Uncollectible loans and unsustainable agriculture Sunday, April 3, 2011 The Nova Scotia government wrote off $16.2 million in bad loans from 2008. The loans included more than $1 million in uncollectible student loans, and smaller amounts for pharmacare premiums and unpaid fees. But by far the majority of the uncollectible loans had been made by the Nova Scotia agriculture department. "This unusually high amount is due to defaulted hog loan accounts under the Farm Loan Board," said a ministry of finance press release."For many years, hog farming in Nova Scotia was heavily subsidized by government," the release went on. "When government support was discontinued in 2007-08, many hog farmers were unable to sustain their business due to low pork prices and rising production costs."The Canadian Pork Council's public relations manager, Gary Stordy, says the Nova Scotia industry has collapsed. There are six pig farms left, compared to more than 80 four years ago.Many provinces offer loans to producers of various commodities, Stordy says. Another pork example is Big Sky Farms Inc. in Saskatchewan. The province now has a stake in the embattled company. BP Inconsistent reports on red meat The 'bacon bubble' that didn't burst
Wildfire Smoke Over Ontario--What Farmers Need to Know Thursday, July 16, 2026 Ontario farmers are becoming increasingly familiar with hazy skies as wildfire smoke drifts across the province. While much of the public focus remains on human health and visibility, the agricultural impacts are also drawing attention as smoke affects crop development, livestock... Read this article online
EMILI Celebrates 10 Years of Connecting Farmers, Innovators, and Industry Partners Thursday, July 16, 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
Supporting Canadian cattle processors Wednesday, July 15, 2026 Canada is taking steps to align livestock rules with the U.S. to support domestic cattle processors and their competitiveness. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) published proposed amendments related to Canada’s Enhanced Feed Ban (EFB) that if adopted would make Canada’s parallel... Read this article online
Keep Pulse Crops Export Ready Avoid Glufosinate-Ammonium Wednesday, July 15, 2026 Pulse growers are being urged to avoid using glufosinate-ammonium on pulse crops due to concerns about pesticide residue limits in international markets. Keep it Clean warns that using the herbicide could create challenges for Canadian pulse exports and increase the risk of trade... Read this article online
FCC Offers Financial Relief to Prairie Farmers Hit by Flooding Wednesday, July 15, 2026 Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is providing financial assistance to customers in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan who are dealing with flooding and weather-related delays that have disrupted field operations. The organization is offering a range of relief measures to help producers manage... Read this article online