Reading Time: 3 minutes Government-led agricultural research will face cuts under the United Conservatives’ new provincial budget. The budget, released Oct. 24, will slash spending in the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry by $88 million, dropping the department’s budget from $987 million in 2018-19 to $879 million in 2019-20. Within the department, the primary agriculture division — which manages research […] Read more
First UCP provincial budget cuts agriculture spending
Government forecasts $34-million drop in ag research funding over four years
Class 1 truck exemptions not permanent
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta government won’t permanently exempt farmers and their employees who recently got their Class 1 licence from mandatory entry-level training (MELT). Those who had acquired their licence between Oct. 11, 2018 and Feb. 28, 2019 had been sent letters giving them an extension in taking the training if they maintained a clean driving record. […] Read more
Beijing’s refusal to order U.S. farm buys becomes pain point
Washington/Beijing/Reuters – U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand that Beijing commit to big purchases of American farm products has become a major sticking point in talks to end the Sino-U.S. trade war, according to several people briefed on the negotiations. Trump has said publicly that China could buy as much as $50 billion of U.S. farm […] Read more
Canada, China meet over canola stalemate
[UPDATED: Oct. 31, 2019] Glacier FarmMedia – Canada and China finally had a face-to-face meeting *Oct. 28 in Geneva on China’s de facto import ban of Canadian canola seed. The private consultation under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO) went well, according to Brian Innes, the Canola Council of Canada’s *vice-president of public […] Read more
Oil vs Corn: U.S. lawmakers set hearing on fractious biofuels policy
The U.S. oil and corn industries will continue a long-running public battle over America’s biofuels policy on Tuesday during a Congressional hearing about the Trump administration’s use of “secret waivers” for refineries. The hearing set by the Energy and Commerce Committee will air out the grievances of two key political constituencies heading into next year’s […] Read more
Carbon costs affecting grain drying for Prairie farmers
Opponents say the rebates won't fully cover the additional costs farmers must pay
Glacier FarmMedia – Farmers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta struggling to get their crops harvested will also be paying higher costs for drying thanks to the federal carbon levy. While the federal carbon price offers relief for gasoline and light fuel oil costs used in tractors and trucks, there is no exemption for grain drying […] Read more
Key federal minister in Canada/China dispute fighting cancer
Just days after two senior cabinet ministers from the Prairies were defeated in Monday’s federal election, the Liberal government is now facing the possibility of a third stepping away from cabinet. International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr from Manitoba announced on Friday that he has been diagnosed with a type of blood cancer known as […] Read more
With a federal election looming, spare a thought for trade
Trade is a complex issue but needs to be a priority for our export-dependent farm sector
Reading Time: 3 minutes A Canadian election is around the corner and trade is an important issue to consider, particularly for agriculture. Agri-food accounts for 12 per cent of all of Canada’s exports. One-half of all Canadian agricultural production is exported. One in two jobs in grains and oilseeds is export dependent and one in four jobs in food […] Read more
Alberta ag minister says he got the message on workplace safety laws
Devin Dreeshen says new workplace safety law will have ‘have some common sense attached to it’
Reading Time: 4 minutes He made 25 stops across the province, met with more than 1,000 farmers, put over 8,000 kilometres on the truck and drank countless cups of coffee. Devin Dreeshen has been a busy man during his first summer as provincial agriculture minister and he’s promising a replacement workplace safety law is introduced this fall. “What we’ve […] Read more
Government aid may be needed for canola growers, says analyst
China situation will drag on and stocks of unsold canola will continue to mount, says trade expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes With no end in sight to China’s ban on their biggest money-making crop, Ottawa may have to offer financial aid to canola growers, says an ag trade expert. “There will likely be discussions of compensation for canola farmers,” said Sarah Pittman, a policy analyst with the Canada West Foundation in Calgary. “I’m not sure we […] Read more
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