Canada's omnibus agriculture bill passes final reading and moves on to Senate for review Thursday, November 27, 2014 by SUSAN MANNCanada’s House of Commons passed legislation earlier this week aimed at modernizing the country’s agricultural industry and expanding markets.The Agricultural Growth Act (bill C-18) passed third reading Monday and was forwarded to the Senate for its review. Ron Bonnett, Canadian Federation of Agriculture president, says he doesn’t know yet if the Senate will hold hearings on it.Bonnett says once the Senate finally passes the Act they’ll be watching to ensure the regulations being developed reflect the intent of what’s in the Act.In its press release, the federal government says the Act will update and modernize existing legislation “to respond to the latest technology and international practices.” Under the Act, there are changes to a number of acts the Canadian Food Inspection Agency uses to regulate the sector, including ones dealing with seeds, feed, plant protection, fertilizer, animal health and monetary penalties. There are also changes to legislation under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - the Marketing Programs Act and the Farm Debt Mediation Act.One of the most controversial parts of the legislation has been the section on plant breeders’ rights. The government says the bill will “enshrine a farmer’s ability to save, store and clean their own seed of a protected variety” while at the same time enable Canada to adopt the 1991 International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, commonly called UPOV 91. Bonnett says they’re confident the legislation protects farmers’ rights to save and reuse seeds.One of the really positive parts of the Act is the inclusion of streamlined application procedures under the Advance Payment Program, Bonnett says.All of the major farm groups have supported the Act, he notes. BF Farmer, Agricorp resolve decade-old crop insurance dispute Monitoring program found most food samples meet Health Canada standards
Take a virtual reality tour of Ontario’s egg and sheep farms Saturday, December 21, 2024 Canadians now have the opportunity to explore new virtual farm tours on www.FarmFood360.ca, thanks to Farm & Food Care Ontario (FFCO), is a coalition of farmers, agriculture and food partners proactively working together to grow public trust and confidence in food and farming. The... Read this article online
Snow Begone: The RapidTrak Series Friday, December 20, 2024 BYLINE: Zahra Sadiq Winter is upon us, and with it comes thick layers of snow, making everything just a little more difficult. But it doesn’t have to be that way, thanks to the RapidTrak Snow Blowers by Ariens. This company’s story starts in 1933 when Henry Ariens took his sons... Read this article online
AEM partners with Euro counterpart to enhance global alignment on key ag manufacturer issues Friday, December 20, 2024 The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the European Agricultural Machinery Association (CEMA) have signed a () to enhance advocacy efforts for the agricultural equipment industry. The agreement seeks to create a positive legislative and regulatory environment across... Read this article online
The 2024 Topigs Norsvin Canada Awards Banquet Thursday, December 19, 2024 Topigs Norsvin Canada Inc.—headquartered in Oak Bluff, Manitoba—is a global leader in swine genetics, and recently held its in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Stratford, Ontario, via two events for its producers. The banquets blended recognition for outstanding production achievements and... Read this article online
Premier equipment strengthens reach with new acquisition Wednesday, December 18, 2024 Premier Equipment, a John Deere dealership in southwestern Ontario, has reached an agreement to acquire Hutchinson Farm Supply, effective January 31, 2025. Hutchinson, which has been in business for 60 years, has served agriculture and rural property owners in York and Durham... Read this article online