(CBSA via YouTube)

Ahead of NAFTA talks, Canada says dispute mechanism essential

Ottawa | Reuters — An effective dispute settlement mechanism is essential in any trade agreement, Canada’s foreign affairs minister said on Friday, less than a week before the first round of negotiations on the North American trade pact. Canada’s desire to include a dispute settlement mechanism in a renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) […] Read more



Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and his Saskatchewan counterpart Lyle Stewart signed onto a general agreement for a five-year federal/provincial funding framework on July 21. (Saskatchewan.ca)

Ministers agree on new ag funding framework

Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial ministers for agriculture have agreed on the bones of a new five-year policy funding framework, committing them to a review of its business risk management (BRM) programming. The ministers came out of three days of meetings Friday in St. John’s with the “key elements” of a five-year, $3 billion framework, […] Read more




New Early Riser 2160 planter offers 32- and 36- row working widths.

Case IH grows its Early Riser planter line

In early March Case IH added to its line of Early Riser planters with the introduction of the 2160. Available with either 32 or 36 rows, this big planter can be ordered in four different configurations with the steerable Rowtrac Carrier System or as a standard wheeled model. The 2160 gets Case IH’s latest planting […] Read more


(CBSA-asfc.gc.ca)

U.S. makes lower trade deficit priority in NAFTA talks

Washington | Reuters — The United States on Monday launched the first salvo in the renegotiation of the 23-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), saying its top priority for the talks was shrinking the U.S. trade deficit with Canada and Mexico. In a much-anticipated document sent to lawmakers, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Organic groups call for Ontario regulations

A look at organic regulation across the country by the Canadian Organic Trade Association (COTA) shows a hodge-podge of support, despite national standards in existence for eight years. In a report released Monday, COTA called out Ontario, the largest market by far for organic products, for having no organic regulations. Five other provinces, including some […] Read more


Farm dads and emotions of quitting farming

Farm dads and emotions of quitting farming

It’s my 22nd Father’s Day column and I will do my best to not make “Charlie from Saskatchewan” feel like I am beating up farm dads! A reader asked me to write about the emotions of quitting farming. Let’s take the approach of the farm culture attributes farm founders appreciate. What might it feel like […] Read more

(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Hogs seen as key factor in input cost hikes

CNS Canada — Canada’s Farm Input Price Index has climbed slightly for the first quarter of this year. Canada-wide, the index rose 1.3 per cent for the first quarter of this year compared to the final quarter of 2016. When comparing this year’s first quarter to last year’s first quarter, however, input prices in the […] Read more