The federal government has announced it's dropping the four-year cumulative duration requirement — also known as the "four-in, four-out" rule — from the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) effectively immediately. It's welcome news for agricultural employers and farm groups. “The feedback we received from agricultural stakeholders is very supportive of these changes," noted Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst,... Read More
Category: News
The Saskatchewan Pulse Growers' board of directors is keeping its levy non-refundable. The board had one year to respond to a resolution passed at the organization's 2016 annual general meeting requesting the check-off be made refundable. SPG chair Tim Wiens informed members of the decision in a letter distributed December 13 (see below.) SPG is... Read More
Monsanto shareholders approved the company's sale to Bayer at a meeting in St. Louis on Tuesday. Based on preliminary counts, the company says approximately 99 percent of the votes cast were in favour of the $66 billion deal, which will see Monsanto shareholders receive $128 per share when the merger is finalized. “We are pleased... Read More
Cavendish Farms has announced plans to spend at least $350 million on a new frozen potato processing facility in Lethbridge. Robert K. Irving, co-CEO of J.D. Irving Limited and president of Cavendish Farms, was in southern Alberta to make the announcement alongside Ag Minister Oneil Carlier, local MLAs Shannon Phillips and Maria Fitzpatrick, and Lethbridge... Read More
Grain Growers of Canada has announced its executive for 2016/17, led by new president Jeff Nielsen. Nielsen, who served as vice president in 2015, represents the Western Barley Growers Association, and replaces Gary Stanford, who held the position for the three years and remains on the board representing the Alberta Wheat Commission. “It is an... Read More
Despite President-elect Trump's clear intention to remove the United States from the deal, Japan became the first country in the Trans-Pacific Partnership to ratify the 12 country trade agreement on Friday. The move is seen as being somewhat symbolic, since the TPP's text requires U.S. participation. Trump has said he will pull America out of... Read More
2017 marks several milestones, most notably Canada's 150th birthday. But 2017 also marks 50 years since the genesis of the Canola Council of Canada, and to celebrate, the canola industry will host a traveling exhibition that tells the story of canola's success. The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, based at Ottawa's Central Experimental Farm, and... Read More
One of the highest-ranking public servants in the federal agriculture department is leaving Ottawa to become Ontario's Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Greg Meredith has worked for the federal government for more than 30 years, serving as Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Strategic Policy with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada since 2010. He was... Read More
Dairy Quality Inc. and its mobile milk testing device was the big winner at Ontario's 10th annual Premier's Awards for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. Premier Kathleen Wynne presented the Premier’s award – the province’s highest honour for outstanding contributions in innovation to the agri-food sector – to the Newmarket-based company. Its mobile testing device helps dairy... Read More
The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crop’s (CRSC) has created an agro-ecosystem working group. The group has created a "vision for sustainability" for Canadian agriculture over the next 10 years. With a commitment to using science as the guiding principal for development of 12 key outcomes for 2026, the seven member organizations of the working group... Read More