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.
New B.C. youth work rules: Heavy lifting, ag chem handling out
"Light farm and yard work" are deemed appropriate for workers at ages 14 and 15 under new employment standards taking effect in British Columbia this fall. The province on Wednesday announced changes to its Employment Standards Act, which have been through the development and consultation stages since 2019, have now been finalized and will take[...]
Ontario names new ag minister in shuffle
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has drawn another aggie from his existing cabinet to replace Ernie Hardeman as his agriculture minister. Ford on Friday announced a major cabinet shuffle, dropping Hardeman, the long-time MPP for Oxford, from the cabinet table and naming Lisa Thompson as minister for agriculture, food and rural affairs. Thompson, who until Friday[...]
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[...]
Morriss, Pakosh, Streichs named to ag hall of fame
The Manitoba farmers who developed the rotary separator for combines, the co-founder of Versatile and the long-time editorial director for the website you're reading are bound for Manitoba's Agricultural Hall of Fame. The hall of fame on Monday unofficially announced its 2018 group of inductees, ahead of its annual meeting Wednesday in Portage la Prairie[...]
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[...]
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
