Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — More than 155,000 public sector workers in Canada began a strike Wednesday after failing to reach a wage deal with the federal government by a Tuesday night deadline, in action that will affect tax filings and passport services during peak demand. The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) union said contract […] Read more

Some 155,000 federal public workers on strike over pay dispute
Some AAFC, CGC work to be affected

B.C. farmers granted late entry for AgriStability
Avian flu, 'extreme weather' events considered
Reading Time: 3 minutes With bird flu outbreaks and last spring’s weather woes in mind, farmers and ranchers in British Columbia are now spotted until the end of June to enrol in AgriStability. The province and the federal ag department on Tuesday announced they’ve agreed on a late participation option for the 2022 program year. In this case, the […] Read more

Alberta poultry sector gets late entry for AgriStability
Participation deadline extended to end of month
Reading Time: 2 minutes In the wake of avian influenza outbreaks in the region, Alberta poultry producers have been granted a late participation option to sign up for the federal/provincial AgriStability income stabilization program. Provincial Ag Minister Nate Horner on Wednesday announced the two levels of government have reached an agreement to allow poultry producers late participation in AgriStability […] Read more

Ag ministers lock in next policy funding framework
AgriStability compensation rate to rise; new EGS program planned; some agmins decry feds' approach on fertilizer emission cuts
Reading Time: 4 minutes The new federal-provincial ag policy funding framework due to take effect next April 1 will include a new ecological goods and services plan and a sweetened compensation rate for AgriStability. Following meetings this week in Saskatoon, federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and her provincial and territorial counterparts on Friday mapped out the bones of their […] Read more

AgriStability enrolment deadline extended for 2022
Two-month extension in place for fourth year in a row
Reading Time: 2 minutes The deadline for Canadian farmers to enroll in AgriStability has been extended for two months — making 2022 the fourth year in a row with a enrolment deadline bump for the farm income stabilization program. The enrolment deadline without penalty for the 2022 program year was previously scheduled for this Saturday, April 30, but is […] Read more

Feds put up funds toward managing P.E.I. potato surplus
Ottawa budgets $28 million for distribution and disposal
Reading Time: 4 minutes Prince Edward Island potatoes locked out of the U.S. export market will go either to food banks or “environmentally-sound” disposal with new federal funding. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Monday announced $28 million “to support the diversion of surplus potatoes, including help to redirect surplus potatoes to organizations addressing food insecurity and support for […] Read more

Federal support for farmers focus of ag leaders’ debate
AgriStability, carbon levy exemptions, supply management among topics
Reading Time: 4 minutes An agricultural debate ahead of the federal election gave representatives from political parties an opportunity to pitch their ideas to producers, resulting in debate over how best to support farmers. Thursday evening’s debate, hosted by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, had plenty of discussion about climate change and how best to support producers in a […] Read more

Request line open for AgriRecovery drought plans, Bibeau says
Formal ask needed to trigger process: ag minister
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canada’s federal agriculture minister says the government is “ready to receive formal submissions” from provinces for AgriRecovery plans to help Prairie farmers and ranchers up against significant droughts this summer. Marie-Claude Bibeau, summarizing discussions from Thursday’s online meeting with provincial and territorial (FPT) agriculture ministers, said the formal requests “are needed to trigger the process,” […] Read more

Saskatchewan raises salvage threshold for parched crops
Stock watering program also boosted; APAS, Tories' ag critic had called for more drought aid
Reading Time: 3 minutes Saskatchewan’s provincial crop insurance agency is raising the yield threshold at which drought-damaged crops can be grazed, baled for greenfeed or cut for silage with no penalty on future coverage. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. said Wednesday it would double the “low yield appraisal” threshold values on cereal or pulse crop acres put to feed. SCIC […] Read more

Feds launch consultations on next ag policy framework
Programming types, cost-sharing among expected contentious points
Reading Time: 3 minutes Consultations for Canada’s next agricultural policy framework are officially underway. The five-year framework agreement currently in place, known as the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP), is a $3 billion funding deal between federal, provincial and territorial governments that funds a wide range of programming within the sector. That deal, agreed upon in mid-2017, kicked off in […] Read more