Staying the course at the CDC Thursday, May 23, 2013 by BETTER FARMING STAFF The Canadian Dairy Commission’s chairman will return for a two-year term. Yesterday, federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced he had re-appointed Randy Williamson to the Commission’s top spot. The federal news release announcing the re-appointment describes Williamson as a former business executive who began his career in 1974 with the Fraser Valley Milk Producers and subsequently took on key roles at two dairy processors in British Columbia and then at Saputo in Montreal before retiring in 2006. He was first appointed as Commission chairman in 2007. Williamson’s re-appointment follows last year’s appointment of New Brunswick farmer Jacques Laforge as the Commission’s chief executive officer for a three-year term. Laforge is the former chair of Dairy Farmers of Canada and a strong supporter of supply management. The two executive positions are also dedicated seats on the Commission’s three-member board. Commission member Gilles Martin holds the third seat. His three-year term ends in July, says Chantal Paul, a spokesperson for the Commission. According to the Auditor General of Canada’s 2011 special examination report, the Commission is a federal crown corporation that coordinates federal and provincial “policies and roles in managing the dairy industry in Canada. Acting as both a facilitator and stakeholder in various forums that influence Canadian dairy policy, the Commission supports the interests of all dairy stakeholders — producers, processors, exporters, consumers and governments.” There are 61 employees. The Canadian Dairy Information Centre website says that in 2011 Canada’s dairy industry generated $5.8 billion in net farm receipts and $13.7 billion in sales — a volume that represented a more than 16 per cent share of the country’s food and beverage sector. More than 80 per cent of Canada’s dairy farms are located in Ontario and Quebec. BF Tougher federal meat inspection might help small plants Canadian ag minister addresses Russian ractopamine ban during trade mission
Health Canada sets rules for drone spraying Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Health Canada has approved the use of drones, also called Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), for pesticide application under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). Drones are considered aircraft by Transport Canada, but Health Canada treats them differently due to their unique... Read this article online
Twelve Ontario Agri-Businesses Receive Funding Support Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Bioenterprise Canada has announced the successful recipients of the second call for proposals under the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI) Commercialization Stream. Twelve organizations across Ontario will receive support to bring innovative agri-food solutions to the... Read this article online
Early Career Research Award supports two Guelph research initiatives Tuesday, June 24, 2025 The 2025 Early Career Research Award was presented to two University of Guelph researchers at the recently held Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC) symposium. Dr. Kelsey Spence received $40,000 towards her work in on-farm biosecurity research, and Dr. Sam Workenhe was awarded... Read this article online
Rural internet speeds have improved, but compared to urban gap is wide Friday, June 20, 2025 Rural internet speeds have improved, but the gap with urban areas is still wide, says Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) - the national not-for-profit best known for managing the .CA domain. Regional differences also continue—New Brunswick shows faster speeds, while as... Read this article online
Ontario Bean Growers are having a day and you are invited Friday, June 20, 2025 The Ontario Bean Growers have announced it will be holding its annual on August 20, 2025. The day begins with research presentations at 1 pm. Details of the research presentations will be published as they become available. At 4 pm, Chris Gillard will lead attendees on a tour... Read this article online