Robert Hillman's Page

Pork partnerships still crucial despite trade challenges

As ‘Trade War II’ rages on and global commerce is re-shuffled, the North American trade bloc stands out as one of our most powerful collective assets (Figure 1). The geographic proximity and characteristics of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico make this union ideal for creating secure, efficient and resilient supply chains. This is true across industries but especially food and agriculture. As an American who does business internationally, I believe strengthening this relationship should have been our number-one geopolitical and economic priority. It is both surprising and disappointing that it has instead become a flashpoint in global tensions. For decades, the North American pork industry has been bolstered by cross-border integration and cooperation. The industry has operated as a continental system: live hogs flow south for finishing, American feed grains move north and finished pork products flow both ways. It’s a model of efficiency that has served us all well. The recent imposition

Future-proofing Canada’s Seeds Regulations for a stronger tomorrow: Proposals to modernize Canada’s seed regulatory framework

With the release of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) policy paper to modernize Canada’s seed regulatory framework, we would like to hear what you think of our proposed direction. Provide your feedback directly using this form or you can send us your comments by e-mail to cfia.seedregmod-modregsem.acia@inspection.gc.ca. Click “Submit” when you are done. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is committed to protecting the privacy rights of individuals, including safeguarding the confidentiality of information provided by individuals and institutions. Submission of your personal information constitutes your consent to the collection, use, storage, and disclosure of your personal information by the CFIA. Please note that comments you enter in any free text field could become identifiable based on the level of detail you provide. Please exercise caution when providing comments in order to protect your privacy and the privacy of others. This information is being collect

Pre-Harvest Management in Wheat

Staging wheat for pre-harvest weed control can be tricky, especially in years when the crop is uneven due to poor conditions. Pre-harvest staging is critical to avoid any herbicide residues in the grain, which can lead to Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) and marketability issues. A wheat plant is considered physiologically mature at 30% moisture; this means grain fill has stopped, and final yield and kernel weight/size have been determined. Spraying pre-harvest products such as glyphosate, before 30% grain moisture, can negatively impact grain quality and marketability. Research has shown that the application of glyphosate at the soft dough stage (GS 71-85 with >30% moisture) had negative impacts on kernel weight, protein content, and end-use quality (Malalgoda et al., 2020). The application of glyphosate before the hard dough stage – can halt the physiological plant maturity, disrupt grain fill and lead to decreased yield and quality. It can also result in unacceptable residues in harveste

Increasing access to low-cost loans for livestock producers

Alberta is world-renowned for its top-quality beef production, a reputation owed in part to the hard work and dedication of feeder associations, who help livestock producers get financing to buy animals and grow their herds. As demand for Alberta beef continues to grow internationally, leading to higher prices, locally owned feeder associations are turning to the Feeder Associations Loan Guarantee Program (FALGP) for low-interest financing backed by a government guarantee. The program has been so successful at helping livestock producers grow their businesses it has reached its previous limit of $150 million. To ensure it’s able to continue supporting producers, Alberta’s government is increasing the program’s overall limit to $225 million. “Alberta is a beef province, and livestock is a huge part of our agricultural industry. Our cattle and sheep producers put food on tables in our province and around the world. Increasing the limit on Alberta’s loan guarantee program will ensure th

Corn and Soybean Crops Fall Short in 2025 Predicts Great Ontario Yield Tour

Ontario’s 2025 corn and soybean yields are down significantly, with drought conditions causing widespread crop stress and even total losses in some regions.