The billion-dollar tax dodge on tobacco Sunday, March 3, 2013 According to numbers acquired through a Canadian Taxpayer's Federation (CTF) Freedom of Information request to the federal government, Status Indians in Ontario purchased the equivalent of 70 cigarettes daily per person last year, along with 1,000 cigars annually. The fact that they don't smoke that much points towards a tax dodge by non-status buyers of between $742 million and $1.2 billion, just from contraband cigarettes in Ontario.The CTF estimates that up to 79 per cent of all tax-free cigarettes intended for legal sale to Status Indians are illegally sold to those who are not, dodging $5.24 a pack in taxes.Fred Neukamm, chair of the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers Marketing Board, allows that the contraband cigarettes may have been grown outside of the system. This year's legal crop is likely to be up somewhat from slightly more than 50 million pounds in 2012 because of increased demand from China. BF Polo ponies go where food won't Antioxidants may actually cause cancer, says Nobel laureate
Spring Economic Update Sets the Stage for a Challenging Year on the Farm Friday, May 1, 2026 The Federal Government released its 2026 Spring Economic Update on April 28, outlining the country’s current economic position and federal priorities for the months ahead. While the update does not contain new direct funding announcements for agriculture, it offers important signals for... Read this article online
When Grain Stops Moving Rail and Port Delays Cost Canada Up to $540 Million Friday, May 1, 2026 A new economic analysis commissioned by the Agriculture Transport Coalition has found that just one week of rail and port disruptions during peak export season can cost Canada’s grain sector up to $540 million. The majority of these losses stem from missed export sales that cannot be... Read this article online
Colouring a Safer Future for Farm Kids Thursday, April 30, 2026 Teaching children about farm safety is an essential part of protecting the future of Canadian agriculture. With that goal in mind, the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) has launched the Kids FarmSafe Colouring Contest, a creative initiative designed to help young people learn... Read this article online
Inside the Collapse of Monette Farms and What It Signals for Big Agriculture Thursday, April 30, 2026 The restructuring of Monette Farms is raising hard questions about how large is too large in modern agriculture—and whether today’s risk tools are keeping up. (Read the article: Monette Farms Seeks Court Protection as Mega-Farm Restructures Amid Financial Pressures) For years, Monette... Read this article online
Soybean Cyst Nematode Is in almost every soybean producing state and province Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Understanding Detection, Prevention, and Management of Soybeans’ Most Costly Pest Soybean cyst nematode (SCN), , remains the most damaging pathogen affecting soybeans in North America, costing U.S. farmers more than one billion dollars in lost yield annually. Updated national surveys... Read this article online