CFIA invites comment on food safety action plan Wednesday, July 3, 2013 by SUSAN MANN People have until Nov. 30 to comment on various aspects of the federal government’s proposals to revamp the country’s food safety system. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency held the first stage of consultations June 4 at a forum in Ottawa. The consultations are continuing online and people can provide feedback through the consultations section of the CFIA’s website. CFIA spokesperson Lisa Murphy says by email the forum was designed to begin the consultations on several key food safety and consumer protection proposals under the Safe Food for Canadians Action Plan and to explain to those attending the forum how the proposals are related. The action plan’s aim is to strengthen and modernize Canada’s food safety system. She says the forum participants discussed: A single consistent approach to food inspection A new food regulatory framework Regulations for imported food sector products Strategies to promote compliance New approaches to regulation. The CFIA has designed consultations for four areas: how compliance is promoted, the regulatory framework, specific regulations and the food labelling system. BF Ontario seeks AgriRecovery aid to help Bradford Marsh growers Agriculture ministers' meeting takes place this month
Middle East conflict pushes fertilizer costs higher, forcing Ontario growers to rethink corn acres Wednesday, March 11, 2026 Ontario farmers are bracing for a turbulent spring as fertilizer and fuel prices surge in response to the escalating conflict involving Iran, a development that analysts say could reshape planting decisions across North America. The spike in nitrogen costs—the most critical and... Read this article online
A new front in the repair access debate Friday, March 6, 2026 Iowa lawmakers have pushed the right‑to‑repair conversation into new territory with House File 2529, a bill that focuses specifically on diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) systems—the single most common cause of emissions-related downtime on modern farm machinery. The bill would require... Read this article online
March 8 is International Women’s Day Friday, March 6, 2026 Across the United States and Canada, women are taking on increasingly visible roles in agriculture—managing farms, leading ag-tech startups, advancing research, and strengthening the rural economies that feed both nations. Their work reflects a shift in an industry once defined... 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
AgriStability Program Updated to Include Pasture-Related Feed Costs Beginning in 2026 Monday, March 2, 2026 In case you missed it last week, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that pasture-related feed costs will be added as an allowable expense under AgriStability starting with the 2026 program year. The update addresses rising operational... Read this article online