By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Monday June 20, 2022

Jun 20, 2022 | 9:38 AM

MELFORT, Sask. — Roughly 750 CN Rail signal and communication workers have walked off the job.

The railway isn’t confirming the strike by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers but said it has implemented an operational contingency plan.

CN said operations are continuing and it is encouraging the union to resolve sticking points on wages and benefits through binding arbitration.

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The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) said the province is facing an increase in the rate of farmland loss as urban sprawl swallows up land previously used for growing.

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Data from the 2021 Census of Agriculture suggests Ontario is losing 319 acres of farmland daily, equal to the loss of one average family farm per day.

Vice president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture Mark Reusser said urban sprawl and new housing developments are major factors contributing to the loss of farmland in Ontario, where only five per cent of landmass is useable farmland.

He said COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine have shown how easily supply chains can be disrupted and stressed the importance of independent Canadian food production.

Reusser said municipal governments and the province need to better protect farmland and food production when planning new housing developments.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW