Smoke rises from a wildfire in Alberta’s Strathcona County, east of Edmonton, on May 5, 2023. (Photo: Video screengrab from @hellohildy on Twitter via Reuters)

Alberta fairs, auctions offer space for evacuated livestock

Central areas catch break with moisture, cooler weather; CN service resumes

Alberta’s ag societies and livestock auction marts are offering up pen space for producers forced to evacuate animals away from dozens of wildfires in the province’s northern and west-central regions. As of early Thursday evening, the province was tracking 76 active wildfires, of which 22 were listed as “out of control” and 17 as “being […] Read more

File photo of a federal office building in downtown Winnipeg. (Dave Bedard photo)

Some 155,000 federal public workers on strike over pay dispute

Some AAFC, CGC work to be affected

Ottawa | Reuters — More than 155,000 public sector workers in Canada began a strike Wednesday after failing to reach a wage deal with the federal government by a Tuesday night deadline, in action that will affect tax filings and passport services during peak demand. The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) union said contract […] Read more


Alberta Wheat would have liked to see a greater focus on markets and the grain business in the federal government’s new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

Is there too much green in the new ag funding deal?

The environment is a big focus of new deal; income and marketing not so much

Reading Time: 4 minutes The new $508-million agriculture funding deal between Ottawa and the provincial government is getting mixed reviews. “Overall it’s a pretty good framework,” said Alberta Canola vice-chair Ian Chitwood. “From Alberta Canola’s perspective, we really support it. It’s a pretty well-rounded suite of programs so I think it’s going to be good for producers.” But as […] Read more

File photo of young birds on a Canadian broiler operation. (Elena Bionysheva-Abramova/iStock/Getty Images)

B.C. farmers granted late entry for AgriStability

Avian flu, 'extreme weather' events considered

With bird flu outbreaks and last spring’s weather woes in mind, farmers and ranchers in British Columbia are now spotted until the end of June to enrol in AgriStability. The province and the federal ag department on Tuesday announced they’ve agreed on a late participation option for the 2022 program year. In this case, the […] Read more


(Stephen Ausmus photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Alberta poultry sector gets late entry for AgriStability

Participation deadline extended to end of month

In the wake of avian influenza outbreaks in the region, Alberta poultry producers have been granted a late participation option to sign up for the federal/provincial AgriStability income stabilization program. Provincial Ag Minister Nate Horner on Wednesday announced the two levels of government have reached an agreement to allow poultry producers late participation in AgriStability […] Read more

(Glacier FarmMedia Network photo)

New ag policy framework gets mostly thumbs-up

Change in the AgriStability reference margin from 70 to 80 per cent may encourage more participation

Reading Time: 3 minutes [UPDATED: Aug. 26, 2022] The new national business risk management plan is getting a generally positive reception from farm organization leaders. The new framework, titled the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, was announced by federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers following their annual meeting at the end of July. Grain Growers of Canada chair Andre Harpe […] Read more


Federal Ag Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau (r) visits the Ag in Motion outdoor farm show near Langham, Sask. on July 20, 2022. (Greg Berg photo)

Ag ministers lock in next policy funding framework

AgriStability compensation rate to rise; new EGS program planned; some agmins decry feds' approach on fertilizer emission cuts

The new federal-provincial ag policy funding framework due to take effect next April 1 will include a new ecological goods and services plan and a sweetened compensation rate for AgriStability. Following meetings this week in Saskatoon, federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and her provincial and territorial counterparts on Friday mapped out the bones of their […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

AgriStability enrolment deadline extended for 2022

Two-month extension in place for fourth year in a row

The deadline for Canadian farmers to enroll in AgriStability has been extended for two months — making 2022 the fourth year in a row with a enrolment deadline bump for the farm income stabilization program. The enrolment deadline without penalty for the 2022 program year was previously scheduled for this Saturday, April 30, but is […] Read more


A tractor-mounted snowblower runs through rows of piled-up surplus potatoes on a field near Victoria, P.E.I., about 35 km west of Charlottetown, on Dec. 20, 2021. The shredded potatoes are expected to break down over the winter as compost. (Screengrab from P.E.I. Potato Board video)

Feds put up funds toward managing P.E.I. potato surplus

Ottawa budgets $28 million for distribution and disposal

Prince Edward Island potatoes locked out of the U.S. export market will go either to food banks or “environmentally-sound” disposal with new federal funding. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Monday announced $28 million “to support the diversion of surplus potatoes, including help to redirect surplus potatoes to organizations addressing food insecurity and support for […] Read more

File photo of an Alberta wheat field. (ImagineGolf/E+/Getty Images)

Late enrolment in AgriStability not much help, says Alberta Wheat

An uncertain AgriStability payout a year from now won’t help grain farmers facing cash flow issues

Reading Time: 3 minutes Allowing for late participation in AgriStability is unlikely to help Alberta producers facing a cash flow crunch. “We’re going to be going into a period of significant cash flow shortages for farmers — maybe not all, but many,” said Tom Steve, general manager of Alberta Wheat and Barley. “Late enrolment would be fine, but is […] Read more