Federal government invites comments on TPP environmental impacts Tuesday, January 15, 2013 by SUSAN MANNPeople with opinions on significant environmental impacts in Canada of the Canada-Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement are invited to submit their comments to the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.The closing date for submissions is Jan. 30.Canada and Mexico entered the negotiations last fall. The other countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership are: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam. Together these countries represent a market of almost 658 million people and a combined GDP of $20.7 trillion, according to a background document on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade website.Canadian companies exported $340.8 billion worth of goods to Trans-Pacific member countries in 2011. That’s equivalent to more than 76 per cent of Canada’s global total.Canada is seeking to increase these numbers by “building on our existing partnerships and enhancing conditions for trade and investment in the region as a whole,” the document says.The Canadian government announced on Canada Gazette last month that it intends to do a strategic environmental assessment of the free trade agreement. Submissions to identify likely and significant environmental impacts in Canada of the trade agreement should be directed to the trade policy and negotiations division (Trans-Pacific Partnership) of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.The latest of 15 rounds of negotiations took place in Auckland, New Zealand last month. The goal is to conclude the agreement this year. The next negotiating round is scheduled for March 4-13 in Singapore. BF Fruit and vegetable growers recognize seasonal workers' management service Commercial feed costs inflate index
EMILI Celebrates 10 Years of Connecting Farmers, Innovators, and Industry Partners Saturday, July 18, 2026 The Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative (EMILI) has received $3.5 million in funding from the Government of Canada to strengthen agricultural innovation and technology adoption in Manitoba. The announcement was made earlier this week during EMILI’s Field Day event... Read this article online
Minnesota Wildfires Threaten Agriculture as Governor Walz Mobilizes National Guard Friday, July 17, 2026 Farmers across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario and Manitoba are closely monitoring a growing wildfire situation in northern Minnesota after Governor Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency and mobilized the Minnesota National Guard to assist firefighting efforts. The decision... Read this article online
Woodland Mills Expands Portable Sawmill Capacity Friday, July 17, 2026 Woodland Mills has introduced the HM126MAX Portable Sawmill, a new machine designed to provide greater cutting capacity and improved lumber production for customers. The latest model builds on the success of a long-standing portable sawmill platform while offering enhanced performance and... Read this article online
Asian Vegetables Like Bok Choy Grown Right Here in Ontario Friday, July 17, 2026 When you think of vegetables grown in Ontario, do you think of ethic vegetables? Also known as pak choy or Chinese cabbage, bok choy has become an increasingly important crop for Ontario's vegetable industry, driven by growing consumer demand for fresh, locally produced ethnic... Read this article online
Survey aims to amplify voices of rural Ontarians Friday, July 17, 2026 New surveys for rural Ontarians are helping people in these communities paint a comprehensive picture of what life is like. “For too long, rural communities have lacked access to reliable, credible and reflective data,” Leith Deacon, a professor at University of Guelph’s School of... Read this article online