Uncollectible loans and unsustainable agriculture Sunday, April 3, 2011 The Nova Scotia government wrote off $16.2 million in bad loans from 2008. The loans included more than $1 million in uncollectible student loans, and smaller amounts for pharmacare premiums and unpaid fees. But by far the majority of the uncollectible loans had been made by the Nova Scotia agriculture department. "This unusually high amount is due to defaulted hog loan accounts under the Farm Loan Board," said a ministry of finance press release."For many years, hog farming in Nova Scotia was heavily subsidized by government," the release went on. "When government support was discontinued in 2007-08, many hog farmers were unable to sustain their business due to low pork prices and rising production costs."The Canadian Pork Council's public relations manager, Gary Stordy, says the Nova Scotia industry has collapsed. There are six pig farms left, compared to more than 80 four years ago.Many provinces offer loans to producers of various commodities, Stordy says. Another pork example is Big Sky Farms Inc. in Saskatchewan. The province now has a stake in the embattled company. BP Inconsistent reports on red meat The 'bacon bubble' that didn't burst
China reduces tariffs on Canadian canola seed Tuesday, March 3, 2026 China is furthering reducing its tariffs on Canadian canola. On Feb. 28, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced its final ruling on anti-dumping levies for Canadian canola seed and lowered the related tariffs from 75.8 per cent to 5.9 per cent. Paired with China’s standard 9 per cent... Read this article online
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to Visit Toronto and Southwestern Ontario Tuesday, March 3, 2026 The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry will be in Toronto and Southwestern Ontario later this week as part of its ongoing study on the role of Canada’s agriculture and agri‑food sector in strengthening national food security. The fact‑finding mission is scheduled for... Read this article online
Stats Canada reporting higher sheep and cattle inventories Monday, March 2, 2026 New data from Statistics Canada shows higher sheep and cattle inventories on Jan. 1 of this year compared to 2025. Stats Canada’s livestock estimates report counted 11.1 million head of cattle on farms, compared to 10.9 million head in 2025. This 2.5 percentage increase represents the... Read this article online
Ag in the House: Feb. 23 – 27 Monday, March 2, 2026 Conservatives want to know why the government is acting in ways that harm Canada’s agriculture industry. During question period on Feb. 23, Conservative Agriculture Critic John Barlow highlighted Liberal policies, closing ag research sites, and red tape as reasons why farmers struggle and... Read this article online
Ag included in Carney’s visit to India Monday, March 2, 2026 Announcements and commitments related to agriculture have emerged from Prime Minister Carney’s trip to India. A March 2 fact sheet from Carney’s office indicates multiple deliverables with some involving segments of the Canadian ag industry. Here’s what they are: Both governments... Read this article online