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Feds lift ‘pause’ on increases in crop chemical MRLs

New set of rules also calls for 'cosmetic' pesticide use to be banned on federal lands

Reading Time: 6 minutes Proposals to increase a crop chemical’s maximum residue limits (MRLs) on foods and food crops in Canada can again seek federal approval, after being put on temporary hold two years ago. Among several other changes, a planned new package of federal regulatory amendments will put a gradual end to a “pause” imposed in August 2021 […] Read more

An air-fryer grilled cheese and ham sandwich. (Dempsters.ca)

Canada Bread fined $50 million over price-fixing

'Leniency' settlement follows breadmaker's guilty plea

Reading Time: 3 minutes A storied Canadian producer of bread and bakery products has a month to pay a $50 million fine for price-fixing in an ongoing federal probe which still has eyes on several major retailers. Ontario’s Superior Court on Wednesday sentenced Toronto-based Canada Bread Co. after the company pled guilty to four counts of fixing bread prices […] Read more


File photo of the produce section at a Canadian grocery store. (FatCamera/E+/Getty Images)

Canada retools inflation baskets with more focus on food, gas

Snowblowers and barbecues in, DVD players out

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s national statistics agency on Tuesday revealed new weights for the basket of goods and services in its Consumer Price Index, giving more prominence to changes in the prices of food and gasoline. The reweighting, which Statistics Canada carries out every year, has historically had only a marginal impact on the […] Read more

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Canada warns VCOOL would sabotage shared Canada-U.S. goals, supply chains

The Canadian government has submitted its views on proposed U.S. food labelling rules

Reading Time: 2 minutes Proposed U.S. country of origin labelling rules run contrary to mutual Canada and U.S. goals to reduce inflation, improve food security and build resilient supply chains, according to a submission from the Canadian government to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “One of the great strengths of the U.S.-Canada bilateral relationship is the successful integration of […] Read more


“The wider we can spread the message that we need to take action in raising the next generation of leaders in agriculture and food, the better it is for all of us.” – Kathryn Doan.

AgScape continues to evolve and thrive in the classroom

Organization continues successful reach into school boards across Ontario

Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – AgScape grew from strength to strength throughout the pandemic, and its trajectory continues to climb. “After so many years of work and assembling a group of talented individuals, we’re being recognized as experts in the field of agriculture and food education,” said Kathryn Doan, AgScape board chair, at the provincial agri-food education […] Read more

File photo of grilled pork intestine on skewers at a street food stall in the Philippines. (Junpinzon/iStock/Getty Images)

Philippines to host Canada’s Indo-Pacific ag office

AAFC/CFIA base to be set up in Manila, Bibeau says

Reading Time: 3 minutes Canada’s agriculture department and food safety agency will carry out their part of the federal government’s Indo-Pacific strategy from a new office in Manila, Philippines. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced the office’s location Wednesday in Ottawa during a meeting with the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA), which represents Canada’s export-dependent ag commodity groups on […] Read more


bacon

Inflation, interest rates, input costs catch up to meat sector

Canada's meat industry hits hard times

Reading Time: 4 minutes There’s been a torrent of bad news in the meat sector in the last two months. Tyson Foods reported its first quarterly loss since 2009; HyLife’s processing plant in Windom, Minn., declared bankruptcy; Smithfield Foods is closing 40 sow farms in Missouri; Olymel announced the permanent closure of its Vallée-Jonction hog plant in Quebec; and […] Read more

Ag Minister Nate Horner speaks at the Harmony Beef plant at Balzac, Alta. on Feb. 7, 2023. (Government of Alberta video screengrab via YouTube)

Alberta ag minister, ag critic hang onto seats in election

Governing UCP retains smaller majority

Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta’s incumbent agriculture minister and official opposition ag critic both appear set to return to the legislature as Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservatives (UCP) are expected to form a majority government. At about 1 a.m. Alberta time on Tuesday, Smith’s UCP was elected or leading in 49 of 87 constituencies; all remaining 38 went to […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Elections Alberta)

Pre-election reports analyze Alberta’s ag issues

Three reports focus on party histories, ag sector concerns, current platforms

Reading Time: 3 minutes Alberta farmers’ concerns with provincial policy, and the two major parties’ stances on those concerns, are the subjects of a three-part analysis leading up to a provincial election on Monday. The Simpson Centre for Food and Agricultural Policy, a think tank operating out of the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, says its three […] Read more

Canada Beef at a 2022 hotel promotion with Marriott Hotel Kaohsiung in Taiwan. (Photo courtesy Canada Beef)

Taiwan pledges full access for Canadian beef

Market to reopen in 'a couple weeks,' minister says

Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian beef exporters can expect to regain full market access to Taiwan within the next couple of weeks, Canada’s international trade minister said Thursday. Posting on Twitter Thursday from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers’ meeting in Detroit, Mary Ng said Taiwanese officials have confirmed the decision, which she hailed as “great news […] Read more