Reading Time: 2 minutes Rules taking effect with the new year are expected to make it easier for Ontario agricultural and horticultural societies to qualify for provincial grants in the face of a membership crunch. The province on Friday confirmed amendments to regulation 16, attached to its Agricultural and Horticultural Organizations Act, kick in effective Sunday (Jan. 1, 2023). […] Read more
Ontario trims minimum memberships for ag, hort societies
Eligibility thresholds for provincial operating grants lowered
The ginger difference
What’s the best strategy to market a product no one thinks you can grow? The Mueller farm perks things up
Reading Time: 7 minutes For Cindy and Ron Mueller, who run Fisherville Greenhouses near Lake Erie an hour south of Hamilton, the farm business was ticking along. It felt like they had it pretty much figured out. The couple had started their farm careers by growing tomatoes for sale through a wholesaler. Then, when the market changed, they adapted […] Read more
Bold strides through diversification
The Cebulak family searches for new revenue streams that will grow the farm for the next generation
Reading Time: 4 minutes This five-part series features farm families leading change through bold decisions on family planning, new ventures, revenue diversification, innovation and business operations. Read parts one and two here. Cebulak Family Farms is a fruit, vegetable and cash crop farm owned and operated by brothers Blaine and Leonard Cebulak alongside their next generation: Nathan, Andrew, Derek and […] Read more
Feds open up consultations for sustainable ag strategy
Producer groups to have reps on advisory committee
Reading Time: 3 minutes The federal government has enlisted farm groups on the ground floor of consultations toward development of a long-term strategy to “amplify” the adoption and use of sustainable practices in agriculture over the next year. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Dec. 12 announced the launch of public consultations on strategy development, running from now through March […] Read more
NASA to conduct first global water survey from space
Data would bolster weather and climate forecasts
Reading Time: 3 minutes Los Angeles | Reuters — A NASA-led international satellite mission was set for blastoff from southern California early on Thursday on a major Earth science project to conduct a comprehensive survey of the world’s oceans, lakes and rivers for the first time. Dubbed SWOT, short for Surface Water and Ocean Topography, the advanced radar satellite […] Read more
Former Mission, B.C. mayor named province’s ag minister
Pam Alexis handling agriculture; Lana Popham moves to tourism file
Reading Time: 2 minutes A rookie MLA and former city mayor from British Columbia’s farming-rich Fraser Valley has been named as the province’s new minister of agriculture and food. Premier David Eby, who assumed the post last month following John Horgan’s resignation, on Wednesday shuffled the provincial cabinet and named Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis to handle the ag and […] Read more
Feds pledge agriculture office for Indo-Pacific export support
Ottawa aims to tighten ties with region
Reading Time: 2 minutes Updated Nov. 23 — Canada’s latest round of federal efforts to boost economic ties with the Indo-Pacific region will include its first dedicated agriculture and agri-food office in the region. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tour through the region last week included a pledge of $31.8 million over five years for a regional agriculture office, to […] Read more
New farm fuel carbon tax rule to return to Commons
Further carbon pricing exemptions clear ag committee, with sunset clause added
Reading Time: 3 minutes A bill that would exempt more farm fuels from Canada’s federal carbon pricing scheme has cleared the Commons’ ag committee and returned to the House of Commons to seek a third and final vote. C-234, a private member’s bill sponsored by southwestern Ontario Conservative MP Ben Lobb, appeared before the Commons’ standing committee on agriculture […] Read more
Quebec Liberals’ new ag critic to also handle health file
Fortin to also handle regional development, forestry
Reading Time: 2 minutes A quick re-shuffling of shadow cabinet responsibilities will see the agriculture critic for Quebec’s provincial opposition Liberals now also handle the health file. The Liberals’ interim leader Marc Tanguay — who took over after the Nov. 7 resignation of Dominique Anglade following the Oct. 3 general election — announced Tuesday that Andre Fortin, the party’s […] Read more
Competition Bureau to probe soaring food prices
Retail food prices seen outpacing inflation
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Canada’s competition watchdog said on Monday it would examine factors impacting soaring food prices and whether more competition in the grocery stores sector could help lower costs for Canadians. Price rises for store-bought food have been outpacing the broader annual inflation rate for 10 consecutive months, and grew 11.4 per cent in September, […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
