BC pullet producers oppose supply management Thursday, September 1, 2011 by BETTER FARMING STAFFBritish Columbia is the lone holdout in a push by the Pullet Growers of Canada (PGC) to get a national supply management deal. PGC chair Andy DeWeerd said producers in all the other provinces are in favour. The governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan have not yet said they would support supply management although the producers in both provinces have endorsed the move. The PGC has drafted a detailed proposal for the Farm Products Council of Canada in pursuit of Part 2 Agency status under the Farm Products Agencies Act which would give them supply management powers. A first draft of that proposal has been submitted to the Farm Products Council of Canada to determine any gaps in the process of submission. They hope to have a final draft by Oct. 31. DeWeerd said they are still hoping B.C. producers will join others from across the country. He said he was not certain what would happen if either Alberta or Saskatchewan or both do not support their producers’ quest to be part of the national pullet supply management system. Three provinces -Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia - have provincial pullet supply management. DeWeerd said Quebec and its pullet producers are close to a supply management deal.“At this point,” DeWeerd said, “we’re hoping everyone will come on side. We don’t know what we’re going to hit in the next month or so.”If B.C. continues to opt out, DeWeerd said he believes supply management rules would allow other provinces to ship pullets into B.C. but B.C. would not be able to ship to other provinces.There are 550 pullet producers in Canada. They raise laying hens up to 19 weeks old and sell the hens to egg producers. Quota, DeWeerd said, will be based on 2009-2010 numbers. It will be allocated to provinces to pass on to producers.Benefits of national supply management, he said, would include the ability to control supply and price. He said a supply management system would give producers the ability to support each other when there are glitches in the system, such as a disease outbreak. They would also be able to negotiate with higher levels of government for compensation when that is appropriate.While he said he was being “optimistic,” DeWeerd said he hopes a national supply management system could be in place by March 2012. BF Growers' study recommends national food policy Sarnia plant lauded as new market for farm crops
Sowing Solutions--Guelph’s Agri-Food Research Gets Federal Spotlight Friday, October 3, 2025 The University of Guelph welcomed two prominent federal representatives for a day of engagement and discovery on Friday, October 3rd. Dominique O’Rourke, Member of Parliament for Guelph, hosted the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, for a comprehensive tour... Read this article online
Downtown Diner Delivers a Taste of Canadian Farming to Ottawa Friday, October 3, 2025 This week, the heart of Canada’s capital was filled with the sights, sounds, and flavors of Canadian agriculture as Sparks Street played host to the Downtown Diner, a pop-up event celebrating Canadian food and the farmers who make it possible. At the center of the conversation was... Read this article online
Poll Reveals Mixed Public Sentiment on BC Ostrich Cull Decision Thursday, October 2, 2025 Farms.com poll shows divided opinions among Canadian farmers on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull. A recent poll conducted on Farms.com's X account @OntAg aimed to capture Canadian farmers' views on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull in British... Read this article online
Effective Strategies for Corn Soybean and Wheat Thursday, October 2, 2025 As reported on the OMAFRA website fieldcropnews.com, effective crop residue management in corn, soybean, and wheat fields is key to profitability and long-term soil health. It begins at harvest, with combines and headers set correctly to size and spread residue evenly across the... Read this article online
New Ontario agrobotics challenge seeking high school submissions Thursday, October 2, 2025 A new competition for Ontario high school students is looking for innovative ways to solve challenges in the ag sector. The AgRobotics Ontario Challenge launched at the end of September. The competition is a collaboration between the Western Fair District, the Ontario Council for... Read this article online