Both sides are claiming victory in a recent ruling on dairy trade.  photo: arlutz73/istock/getty images

Keep balance in research funding

Declining federal government funding means others must fill in to fill the gap

Reading Time: 3 minutes Many ingredients went into the mix that resulted in the extraordinary success of agriculture in feeding a growing population. There’s the ability of farmers to constantly learn and increase their management skills. There are also vast improvements in technology – mechanical, digital and biological – that have come from researchers in both private companies and […] Read more

With up to $75,000 available per farm for well-established practices such as rotational grazing, the popularity of the On-Farm Climate Action Fund isn’t a surprise to Sonja Bloom, environmental coordinator with Foothills Forage and Grazing Association.

Federal ‘climate action’ grants are a huge hit with Alberta producers

More than 1,000 applications have flooded in, prompting program administrator to push the pause button

Reading Time: 4 minutes Alberta farmers love Ottawa’s “climate action” program so much that applications have been paused until late summer. “It’s a pretty lucrative program and people were actually aware of it this year,” said Johanna Murray, extension coordinator with Peace Country Beef and Forage Association. “There were people who didn’t get around to applying last year because […] Read more


Undated image of a participant at the fall ag fair at Rocklyn, Ont., about 40 km southeast of Owen Sound. (Ontario Visited video screengrab via YouTube)

Ontario trims minimum memberships for ag, hort societies

Eligibility thresholds for provincial operating grants lowered

Rules taking effect with the new year are expected to make it easier for Ontario agricultural and horticultural societies to qualify for provincial grants in the face of a membership crunch. The province on Friday confirmed amendments to regulation 16, attached to its Agricultural and Horticultural Organizations Act, kick in effective Sunday (Jan. 1, 2023). […] 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


The new program aims to help offset some of the costs associated with water management.
 Photo: File

Sask farmers, ranchers get cash for water management

Saskatchewan farmers and ranchers have $700,000 flowing their way from the Water Security Agency (WSA), in an effort to improve responsible agricultural management projects such as watersheds. The pilot program is being labeled as the Agricultural Water Management Fund.  “Effective water management may be one of the most important factors driving Saskatchewan’s growth in the […] Read more

Ag society grants available

Reading Time: < 1 minute Applications are now being accepted for the Rocky Mountain Equipment’s Right by You Ag Society program, which offers grants to agricultural societies in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Last year, two of the successful applications were from Alberta: The Marwayne Ag Society and Drumheller Stampede and Agricultural Society received $10,000 grants. The funds are for projects […] Read more


Photo: Canada Beef

VBP+ gets federal funding boost

Reading Time: < 1 minute The Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) program has been given a $200,000 federal grant for development of a web portal and an app for remote audits. The initiative will help the cattle sector’s efforts to show that beef is sustainably produced here. “It is more important than ever to raise awareness of the beef industry’s […] Read more

(RoyalFair.org video screengrab via YouTube)

AgriCommunication plan to seek farmer-consumer dialogue

Ag exhibitions among expected beneficiaries

The federal government has put up new funding toward improving consumers’ awareness of the “strengths” of Canada’s ag sector — and to improve farmer awareness of what those consumers want and expect. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Thursday announced an $8 million, three-year funding envelope for the first of two streams of what’s now called […] Read more


Government cash offered for new technology

Reading Time: < 1 minute The new Farm Technology Program is accepting applications to support adoption of technology to minimize waste, optimize efficiency, and encourage adoption of best management practices in farm security. This 50-50 cost-share program provides incentives on new technologies that are commercially available and already demonstrated under Alberta conditions. Two streams are available. The Farm Technology stream […] Read more

Farmers asked for views on research

Reading Time: < 1 minute What kind of Alberta research should get funding? That’s a question the province’s independent research funding body is asking farmers. “Our vision is to see Alberta’s agriculture and food sectors reach their full potential — we are inviting you to help shape what that full potential looks like,” RDAR chief executive Mark Redmond said in […] Read more