Reading Time: 3 minutes Ottawa — Canada’s agriculture industry is seeking an initial $2.6 billion in COVID-19-related emergency relief funding from the federal government. Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) officials put in the ask to the federal government on Thursday. According to second vice-president Chris van den Heuvel, federal officials asked the CFA “to go and put hard numbers […] Read more
CFA seeks $2.6 billion in support for producers
Federal officials sought specific numbers from ag industry
New Brunswick ag groups rip province’s ban on foreign workers
Risk during pandemic 'simply too great,' premier says
Reading Time: 2 minutes New Brunswick farmers who employ temporary foreign workers (TFWs) are calling for the provincial government to reverse its new COVID-19-related ban on entry of TFWs who haven’t yet arrived. The provincial government on Tuesday updated a mandatory order under its pandemic state of emergency to restrict TFWs from entering the province. The new restriction doesn’t […] Read more
P.E.I. plans AgriStability top-up, AgriInsurance discount
Province also pledges potato storage funding
Reading Time: 2 minutes Prince Edward Island’s response to COVID-19 includes plans to pump up its farmers’ coverage level under the federal/provincial AgriStability income stabilization program. The P.E.I. government on Thursday announced a support package for farmers including $8.8 million over two years in additional business risk management (BRM) program funds. That includes paying the provincial portion of the […] Read more
CUSMA pact to take effect July 1, USTR says
Reading Time: < 1 minute Washington | Reuters — U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Friday said he has notified Congress that the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement will take effect on July 1, a month later than initially proposed. In a statement, Lighthizer said both Mexico and Canada had taken measures necessary to comply with their commitments under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada […] Read more
COVID-19 threatens federal field research
Prairie cereals' commissions urge AAFC to follow example of universities, private researchers
Reading Time: 4 minutes COVID-19 threatens to sideline Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) field, greenhouse and laboratory research this year, but not if the Prairie wheat and barley commissions that help to fund it with farmer money have a say. AAFC has been sending “mixed messages” about its plans, Pam de Rocquigny, general manager of the Manitoba Wheat and […] Read more
Saskatchewan to bump up AgriStability interim payouts
Allowable percentage of final benefit raised
Reading Time: 2 minutes Saskatchewan farmers hoping to boost cash flow with an AgriStability interim payment can now apply to get up to three-quarters of their final payment for 2020. The Saskatchewan and federal governments announced an agreement Friday to increase the 2020 AgriStability interim benefit payment percentage to 75 per cent for producers in that province, up from […] Read more
Farm groups offer finance committee food security for thought
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) continues to pressure the federal government to offer more support for farmers as it looks to mitigate impacts of COVID-19. One of few parliamentary functions continuing to operate in the pandemic, the Commons standing committee on finance is responsible for studying and reporting on matters related to government spending. […] Read more
EU sets out COVID-19 support for farmers
Moves meant to stabilize markets
Reading Time: 2 minutes Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission proposed measures on Wednesday to support farmers hit by the coronavirus restrictions, including aid to store surplus dairy and meat products. Under the proposals, the Commission will grant aid for private storage of milk powder, butter and cheese as well as beef, sheep and goat meat for a […] Read more
G20 ag ministers say COVID-19 measures shouldn’t disrupt food supply
Reading Time: 2 minutes Dubai | Reuters — Agriculture and food ministers from the Group of 20 (G20) countries agreed at a virtual meeting on Tuesday that emergency measures to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus must not upend global food supply chains. Their extraordinary meeting came as coronavirus lockdowns across the world slow global food supply chains, […] Read more
AgriStability deadline extended for 2020
Income stabilization plan's latest enrolment date stretched nine weeks
Reading Time: < 1 minute The federal government and provinces have agreed to spot farmers nine extra weeks to enroll in AgriStability for the 2020 program year. The governments on Friday announced the AgriStability enrolment deadline for 2020, previously April 30, has been extended without penalty to July 3. The decision by Ottawa, the provinces and territories “will enable the […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
