The federal government will put $565,900 toward development of a national sector organization, the Organic Federation of Canada, to bring together all players in Canada’s organic industry, raise awareness of the sector and help with regulatory development. OFC president Stephanie Wells said in a government release that the funding, announced Monday, will go toward the […] Read more
Organic umbrella group funded
N.B. farm register to fund farm groups
New Brunswick’s provincial government has set up a voluntary Register of Farm Businesses, from which fees will be used to fund the operations of the province’s general farm organizations. Under the system launched Friday, farmers who opt to register would pay annual fees of between $150 and $500, based on gross annual income, to a […] Read more
Irrigation thirstiest for Alta. water supply: report
While Alberta’s oil industry is expected to post the biggest increase in demand for that province’s water between now and 2010, irrigation is expected to account for the biggest increase in the five following years, according to a new provincial government report. The environment department’s report on current and future water use in Alberta, released […] Read more
Chem companies’ court battle at dead end
A 10-year legal fight between Saskatoon inoculant maker Philom Bios and chemical firm Dow AgroSciences Canada has ended at the Supreme Court of Canada’s doorstep. Philom Bios reported Friday that the country’s top court has dismissed Dow Agro’s application for leave to appeal an April 2007 ruling by an Alberta appeals court, in a dispute […] Read more
Ecological goods and services pilot funded in N.S.
The Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture will use over half a million dollars in new federal funding to put dollar values on farmers’ environmental management activities in an Ecological Goods and Services (EG&S) pilot project. Guy Lauzon, the federal parliamentary secretary for agriculture, announced the funding at the federation’s annual meeting Friday in Truro. The […] Read more
Ont. soybean growers pull out of merger
Ontario Soybean Growers has called off its engagement to the province’s wheat and corn growers’ groups. OSG announced Thursday that its board had voted to withdraw from the current memorandum of understanding (MOU) process that was to lead up to the forming of one organization with the Ontario Corn Producers’ Association and Ontario Wheat Producers’ […] Read more
Half of Man. farmland committed to EFPs
Almost half of Manitoba’s agricultural land is now covered by farmers’ Environmental Farm Plans (EFPs), the federal and provincial governments reported Friday. Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and provincial Ag Minister Rosann Wowchuk announced that over 5,000 farmers had completed EFPs, representing eight million acres or almost 50 per cent of all Manitoba agricultural land. […] Read more
Man. gets value chain funding
The federal and Manitoba provincial governments have announced more than $1.7 million in funding for a Manitoba value-chain initiative. Value chains enable farmers to develop and expand market opportunities and create stronger links between farmers, processors and retailers, said Gerry Ritz, federal agriculture minister, in a prepared release. The federal portion of the funding is […] Read more
Pork council upset by EU subsidies
The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) is crying foul over a European Union decision to introduce export refunds on pork and pork products. The export subsidy rate can reach as much as C75 cents per kilogram and are applicable for pork shipped to all export destinations, the CPC says. “The EU has chosen a method of […] Read more
N.S. offers new award for ag innovation
Nova Scotia’s provincial government has up to $10,000 for one farmer who proposes a new way to handle business challenges on his or her farm. The province’s new Agri-Food Innovation Award, funded through the “renewal” pillar of the federal-provincial Agricultural Policy Framework (APF), is to go toward the planning and development process of the winning […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
