Ag News

The month of March has marked a significant milestone for the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program.

Gerry Friesen, the chief administrative officer says the program which provides free mental health support for farmers and their families has now been operating for a year.

He says it's a free confidential process and setting up an appointment is very simple. 

"People just need to go to our website (https://manitobafarmerwellness.ca) and they can book an appointment. So it's only the counselor and themselves that know what's going on."

The Canadian Cattle Association held their Annual General Meeting in Ottawa last week. 

During the event they discussed a number of key issues from proposed changes to traceability regulations, to trade, animal welfare and the need for further enhancements to business risk management programs.

A new leadership team for 2023-24 was also elected with Nathan Phinney of New Brunswick named as President, and Tyler Fulton of Manitoba as Vice-President.

Key news for Canada's beef sector as Japan reopens its doors to Canadian processed beef for the first time in twenty years. 

The federal government announced the move, noting this removes the last trade barrier that Japan put in place on Canadian beef after our discovery of BSE in May of 2003.

Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) President Nathan Phinney is pleased to see the full restoration of market access to Japan - Canada's second-largest export market for beef.

Statistic's Canada data is out for total grain movements out of Western Canada for the first two months of 2023.

January numbers show the total for all grains including wheat and durum came in at 5.2 million metric tonnes as compared to 4.5 million in February.

Canola was 1.7 million for January 2023 as compared to 1.4 million in February.

Overall, producer deliveries out of Western Canada dropped off in February as compared to January.

Grain from the prairies has been moving east in anticipation of the Port of Thunder Bay re-opening.

Assistant Vice President of Grain for CN Rail David Przednowek says they would expect to see shipments beginning any day now, there's not a lot of ice on the lakes.

"The demand started picking up for shipments in Thunder Bay a couple of weeks ago, to start to help charge the pipeline."

He says it should be rolling soon as they've been moving grain to the port to fill up the space in the terminal.

During a tour of the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum in Ottawa, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister, Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced new funding for Agriculture in the Classroom Canada of up to $953,260 over two years.

The program will use that money to focus on the Agricommunication program, a three-year, up to $8-million federal initiative that will focus specifically on supporting activities that increase appreciation and pride in the contributions of farmers and the food industry and enhance public trust.

Following the release of the provincial budget for 2023-24, agricultural organizations have been voicing their approval.

Included in the release is $548 million going to the ministry of agriculture, a 19% increase from last year.

Chad Ross, the vice-chair for the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association, says that the increase in funding is good for them.

2022 had its fair share of challenges for farmers and ranchers across the country.

From fuel and fertilizer prices to trade disputes, Avian Influenza and severe weather events like Hurricane Fiona.

Do more Agriculture's report points out that all of these challenges highlight the importance of continuing to prioritize the mental health and wellness of people within the agriculture industry.

Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada has released their What We Heard Report today, the result of consultations on the announced national target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

That had the federal government looking at a voluntary 30% reduction in emissions associated with fertilizer application by 2030.

Over 2,000 submissions were received through online consultation, technical workshops, and town hall meetings between March and October 2022, with input being received from farmers, business owners, and members of the public.

Food cost inflation continues to be a problem for many Canadians, with many looking to find the reason for those increases.

The House of Commons standing committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food Meeting on Food Inflation has been looking for that answer as inflation continues, recently questioning the agriculture sector.