A leader in Ontario’s agriculture and rural community is one of Canada’s newest senators. Rob Black, executive director of the Rural Ontario Institute and a former president of 4-H Canada, was named Thursday as one of two new senators from Ontario by Governor General Julie Payette. Why is this significant? It has been a long […] Read more
Rural Ontario leader appointed to Senate
Recreational marijuana sales in Canada face fresh delays
Ottawa | Reuters — The sale of legalized recreational marijuana in Canada, which has already been pushed back once beyond the planned July start date, is set to be delayed even further, government officials said Thursday. The ruling Liberals are sparring with the upper Senate chamber, where a draft law is currently under review. Critics […] Read more
Marijuana can only go on sale months after federal law passes
Ottawa | Reuters — Recreational marijuana in Canada will only go on sale a few months after it is legalized later this year because the new retail system needs time to start working properly, Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said Tuesday. The Liberal government says the new law must be in place by July 1 […] Read more
Transport act delay could be costly
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Wheat Commission is concerned grain transportation in Canada is being put at risk with the failure to pass Bill C-49, The Transportation Modernization Act, prior to Christmas. The delay in Senate approval of the legislation until the New Year could mean serious repercussions for farmers since they ultimately bear the cost of delayed shipments, […] Read more
U.S. ag secretary nominee submits ethics disclosures
Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Agriculture Department said in Senate ethics disclosure forms that he would place his assets, which include part ownership of a grain merchandising company, into a blind trust. Republican Sonny Perdue was tapped to head the department the day before Trump’s inauguration. Progress on his […] Read more
Key U.S. senator remains wary of China’s Syngenta play
Beijing | Reuters — A powerful U.S. senator said he is concerned that state-owned ChemChina, which is buying Swiss crop protection and seed group Syngenta for $43 billion, could use U.S. sovereign immunity laws to shield itself from claims in U.S. courts. Some Chinese state-owned entities have argued that they have sovereign immunity and thus […] Read more
U.S. GMO label law clears Congress
A law for mandatory labelling of foods for sale in the U.S. with genetically modified or otherwise “bioengineered” ingredients has cleared both houses of Congress and now goes to President Barack Obama. The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved the Senate’s bipartisan bill S.764 by a 306-117 vote, sending it to the White House […] Read more
Organic seed growers split with OTA over U.S. label plan
A U.S. organic seed grower organization best known for its court case against Monsanto has parted ways with one of North America’s biggest organic sector bodies over a proposed nationwide GMO label law in the U.S. The Maine-based growers’ group, the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA), announced Thursday its board has voted to […] Read more
U.S. GMO food labeling bill passes Senate
UPDATED, July 7, 2016 | Reuters — The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved legislation that would for the first time require food to carry labels listing genetically-modified ingredients, which labeling supporters say could create loopholes for some U.S. crops. The Senate voted 63-30 for the bill that would display GMO contents with words, pictures or […] Read more
Nobel laureates urge Greenpeace to stop opposing GMOs
Washington | Reuters — More than 100 Nobel laureates called on the international environmental group Greenpeace on Thursday to end its opposition to genetically modified crops, saying there is a scientific consensus they are safe and can benefit society. At a news conference, the scientists cited in particular the value of a genetically modified rice […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
