Subscribe to our daily newsletter

Agriculture Roundup for Monday March 21, 2022

Mar 21, 2022 | 11:50 AM

MELFORT, Sask. – There is growing pressure on the federal government to step in to resolve the work stoppage at CP Rail.

Fertilizer Canada said the federal government must take immediate action because disrupting rail service during spring seeding season will have devastating effects on farmers, the economy, and domestic and international food security.

Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan said the work stoppage could not have come at a worse time for Canadians and the government wants a deal to end the impasse immediately.

O’Regan said he was not ready to discuss the possibility of back to work legislation being tabled because the company and union were still talking.

Western Canadian farmers have received nearly $33 in return through varietal improvements for every dollar they invested in wheat breeding.

A study initiated by the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) last year wanted to quantify the benefits of wheat breeding investments by western Canadian producers over the past 27 years.

Fred Greig, who chairs the committee, said the study indicated farmer investment in public breeding programs is working and provides substantive returns to farmers.

Only yield improvements were considered when calculating the benefits to farmers to keep the estimate as conservative as possible.

CWRC includes the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, Alberta Wheat Commission, and Manitoba Crop Alliance, along with the Western Grains Research Foundation, and the Saskatchewan Winter Cereals Development Commission.

Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) has two new projects designed to help capture new opportunities for market growth and boost exports.

CNLA is working to increase the percentage of domestic market share of nursery products and increase international exports to targeted countries. This includes marketing activities for Year of the Garden, as well as incoming and outgoing trade missions, delivery of technical training, attendance at trade shows, market research and trade advocacy.

CNLA will modernize the Clean Plants program and help Canadian growers to assure domestic and international customers that the plants they sell are free of pests and diseases.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is providing funding $1.5 million in funding.

alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW