Government and Politics in Ontario Agriculture: The Boiler Room (79)

AAFC improves outlook for canola

The price outlook for canola continues to improve, according to the Outlook for Principal Field Crops report from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, released Wednesday. The average price expected for canola in this current crop year was raised by $20 a tonne, while the price projection on canola for the upcoming crop year was raised by $30 a tonne. This is on top of a $60 per tonne increase in April’s new crop price projection. The average new crop price is now expected to be $25 a tonne higher than the average price for the current crop year. The other big price changes this month were on mustard and Canary seed. Ag Canada believes mustard acreage is down by half as compared to last year and the expected drop in production has resulted in a $55 a tonne increase in the projected new crop price as compared to April. Meanwhile, the new crop price projection on Canary seed has been reduced by $45 a tonne.

Farmers Getting Less as Consumers Pay More for Food

Consumers may be paying more, but farmers’ share of the food price pie continued to shrink in 2024, according to a new study from the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS). APAS on Thursday released its third annual Farmers and Food Prices report, which tracks seven key grocery products derived from Saskatchewan commodities. It showed farmers earned less than a year earlier for all products, except for retail pork. For example, the farm share of the price for a 2.5 kg bag of flour eroded to 17% in 2024, down from 19.2% in 2023 and 25% in 2022, while the farm share for 1 loaf of bread dropped to just 4% from 4.9% and 6.2% the previous two years. The farm share for canola oil (3 litres) eased to 30% in 2024, compared to 30.7% in 2023 and 41.6% in 2022. Margerine (907 g) saw the biggest year-over-year fall, with the farm share falling 3 points from 2023 to 11%. Farmers’ share of lentil prices (900 g) amounted to 21% last year, down from 21.5% in 2023, and the s

Enhancing Alberta’s veterinary diagnostic capacity

Alberta is famously a livestock province, renowned for producing some of the world’s best meat. Livestock is also a significant driver of Alberta’s economy, with livestock market receipts totalling almost $12 billion in 2024. For this essential industry to keep growing and thriving, it needs quick, affordable diagnostics and robust disease preparedness. Beginning with Budget 2025, Alberta’s government is providing the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) with a total of $9.5 million over three years to continue operating a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory. “For almost 30 years, Alberta livestock producers and veterinarians had to send diagnostic samples to Saskatchewan or other provinces to get results. This funding will ensure they can get results much quicker, allowing for faster responses to potential animal health-related threats. In uncertain times, this ensures the safety and wellbeing of our livestock sector and reassures international marke

What We’re Missing About Youth and Lawn Equipment Safety

Experts urge rural families to delay youth lawn equipment use until children are physically and mentally ready, as new resources aim to prevent serious injuries.

ATTN Researchers: BCRC Proof of Concept and Clinical Trial Call for Proposals OPEN

The Beef Cattle Research Council invites proposals for proof-of-concept projects and clinical trials. The application deadline for this call is July 21, 2025, at 11:59 PM MT.   With increased investment in research through the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off, the BCRC has committed to provide research funding in two key areas that have previously had limited funding:   Proof of Concept – proposals to help inform whether a concept is worth pursuing as a larger, more defined funding request  Clinical Trials – proposals to validate practices or technologies that have been discovered through research projects and/or to facilitate the adaptation of technologies utilized in other sectors, commodities or countries  The BCRC has committed funding to short-term projects in these two areas, with a maximum of $50,000 per project regardless of duration. Project duration should be between six months to one year, unless a clear rationale can be provided demonstrating the need for a longer timeframe