Growers' study recommends national food policy Thursday, September 1, 2011 by BETTER FARMING STAFFCanada should have a national food policy that promotes locally grown food and regional food infrastructure, according to a study commissioned by the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association.“Canada is the only G-20 country without a national food policy, “ says Brian Gilroy, chair of the association. Provincially, the study recommends Ontario should reduce and streamline its regulations to make it less burdensome for farmers to be in compliance, or failing that, establish a support program that would assist farmers with compliance. The provincial government should also expand the definition of primary agriculture for property taxation purposes to include on-farm value-retention activities, and identify specialty crop areas that would protect fruit and vegetable production lands.The report recommends that municipalities improve their planning processes to avoid or reduce fragmentation of farmland and to consider the long-term impact of development decisions on agricultural areas. BF Cairns Group trying to break WTO impasse this week BC pullet producers oppose supply management
Poilievre pledges to reverse the harmful capital gains tax hike Friday, January 17, 2025 Tax cuts for economic growth in Canada Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has pledged to reverse the tax hike on capital gains introduced by the NDP-Liberal government in June 2024. This tax increase, which raises the capital gains tax inclusion rate to 66%, has been widely... Read this article online
The tax impact on farmers of proroguing Parliament Friday, January 17, 2025 The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is advising farmers to be cautious when preparing their taxes this year. With Prime Minister Trudeau stepping down and proroguing Parliament until March 24,Ontario farmers are learning the suspension ofparliament impacts various proposed... Read this article online
Parliament’s shut down leaves farmers vulnerable Thursday, January 16, 2025 In March 2025, Canada's agriculture sector and broader supply chain will face a another setback with the expiration of the extended interswitching pilot program. With Parliament prorogued until March 24th, there is effectively no opportunity to renew or make the program permanent before... Read this article online
Ontario Apple Growers name new Chair Wednesday, January 15, 2025 Chris Hedges of Vanessa, Ontario, has been elected as the new Chair of the Ontario Apple Growers (OAG). After completing a year as the organization’s Vice Chair, Hedges () takes over from outgoing Chair Brian Rideout of Blenheim, Ontario, who has led the OAG since December 2023. Past OAG... Read this article online
Tackling vet shortages in rural Ontario Wednesday, January 15, 2025 Research conducted by the University of Guelph (U of G) highlights the challenges in attracting new veterinary graduates to serve food animals, such as cattle, in rural and remote areas of Ontario, particularly northern Ontario. This research is helping to inform solutions aimed at... Read this article online