Sidebar 2: How ASRA is calculated Sunday, April 5, 2009 "Quebec's income stabilisation program is a combination of AgriStability and ASRA," says Alain Pouliot, vice-president in charge of the ASRA program at La Financière Agricole du Québec. "The AgriStability program covers two thirds of losses and is funded by both levels of government. The ASRA program is the last program to intervene and it is funded one third by producers and two thirds by the Quebec government." ASRA numbers are based on cost of production (COP) reports which are tabulated by an independent firm. The insurable portion of the COP corresponds to approximately 80 to 90 per cent of a producer's total COP and doesn't factor in ASRA, crop insurance premiums or the return on equity. "The COP for the piglets' program, for instance, is calculated by averaging the production costs of operations ranging from 150 to 600 sows every four to five years, but each expense is adjusted yearly to reflect the market situation," explains Pouliot There were 3,9171 registered hog farmers in Quebec in 2007, but only 1,400 hog farms were registered under the market hog and piglets insurance programs in 2008. Part of the discrepancy can be attributed to contract hog producers, but most of the difference is due to multiple hog farmers (i.e. family members) owning shares in the same hog farm. Approximately 50 per cent of the 7,700 000 hogs for which compensation was paid were owned by belong to independent producers. Genetics: The computer revolution in progeny testing Sidebar 1: Quebec agriculture - a history of intervention
Preparing for Farming Uncertainty Friday, July 31, 2026 Farm Management Canada has introduced a new report that proposes a , aimed at improving how Canadian producers and agricultural service providers understand and use the wide range of risk management programs, tools and practices available to them. The report highlights that while... Read this article online
Rural Albertans wanted for grief study Friday, July 31, 2026 Researchers from the University of Alberta are looking to connect with rural Albertans who’ve dealt with grief related to substance use. “What we’ve been hearing from our past research and work in the community is there’s a lot of substance use related grief,” Holly Mathias, a human... Read this article online
Central Ontario FS Expands Grain Network with Acquisition of Haley's Elevator in Burford Friday, July 31, 2026 Central Ontario FS is strengthening its presence in southwestern Ontario after signing a purchase agreement to acquire Haley's Elevator Inc., a long-established grain handling facility located in Burford. The acquisition marks another step in the growth of the company's grain elevator... Read this article online
Ag Union concerned about MOU related to Sask. research farms Thursday, July 30, 2026 The union representing agriculture workers in the public sector is concerned an MOU to keep two research farms in Saskatchewan open will ultimately result in job losses. The Agriculture Union, which represents more than 770 workers in federal agencies like the Canadian Food Inspection... Read this article online
Manitoba Produces Most of the Nation's Sunflower Crop Wednesday, July 29, 2026 With their bright yellow blooms and towering stalks, sunflowers are among the most recognizable crops in agriculture. While they are often associated with decorative gardens and summer tourism, sunflowers also represent an important commercial crop in Canada, supplying food, birdseed, and... Read this article online