Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Farmers have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether recent spikes in fertilizer prices are attributable to market manipulation by fertilizer companies, according to a letter sent Wednesday by the Family Farm Action Alliance. The group, which has more than 6,000 farmer and rural members, alleges fertilizer companies are setting prices […] Read more
Farmers ask U.S. Justice Department to probe fertilizer price spikes
South African plan to allow land expropriation fails to pass
Constitutional amendment defeated by ruling ANC's opponents on both sides
Reading Time: 2 minutes Johannesburg | Reuters –– A proposal to change South Africa’s constitution to explicitly allow expropriation of land with no compensation failed to win the two-thirds of parliamentary votes that it needed on Tuesday. Lawmakers debated whether to change Section 25 of the constitution to enable authorities to seize land to address racial land inequalities left […] Read more
Son of India government minister arrested, accused of killing farmers
Junior home minister's son was 'not co-operating' in probe
Reading Time: 2 minutes Lucknow | Reuters — Ashish Mishra, son of junior home minister Ajay Mishra Teni, has been arrested on accusations he ran over and killed four protesting farmers last week, a senior police official said. The farmers, killed on Oct. 3 in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, were part of India’s longest-running agricultural protest, opposing […] Read more
China to release potash reserves
Move said to be intended to ensure supply, stabilize prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Beijing | Reuters –– China’s state planner on Wednesday said the government would take measures to keep supply and prices of fertilizers stable, including releasing potash fertilizer reserves and ensuring imports reach farmers as it looks to bolster food security. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said it was one of 13 government departments […] Read more
Industry-led code of conduct for food retailers on horizon
Fees create 'uncertainty' for producers, processors
Reading Time: 2 minutes A report from a federal-provincial working group says the retail sector has levied an increasing number of fees on suppliers, and is proposing the formation of a code of conduct as a potential solution. Canada’s agriculture ministers are now calling on industry to lead the process. They had formed the working group to study the […] Read more
Federal budget to offer direct payments to farmers for carbon pricing
Other new 'green growth' funding also on deck
Reading Time: 3 minutes The federal government’s 2021 budget offers up new spending to support farmers combatting climate change through targeted investments — and, in some cases, direct payments. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland released the budget Monday, showing the majority of new spending will take place over three years and be largely focused on “green growth.” “Budget 2021 announces […] Read more
On-farm cybersecurity campaign gets backing
Glacier FarmMedia to link up with federally-funded project
Reading Time: 2 minutes A campaign to assess, reinforce and promote cybersecurity across Canada’s ag sector — partly through this website and its sister publications and events — has been tapped to receive multi-year federal funding. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair on March 25 announced over $500,000 over four years through the federal Cyber Security Co-operation Program for the […] Read more
Quebec to reduce onus for farm workers seeking workers’ comp for Parkinson’s
Amended rule would grant 'presumption' for pesticide exposure
Reading Time: 2 minutes Some Quebec farmers and farm workers with Parkinson’s disease may soon have an easier path to seek workers’ compensation — if they can show at least a certain amount of exposure to pesticides. Provincial Labour Minister Jean Boulet on Tuesday tabled an amendment to bill 59, draft legislation that includes updates to Quebec’s workplace health […] Read more
USDA plans more pandemic programs for disadvantaged farmers
Review found disparities in farm aid distribution
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday it will dedicate at least US$6 billion to help smaller-scale and socially disadvantaged farmers who were hurt by the pandemic, along with producers of organic food and other specialty crops. The agency said it would also increase by approximately $5.6 billion payments made […] Read more
Diesel prices, carbon tax cause headaches for farmers
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Crude oil prices have been steadily on the rise since last November as oil-producing nations implement production cuts and Canadian farmers already affected by climbing diesel prices will have to dig deeper into their wallets this April. On April 1, the federal government’s carbon levy on diesel will go up from 8.05 cents […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
