Statistics Canada's recent September job market data is reassuring. Overall, employment in the country increased in September, creating 378,000 jobs, the majority of which were full-time jobs. This increase in September brought our total employment to 720,000, shy of the level we had before the pandemic. Obviously, children being back to school has helped bring... Read More

The federal government has stepped in to top up provincial funding for workplace health and safety measures on-farm in Ontario. Agriculture and Agri-Food minister Marie-Claude Bibeau previously announced $35 million for a federally-administered program, and this week, announced $11.6 million for the Ontario version — the Enhanced Agri-food Workplace Protection Program (EAWPP). Originally announced in... Read More

The national rural mental health training program, presented by the Do More Agriculture Foundation (DMA) and Farm Credit Canada, is entering its third year. Applications are now open for the next year of training. The education program is focused on mental health in the ag sector and is aimed at developing the capacity for mental... Read More

The Agricultural Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) board of directors has announced that Darryl Kay will sit as the new chief executive officer, effective immediately. Previously, Kay held the role of chief financial and innovation officer and has been with AFSC for almost 10 years. He also served as interim CEO in 2017 — during which... Read More

The federal government has opened applications for the Emergency On-Farm Support Fund, a $35 million fund to cover the added cost of personal protective equipment, updates to worker housing, and sanitization stations, as examples. The fund was originally announced in late July as part of a $58.6 million commitment by the government. Money can be... Read More

Ontario's Grains Innovation Fund is open for applications. The fund, administered by the Grain Farmers of Ontario, supports retail and industry projects that develop novel, value-added uses or promote new markets for Ontario grains. Individuals, organizations, or companies can qualify for up to 60 per cent of the cost of the project — up to... Read More

Average farmland values in Canada crept up an average of 3.7 per cent in the term ending June, 2020, led by growth in Alberta, B.C. and New Brunswick, according to the most recent Farm Credit Canada (FCC) farmland values report. This increase is in line with mid-year results over the past five years, which showed... Read More