Uncollectible loans and unsustainable agriculture Sunday, April 3, 2011 The Nova Scotia government wrote off $16.2 million in bad loans from 2008. The loans included more than $1 million in uncollectible student loans, and smaller amounts for pharmacare premiums and unpaid fees. But by far the majority of the uncollectible loans had been made by the Nova Scotia agriculture department. "This unusually high amount is due to defaulted hog loan accounts under the Farm Loan Board," said a ministry of finance press release."For many years, hog farming in Nova Scotia was heavily subsidized by government," the release went on. "When government support was discontinued in 2007-08, many hog farmers were unable to sustain their business due to low pork prices and rising production costs."The Canadian Pork Council's public relations manager, Gary Stordy, says the Nova Scotia industry has collapsed. There are six pig farms left, compared to more than 80 four years ago.Many provinces offer loans to producers of various commodities, Stordy says. Another pork example is Big Sky Farms Inc. in Saskatchewan. The province now has a stake in the embattled company. BP Inconsistent reports on red meat The 'bacon bubble' that didn't burst
Pilot project supports Ontario and Quebec ag Friday, July 24, 2026 A new two-year pilot project is designed to help livestock farmers in Quebec by giving them access to an Ontario abattoir. The project, a collaboration between the Quebec and Ontario governments, with additional support from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), would see a limited... Read this article online
Canada Opens Interprovincial Alcohol Sales Thursday, July 23, 2026 A major change to Canada's internal marketplace is set to create new opportunities for wineries, breweries and distilleries after nine provinces signed a landmark agreement allowing direct-to-consumer sales of alcoholic beverages across participating jurisdictions. The deal is being hailed... Read this article online
Bertha Armyworm Hotspots Emerging Across Saskatchewan Thursday, July 23, 2026 Canola growers across Western Canada are once again being encouraged to keep a close watch for bertha armyworm, one of the most damaging insect pests affecting the crop. While outbreaks do not occur every year, specialists say the pest can quickly move from a minor concern to a major... Read this article online
How One Simple Tool Can Help Protect Crop Quality Thursday, July 23, 2026 Planning crop harvests requires more than monitoring field conditions—it also means ensuring crop protection products have sufficient time to break down before harvest. Using the correct pre-harvest interval (PHI) helps growers meet residue requirements, protect market access and... Read this article online
B.C. sod farmer looks back on World Cup experience Thursday, July 23, 2026 A B.C. farmer will hold onto the fact he, and Canadian agriculture, got to play a role during the World Cup. “It was quite exciting to be a part of that, to be a part of Canadian history,” Bert Bos, owner of Bos Sod Farms in Abbotsford, told Farms.com. In February 2025, Bos’s farm... Read this article online