Katie MacDonald's Page

Canada and Mexico Strengthen Agri-food Cooperation under the 2025-2028 Action Plan

Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Heath MacDonald and the Mexico Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, Julio Berdegué, met on Tuesday, October 14 to discuss bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation and trade ties between the two countries. This meeting is part of the Canada–Mexico Action Plan 2025–2028, announced on September 18, 2025, by Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, through which both governments reaffirmed their commitment to advancing a dynamic bilateral agenda aimed at achieving shared objectives over the next three years. Through these actions, Canada and Mexico seek to continue strengthening their role as strategic partners in the global agri-food trade fostering a sustainable, inclusive, and growing sector that enabled agri-food trade between both countries to increase by 50% from 2018 to 2023. During the meeting, both officials emphasized the strategic importance of the Canada–Mexico

U.S. and Canadian Tractor Sales Rise in September 2025

According to recent data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), U.S. sales of agricultural tractors grew 4.1% in September 2025 compared to the year before. U.S. sales of 2-wheel-drive tractors increased 5.1% in the same period.

CJWW news reporter attending International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) conference in Kenya

Keira Miller is the Canadian representative at the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders program, where ten agricultural journalists under the age of 35 are selected to participate in two-day event prior to the main IFAJ conference. She is joined by fellow ag journalists from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Kazahkstan, Liberia and Kenya. More information on the program can be viewed here. CJWW Agriculture Director Neil Billinger spoke to Keira on Tuesday night in Kenya (early afternoon in Saskatchewan) via Microsoft Teams. The conversation covers a wide range of topics including Kenyan cuisine, seeing a zebra up close and the importance of agriculture to a country that relies heavily on domestic farmers to feed the population. The interview is below and so are some of Keira’s photos.  You can also follow her updates on the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation Facebook and Instagram pages. We will speak to Keira again on Sunday just before she departs Keny

RDAR expands grazing program to include virtual fencing

RDAR has expanded its OFCAF rotational grazing program to include virtual fencing — a GPS-based technology helping Alberta producers manage pastures, save labour, and improve sustainability with up to $75,000 in funding support. The new funding stream is designed to help cattle producers adopt “invisible fence” systems that use GPS-enabled collars and base stations to create and manage grazing zones through a computer or smartphone. The collars train livestock to recognize virtual boundaries through sound cues and, if necessary, mild corrective pulses. RDAR says the technology could make rotational grazing easier and more precise, improving soil health and biodiversity while reducing overgrazing and manual labour. Smart system with multi-advantages “Virtual fencing is more than a replacement for wire,” says Richard Hilton, Manager of Stakeholder Relations & Communications, RDAR. “It’s a smart grazing system that gives producers more control, better data, and the flexibility to move

CBRC commits $1.8 million to CDC barley breeding activities

The Canadian Barley Research Coalition (CBRC) announced today it will provide $1.8 million in funding over three years to the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Crop Development Centre (CDC), to extend the core breeding agreement and support the development of varieties with improved agronomics, disease resistance and end-use quality. The CBRC is a collaboration between the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley), Alberta Grains and Manitoba Crop Alliance. “The keys to past success within the CDC barley breeding program have been the skilled staff, our in-house malt and molecular marker labs and the ability to evaluate large numbers of breeding lines. This CBRC funding will support these pillars moving forward,” said Dr. Curtis Pozniak (PhD), director of the Crop Development Centre.  “This renewed investment ensures Western Canadian farmers can expect new barley varieties from a world-class program, keeping barley competitive with improved yield and agronomic benef