A video screengrab from the ‘It’s Good, Canada’ campaign. (ItsGoodCanada.ca)

Two national campaigns launched for food supply chains

It's good, one campaign says, but could the sector have done better, another asks

Ottawa — The Canadian Centre for Food Integrity is launching a new campaign to inform consumers on how the food system works. “It’s Good, Canada” will share personal stories of Canadians working across the food supply chain and provide information about farming, transportation, processing, retail and production on its website. “It’s natural for Canadians to […] Read more

File photo of a quality control check on fresh peppers in a Canadian vegetable packing plant. (Jeffbergen/E+Getty Images)

Laid-off foreign workers may get conditional clearance for other jobs

Workers allowed to start new jobs while permits are processed

Approved temporary foreign workers (TFWs) whose jobs disappeared before they could begin work in Canada this spring can now get much quicker approval to start at other workplaces, including farms, where the workers are needed. The federal government said Tuesday it will, effective “immediately,” temporarily waive its rule requiring a TFW to receive federal approval […] Read more


Federal deputy agriculture minister Chris Forbes was one of the witnesses to appear via video conferencing at the Commons agriculture committee’s online meeting May 5. (Parl.gc.ca)

Opposition MPs critique government’s COVID-19 response for ag sector

Pandemic puts ag committee meeting online

Ottawa — Opposition MPs used the first meeting of the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to critique the federal Liberals’ $252 million aid package for farmers and food processors. During the May 5 online meeting, Quebec MP Richard Lehoux, the Conservatives’ associate agriculture critic, charged the […] Read more

(Jiraroj Praditcharoenkul/iStock/Getty Images)

Agri-food tech expected to be a post-pandemic growth industry

Ag, food sectors may seek out more e-commerce, labour-saving tools

Ottawa — A researcher at the University of Guelph says the COVID-19 pandemic will spark agility – particularly related to technology – in agriculture. “(The pandemic) has re-emphasized the need to get access to some of the technology that exists in other sectors and are not easily accessible in agri-food systems,” said Rozita Dara, an […] Read more


(Screengrab from Canadian Agricultural Youth Council video via YouTube)

Younger aggies sought for new Canada-wide council

Twentysomethings and 18- and 19-year-olds who are working in Canadian agriculture and agri-food and “interested in shaping the future of the sector” are being sought for a new federal ag policy advisory council. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Friday launched the application process for membership in a new Canadian Agricultural Youth Council, setting the […] Read more

John Barlow, shown here in 2015, is the federal Conservatives’ new lead shadow cabinet minister for agriculture and agri-food. (Johnbarlowmp.ca)

Federal Tories’ former associate ag critic takes lead chair

Andrew Scheer’s federal Conservatives will have a familiar face in the agriculture critic’s chair when the House of Commons reconvenes next month. Scheer on Friday named John Barlow, the MP for the southwestern Alberta riding of Foothills, as the lead opposition critic for agriculture and agri-food. Barlow replaces Quebec MP Luc Berthold, who takes up […] Read more


Marie-Claude Bibeau (centre), shown here Feb. 11 announcing federal funding for a Smucker’s Foods dairy plant at Sherbrooke, Que., is Canada’s new agriculture minister. (MCBibeau.Liberal.ca)

Mini-shuffle includes new federal agriculture minister

Vancouver MP Jody Wilson-Raybould’s exit from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet has led to a mini-shuffle and a new federal minister for agriculture and agri-food. Marie-Claude Bibeau, MP for the Quebec riding of Compton-Stanstead since 2015, replaced Lawrence MacAulay as agriculture minister on Friday, becoming the first woman to handle the ag portfolio. MacAulay, the […] Read more

Dana McCauley has been working to launch Accelerator Guelph since she joined the Research Innovation office at the University of Guelph late last year. (John Greig photo)

Guelph to host new agri-food accelerator

The University of Guelph has created a new organization to help launch agri-food ideas and innovations. Accelerator Guelph aims to provide business training, help create networks and provide a process to innovators in agriculture and food at the university. Why does it matter? Getting research and great ideas from university researchers to the market has […] Read more



(Liberal.ca)

Most of farm file’s handlers to return to Commons

Most federal parliamentarians with experience in the agriculture and agri-food portfolio will be back in the House of Commons under a new majority Liberal government. As of Tuesday morning, prime minister-elect Justin Trudeau’s Liberals were elected or leading in 184 of 338 seats, for a decisive majority following Monday’s federal election. Stephen Harper’s Conservatives return […] Read more