Trump’s pledges to boost competitiveness and renegotiate the United States-Mexico- Canada Agreement (USMCA) as well as the potential to impose trade sanctions could spell difficulties for Canadian producers.
Bayer confirms 2024 outlook despite slow start for agriculture, consumer health units
Bayer confirmed its full-year forecast for earnings and cash flow on Monday despite slow business at its crop science and consumer health divisions.
Federal Tories' former associate ag critic takes lead chair
Andrew Scheer's federal Conservatives will have a familiar face in the agriculture critic's chair when the House of Commons reconvenes next month. Scheer on Friday named John Barlow, the MP for the southwestern Alberta riding of Foothills, as the lead opposition critic for agriculture and agri-food. Barlow replaces Quebec MP Luc Berthold, who takes up[...]
BMO pledges drought relief for farm clients
BMO Financial Group said last week it will offer Canadian and U.S. farmer customers financial drought relief to help them get through one of the worst droughts to hit North America in more than 50 years. Toronto-based BMO said it is providing drought-hit farmers more access to capital, fee concessions, working lines of credit and,[...]
Ontario names new agriculture minister
A veteran Hamilton-area MPP and former cabinet minister is Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty's choice for minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs in a cabinet short on ag experience. Ted McMeekin, the MPP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, was sworn in Thursday as ag minister following the Oct. 6 election, which saw McGuinty's Liberal government reduced just shy[...]
First female ag minister won't seek re-election
Manitoba's deputy premier and finance minister Rosann Wowchuk, the first woman anywhere in Canada to be named as a minister of agriculture, has announced she won't seek re-election this fall. Wowchuk, who represents the northwestern riding of Swan River, told media as recently as February that she planned to run again in the Oct. 4[...]
Supreme Court upholds Ont. farm union law
Legislation blocking Ontario's farm workers from collective bargaining will stand, after Canada's top court dismissed a major union's court battle against the province's rules. The Supreme Court of Canada on Friday upheld Ontario's Agricultural Employees Protection Act (AEPA), which had previously been overturned at the Ontario Court of Appeal in 2008. The top court dismissed[...]
Olds College rolls out Rural Land Use Planning major
Olds College is now offering a new major aimed at training the next generation of land-use planning technicians and development officers. These roles involve gathering and researching environmental data to help assess how residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural developments interact with rural landscapes and ecosystems. This new program addresses both an employment shortage and an[...]
NDP goes green in ag platform
Funding for organic farming, "green" farming, farmer co-ops and farm safety nets are on Jack Layton's to-fund list in the New Democratic Party's new agriculture platform. NDP leader Layton released the party's full platform Sunday in Toronto, with just over two weeks before a federal election. Among other points, the NDP's platform proposes a series[...]
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
