2020: ‘How about next June?’

June 16, 2020: Two national campaigns launched for food supply chains

June 15, 2020: COVID-19 claims two-thirds of Brandon’s major ag fairs

June 12, 2020: Coronavirus threatens Chicago’s last remaining trading pits

June 10, 2020: Food and beverage sector misunderstood by regulators

June 10, 2020: Better get used to higher food prices: Opinion

June 10, 2020: Is science back in style?

June 9, 2020: Risk management reform possible: Comment

June 8, 2020: Pandemic may strain rural community resources, panel warns

June 4, 2020: Grain exports continue strong out of Thunder Bay

June 4, 2020: Farm income up amid calls for more farm aid

June 3, 2020: Expect the unexpected in markets

June 3, 2020: Savvy ways to wisely direct dollars in horse ownership

June 2, 2020: An uptick in online sales may help Manitoba farmers

June 2, 2020: Canada has the food industry it deserves: Opinion

June 2, 2020: CERB debate should prompt reflection of ongoing labour issues: Opinion

June 2, 2020: Bigger not better: Letters

June 1, 2020: Manitoba to join in on AgriRecovery program

May 29, 2020: Demand returning to Manitoba cattle sales

May 29, 2020: Set-aside funds snapped up

May 28, 2020: Huawei extradition ruling could unleash more Chinese backlash

May 27, 2020: Manitoba Agricultural Museum reopening May 29

May 26, 2020: How canola diseases act like COVID-19

May 26, 2020: Radio silence from Manitoba government on agriculture relief

May 25, 2020: Vegetable, honey producers still waiting on workers

May 22, 2020: Corn Growers says cash advances flowing fast

May 21, 2020: Meat packing concentration leads to problems: Editorial

May 20, 2020: Cattle sector knows about learning and adapting

May 19, 2020: CEBA expanded to farms, other ‘owner-operated’ businesses

May 19, 2020: When a ‘status quo’ food system won’t cut it

May 15, 2020: Heavyweight cattle prices pressured by lack of demand

May 15, 2020: Be wary of grain and oilseed stock numbers

May 14, 2020: COVID-19 hasn’t derailed Canadian grain shipping – yet

May 13, 2020: Foodgrains Bank bringing food aid to locked-down families

May 13, 2020: Non-profit touting food resiliency

May 13, 2020: Don’t chain me down: Comment

May 12, 2020: NDP calls for Crown land payment suspension following Cargill closure

May 12, 2020: Bothwell, Dairy Farmers turning excess milk into cheese donation

May 11, 2020: Canola Growers’ cash advances delayed by COVID, new rules

May 11, 2020: Has COVID-19 nixed AAFC’s 2020 research program?

May 11, 2020: Canola council wants federal research to go forward

May 8, 2020: Crop input supplies not hit by Brandon COVID-19 cluster

May 8, 2020: Life is a rodeo

May 8, 2020: Auction activity holds up well during pandemic

May 8, 2020: Canola trends higher against pandemic tides

May 7, 2020: COVID-19 puts the brakes on potato acres

May 7, 2020: A tale of two countries’ farm subsidies

May 7, 2020: Renewed calls for farm aid get louder

May 7, 2020: Agriculture slips through the safety net: Editorial

May 6, 2020: Video series busts hunger myths

May 5, 2020: We have to start somewhere: Comment

May 4, 2020: Smithfield starting to reopen Sioux Falls hog plant, union says

May 4, 2020: Alberta beef plant closures effects felt in Manitoba

May 4, 2020: Pork sector calls for federal ‘fire crew’ as market goes up in flames

May 4, 2020: Pandemic a threat to global food supply: FAO

May 1, 2020: Manitoba Stampede cancelled for 2020

May 1, 2020: Food and agricultural markets during a pandemic: Insights from economists

May 1, 2020: Beef-processing curbs drag on butcher cattle values

Apr. 30, 2020: Stress cracks, but no fractures: Editorial

Apr. 30, 2020: JBS reopens Minnesota pork plant to cull pigs

Apr. 29, 2020: Caring for horses through the COVID-19 pandemic

Apr. 29, 2020: In northern Spain, lamb farming feels chill winds of coronavirus

Apr. 28, 2020: A temporary foreign worker solution

Apr. 28, 2020: Piglets aborted, chickens gassed as pandemic slams meat sector

Apr. 28, 2020: Postmedia closing several rural Manitoba newspapers

Apr. 27, 2020: Is food security anxiety seeing a Victory garden revival?

Apr. 27, 2020: COVID-19 and the Canadian food supply chain

Apr. 25, 2020: COVID-19 threatens federal field research

Apr. 24, 2020: Smithfield to close Illinois pork facility

Apr. 24, 2020: Supply chain problems weigh on cattle prices

Apr. 23, 2020: Manitoba pea plant construction continues

Apr. 23, 2020: Is Canada food secure?

Apr. 23, 2020: Weanling barns wrestle with market free fall

Apr. 23, 2020: Farmers should tread carefully when seeking more aid

Apr. 23, 2020: $16 billion pledged to U.S. farmers due to COVID-19

Apr. 23, 2020: Temporary foreign workers finally on their way

Apr. 23, 2020: Farmers, traders will have to make do without crop area report

Apr. 22, 2020: COVID-19 forces Tyson to shutter two major U.S. pork plants

Apr. 21, 2020: Aurora Farm delivers groceries in an effort to adapt to COVID-19

Apr. 21, 2020: Holiday lamb demand lags due to COVID-19

Apr. 21, 2020: Global economy hit by severest shock since 1930s

Apr. 20, 2020: COVID crisis captivates conspiracy theorists

Apr. 17, 2020: Pandemic both boom and bust for food industry

Apr. 17, 2020: Survey says… farmers need COVID cash

Apr. 17, 2020: Home education highlights gaps in rural internet

Apr. 17, 2020: Pandemic pricing hits Manitoba cattle values

Apr. 16, 2020: KAP calls for PPE donations

Apr. 16, 2020: COVID-19 is changing the conversation around food

Apr. 16, 2020: Coronavirus leaves grain markets uncertain

Apr. 15, 2020: Brewer, distiller find ‘insane’ demand after pivot to hand sanitizer

Apr. 14, 2020: Farmers’ market moves online amid demand for local food, adjusting to COVID-19

Apr. 14, 2020: Time running short to bring in international workers

Apr. 13, 2020: COVID-19 prunes garden centre operations

Apr. 13, 2020: Farm auctions OK in social distance era

Apr. 13, 2020: Meat processers systemic weak spot

Apr. 12, 2020: Smithfield shutting South Dakota pork plant indefinitely

Apr. 9, 2020: Smithfield shuts South Dakota pork plant over COVID-19

Apr. 9, 2020: Suppliers, farmers worry about COVID-19 impact on crop inputs

Apr. 9, 2020: Winds of change: Editor’s Take

Apr. 9, 2020: Agriculture sector welcomes recent “essential” designation

Apr. 8, 2020: Pandemic to delay StatsCan’s agriculture reports

Apr. 8, 2020: Small food producers innovate to survive

Apr. 7, 2020: Grading grain compromise in wake of COVID—19

Apr. 7, 2020: Prepare for the worst, pray for the best

Apr. 7, 2020: COVID-19 reveals a labour weakness

Apr. 6, 2020: Federal carbon tax rises despite opposition, pandemic

Apr. 6, 2020: Coronavirus causes challenges and opportunities for producers

Apr. 6, 2020: Why COVID-19 will change the food industry, forever

Apr. 6, 2020: Producers rail against beef market gap as product flies off shelves

Apr. 6, 2020: Argentine grains port workers request exports be suspended due to pandemic

Apr. 3, 2020: How COVID-19 is upending global food supply chains

Apr. 3, 2020: Best practices for on-farm sanitation

Apr. 3, 2020: Limits on border traffic not affecting cattle movement

Apr. 2, 2020: Bibeau defends COVID-19 response for agriculture

Apr. 2, 2020: Coronavirus pain muted for ag

Apr. 2, 2020: Canola futures remain steady amid pandemic

Apr. 1, 2020: French grain industry in logistics scramble as shoppers bulk buy

Mar. 30, 2020: Breeders expect online uptick as COVID-19 hits bull sale season

Mar. 27, 2020: Truckers deal with new reality under COVID-19

Mar. 27, 2020: Rural municipalities ‘grinding to a halt’ in face of pandemic

Mar. 27, 2020: Demand fluctuations put pressure on cattle prices

Mar. 27, 2020: Currency weakness supportive for Canadian-grown commodities

Mar. 26, 2020: CFA seeks immediate cash for farmers

Mar. 26, 2020: Coronavirus situation offers strange times: Editorial

Mar. 26, 2020: Pork sector looks for coronavirus answers

Mar. 25, 2020: Portage coronavirus testing site announced

Mar. 24, 2020: Coronavirus testing site to open in Winkler

Mar. 24, 2020: ‘Essential’ travel rule fuzzy on farmers picking up parts, inputs

Mar. 23, 2020: Canada, U.S. aim for border balancing act

Mar. 23, 2020: Grain keeps moving despite virus

Mar. 23, 2020: Grain elevator companies set COVID-19 protocols

Mar. 23, 2020: North America’s millers, bakers scramble to satisfy bread binge

Mar. 23, 2020: FCC to funnel funds to ag sector

Mar. 23, 2020: Manitoba extends forage insurance survey deadline

Mar. 20, 2020: Travel restrictions complicate temporary foreign labor

Mar. 20: 2020: Elevators implement COVID-19 protocols to keep grain moving

Mar. 20, 2020: Temporary foreign workers to be allowed in, Canada reiterates

Mar. 19, 2020: Auction marts urged to introduce social distance

Mar. 18, 2020: Bull sales still rolling despite pandemic

Mar. 18, 2020: COVID testing site opens in Brandon

Mar. 18, 2020: Border closure likely to leave most commerce unscathed

Mar. 18, 2020: Travel exception for temporary workers secured

Mar. 18, 2020: CBOT weekly outlook: Bargain buying lifts some commodities

Mar. 17, 2020: Richardson to pay quarantined employees

Mar. 16, 2020: Editor’s Take: We’re all in this together

Mar. 16, 2020: Handlers focus on keeping grain moving despite COVID-19

Mar. 15, 2020: COVID-19 fears put a halt to agricultural events

Mar. 13, 2020: The fine art of panic buying: Charlebois

Mar. 12, 2020: What will be the long-term impact of COVID-19?: Fraser

The Western Producer

COVID-19 resources for producers (link to page)

le Bulletin des agriculteurs

Revue de presse COVID-19 (link to page)

Burnett on Markets

(Courtesy of Glacier MarketsFarm via AGCanada.com)

Apr. 17, 2020: Global grain stocks offer false sense of food security

Apr. 9, 2020: Weather woes span the Prairies

Mar. 31, 2020: Home flour use soars during pandemic

Mar. 27, 2020: Suddenly agriculture is important

Glacier FarmMedia response to COVID-19

We believe that, now more than ever, it is critical to deliver timely and relevant information to farmers, farm businesses and the entire agriculture sector. (click here)

Provincial updates

Provinces and Territories across Canada are providing updates on COVID-19 as it develops. The Government of Canada website also has information and resources to help lower your risk of contracting the virus and what symptoms you should watch for.

To find the latest government update regarding COVID-19 in your province or territory, please visit the links below:

• British Columbia
• Alberta
• Saskatchewan
• Manitoba
• Ontario
• Quebec
• New Brunswick
• Nova Scotia
• Prince Edward Island
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Yukon
• Nunavut

The post COVID-19 and the farm: Stories from the GFM network appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.