The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC), whose role in Canadian grain quality assurance is under federal review, wants to cut its fees for four official grain inspection and official grain weighing services effective Aug. 1, the start of the new crop year. The change will save Canada’s grain sector millions of dollars over the next three […] Read more
Grain commission proposes big inspection fee cut
Effective Aug. 1 the cost of outward inspection would be cut by 29 per cent
W.A. Grain enters receivership
Farmers owed money for grain delivered to this company should contact the Canadian Grain Commission
Alberta-based grain and pulse handler and processor W.A. Grain + Pulse Solutions went into receivership April 26. Farmers who delivered grain to its faculties in Alberta and Saskatchewan but haven’t been paid should contact the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC). “We have not commenced a claims process yet,” CGC spokesman Remi Gosselin said in an interview […] Read more
CGC suspends W.A. Grain’s licences to month-end
The firm, with facilities in Saskatchewan and Alberta, can't buy or sell grain in the interim
Licences for Prairie grain and pulse handler W.A. Grain and Pulse Solutions and its primary elevators in Alberta and Saskatchewan have been suspended by the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC). The suspensions took effect at 12:01 p.m. Tuesday, a CGC official said in an interview. “This means for a limited period of time (until April 30) […] Read more
Virtual town hall on federal Grain Act set for Friday
Time is running out on consultations, but the April 23 event gives farmers a chance to provide input
The deadline for submitting comments to the federal government’s review of the Canada Grain Act and Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is April 30, but farmers can also offer feedback at a ‘virtual’ town hall meeting this Friday. The Grain Act and its regulations provide the framework for Canada’s grain quality assurance system and it’s the […] Read more
Carbon tax rebate on grain drying fuels coming
Jim Carr reiterates Bibeau's pledge from last week
Farmers can expect a rebate on carbon taxes paid on fuels used to dry grain, Jim Carr, the federal cabinet’s special representative for the Prairies, told the Canadian Crops Virtual Convention on Tuesday. However, he didn’t provide any details. “There is promising news on this front,” Carr told the meeting, hosted by the Canola Council […] Read more
Prairie farm slapped with plant breeders’ rights infringement penalties
Farmers need to know who they are buying seed from to avoid potentially significant costs
Infringing on Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) has cost a large southern Alberta farm a record $737,597. “The settlement relates to unauthorized advertisements and sales of PBR-protected barley and wheat varieties,” Alliance Seed, SeCan and an unnamed seed company said in a news release Wednesday. The settlement “includes the royalties, plus legal fees and penalties,” Todd […] Read more
Push on to prevent strike at Port of Montreal
A work stoppage that could start March 20 would disrupt containerized grain exports
Ottawa needs to act now to prevent a strike March 20 that would stop containerized grain from being exported from the Port of Montreal, says Jeff English, vice-president of marketing and communications at Pulse Canada. “This is something we can see off in the distance, but we are going to be there before you know […] Read more
Grain handler group seeks Vancouver port governance overhaul
The WGEA, whose members ship most of Western Canada's grain, complain the port is in a conflict of interest as both developer and regulator
Vancouver, Canada’s biggest port and the most important to Western Canada’s economy, needs major changes in how it operates, the Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA) says. As a statutory monopoly the port authority is both a port developer and regulator putting it in a conflict of interest, according to WGEA executive director Wade Sobkowich. “We […] Read more
Provinces’ feet held to fire on AgriStability
Ministers' meeting co-chairs push for progress to allow changes to be made retroactive for 2020
The co-chairs of Canada’s agriculture ministers’ meeting are pushing to get proposed improvements to AgriStability in place sooner than later. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and her Ontario counterpart, Ernie Hardeman, “urge all provincial and territorial ministers to support the proposed changes to the AgriStability program,” they said in a joint statement Tuesday. At a […] Read more
Bibeau says government committed to federal plant breeding
Seed royalty consultations stalled
The Canadian government is committed to plant breeding, federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau told members of the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation on Tuesday. Some farmers and seed industry officials suspect Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) variety development work, along with many other programs, will be on the chopping block post-COVID-19 as the government tackles its […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
