Diseases-fighting coalition formed

Canada’s livestock and poultry sectors have created the Foreign Animal Disease Executive Management Board (FAD-EMB) to address foot and mouth disease (FMD), African swine fever (ASF), and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI.

It establishes a collaborative process for disease prevention, preparedness and response with federal, provincial, territorial and industry collaborative engagement. It is built on success the partners have had in forming a response to the threat of African Swine Fever.

The first meeting of the FAD-EMB was held in-person on June 24 when they identified the need for disease-specific work to continue through leadership groups, and there was agreement that the four-pillar model followed for African swine fever is applicable for other foreign animal diseases.

Themes that emerged throughout the day highlighted the importance of relationship building to support this collaborative approach. It was agreed that the FAD-EMB will not be a platform for lobbying efforts but is an unbiased forum for driving disease prevention, planning and response needs. The group recognized the potential for fatigue and the importance of regularly celebrating progress.

Next steps include drafting a charter and populating disease-specific leadership groups to maintain momentum on ASF, FMD and HPAI priority gaps. There was also acknowledgement of horizontal priorities that apply to all species. 

The FAD-EMB will plan to meet quarterly to collaboratively drive foreign animal disease prevention, preparedness and response.

The coalition also announced the launch of a nation-wide diseases alert system.

The dashboardThe Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System (CAHSS) launched a new disease alerts dashboard, which allows users to visualize disease alerts across Canada. Alerts can be filtered by disease type, animal type, region, time period, and more.

Disease alerts can be submitted by government officials, industry organizations, and private veterinarians using a form. All disease alert submissions are validated by CAHSS staff before posting.

 allows users to visualize disease alerts across Canada. Alerts can be filtered by disease type, animal type, region, time period, and more.

Disease alerts can be submitted by government officials, industry organizations, and private veterinarians using a form. All disease alert submissions are validated by CAHSS staff before posting.

 

Walpole Island had a rabid bat

 

Health officials have lab results that confirm a dead bat had rabies.

They strongly suspect a racoon, which has been submitted for lab tests, was also rabid.

Barrett named chairman

 

Michael Barrett of Lakefield, a Conservative Member of Parliament, has been appointed to a three-year term as chairman of the Rural Economic Development Advisory Panel. It is a part-time job.

The panel provides advice on applications for funding.

Barrett was elected a Conservative for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands in 2018 and was appointed shadow minister for ethics in 2019 and in 2022 shadow minister for health and under Pierre Polievre shadow minister for ethics and accountable government.

He was re-elected this year.

Buffalo cheese on recall

 

Testing by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency detected listeria food-poisoning bacteria in a batch of buffalo cheese.

Mount Becher Buffalo medium cheese is now on recall. It was distributed in Ontario and British Columbia.

 

Provinces on board with Agristability reforms

 

 Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald said the provinces are willing to improve AgriStability for the 2025 program year by increasing the compensation rate and payment cap.

Former Agriculture Minister Kody Blois announced the changes when he was briefly in charge,

The compensation rate will increase from 80 to 90 per cent and the maximum will imcrease from $3 to $6 million. However, provinces have to agree in order for the changes to occur.

MacDonald said after a July 17 virtual meeting ministers were “receptive” to this plan and agreed to take the steps required to make the changes.

 Under the federal-provincial agreement, changes to AgriStability can only be made if two-thirds of provinces agree. They share costs.

Graham Wideman loses appeal

 

Graham Wideman of Listowel has lost his appeal of a $10,000 fine for transporting a cow that was lame.

He conceded the cow was lame when he loaded her, but disputed the opinion of a Canadian Food Inspection Agency veterinarian who laid the charge at the St. Helen’s Meat Packers Ltd. of Toronto.

The tribunal chose to believe the CFIA report and not Wideman.

He also disputed the amount of the fine, but the CFIA said he had a previous conviction in 2019 and the tribunal agreed the amount is justifiable.

Lactalis to close new plant in Sudbury

Lactalis Canada said it will close its new plant in Sudbury by the end of this year.

It makes a milk-like product from plants since it re-opened in June of last year, but sales have been so poor the company is closing It again.

The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation gave it $1.4 million.

The company attributes the abrupt closure to a “shift in market dynamics” and challenges stemming from the “broader economic climate.” These factors have reportedly led to a “sustained decline” in the performance of the plant-based beverage category.

Rabid bat captured in Grey-Bruce

 

Grey Bruce Public Health has confirmed rabies in a brown bat it submitted for lab testing.

It is the first case there this year.

"While the risk of acquiring rabies locally remains very low, this case highlights the importance of avoiding contact with wildlife and taking other steps to prevent animal bites and scratches," said Chimere Okoronkwo of the health unit.

Canada appeases Kiwis on dairy

 Canada has satisfied New Zealand’s complaints about dairy import rules, ending a years-long dispute which is similar to U.S. complaints.

Now there will be a deadline for import permit holders to bring in dairy products from New Zealand. There will be penalties if they fail to meet the deadline and the permits will go to others.

The move is expected to result in up to $128-million in extra trade, according to New Zealand.

Meats on recall

 

Nine brands of salami and cacciatore are under recall because of salmonella food poisoning bacteria.

The brands are Bona, Cosmo’s and Imperial.

They were distributed in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

They are linked to Rea brand salami recalled earlier.

It is testing by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency which identified the salmonella.

New potash mine opening delayed

BHP Group Ltd. of Australia said its Jansen potash mine 150 killometres east of Saskatoon is running 30 per over budget and its opening will be delayed about six months to mid-2027.

BHP is poised to break the Saskatchewan monopoly on potash.

BHP said the first phase of the Jansen project could cost $7 to $7.4 billion US compared with its initial estimate of $5.7 billion US.

It blamed the projection on “inflationary and real cost escalation pressures, design development and scope changes, and our current assessment of lower productivity outcomes over the construction period.”

Some of that stems from disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply chains, and the resulting inflation as the world’s economy fired up after the health restrictions.

U.S. tariff on Brazil’s beef bites hard

 

The United States decision to impose a steep 50 per cent tariff on Brazilian goods, including beef, is rattling global protein markets, said Swineweb, adding that pork producers should take note.

Brazilian packers are halting shipments to the U.S. and cutting cattle purchases as they reassess demand. Industry estimates suggest Brazil could lose up to $1.3 billion in the second half of 2025, with losses doubling to $3 billion in 2026 if the tariffs remain.

Brazil, which supplies around 23 per cent of U.S. beef imports, plays a key role in filling the lean beef trim used to balan

Canadian beef packers and producers may find American buyers will bid up prices.

While pork is not directly included in the tariffs, the indirect impacts could reshape the market:

For example, as  beef prices rise for consumers, pork often becomes the go-to alternative, increasing domestic demand and possibly lifting prices, Swineweb said.

It also said Brazilian packers will look to divert products to other export markets, potentially crowding pork and poultry channels and introducing new competition.

Forty ports face uncertain ownership

China is threatening to derail a $23 billion deal for more than 40 global ports including two at the Panama Canal .

China insists that its state-owned shipping company, COSCO,  be included in the deal with BlackRock and Mediterranean Shipping Co. 

The ports are owned by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison which excluded COSCO from the deal.

United States President Donald Trump has already objected to Hutchison’s control of Panama Canal ports and recently threatened to “take back” the canal, accusing Panama of violating the treaty that transferred U.S. control. 

While BlackRock and MSC had initially signed an exclusive deal with Hutchison in March, all parties are reportedly now open to COSCO’s involvement — though no final agreement can be struck before the exclusivity window closes on July 27.

Pork council rejoins CFA

The Canadian Pork Council has rejoined the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

It pulled out in 2013 because the CFA supported the supply-managed commodities when they called for no concessions on their trade protections during negotiations with the United States, the European Union and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The pork council was seeking trade gains for its exports.

Stephen Heckbert, executive director for the pork council, said it was time to join forces with other commodities given the trade uncertainties.

“There’s all sorts of trade pressures on us but also on agriculture as a whole,” he said.

Butter makers diss Country Crock

The American Butter Institute and the National Milk Producers Federation have sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration, and put out a press release  calling on Country Crock-brand margarine to be prohibited from using the term "butter" on its label .

The label does say the margarine is  "plant-based" or "dairy-free".

There was a time when the butter industry was so opposed to margarine that it demanded it not be colored to imitate butter in the Canadian market. And for decades there was a ban on blending butter and margarine so the blend would spread nicely from the refrigerator.

In today’s United States market, butter has made a come-back to 57 per cent of the masrket with margarine at 26 per cent and blends at 17 per cent.

Randy White elected treasurer

 

Randy White of Maple Leaf Foods has been elected treasurer of the American Meat Institute.

Meat-packing companies in Canada and the United States are members of the institute.

Peter Bozzo of Michael’s Fine Foods was elected executive vice-president.

Julie Anna :Potts is the president and chief executive officer.

                           -

Sorry, you lost 200 staff

The United States is deporting about 200 employers of the JBS meat-packing plant at Ottumwa, Iowa.

The news came from the mayor during a municipal council meeting where he called for people to keep those facing deportation in their thoughts.

The 200 employees were previously legal workers, but the federal government has revoked their visas.

"JBS has been issuing 200 notices to people from Haiti, Cuba, Guatemala and Nicaragua,” the mayor said.

In May, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to proceed with the revocation of past administrations’ grant of temporary legal status for more than 500,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, based on political repression, violence or natural disasters in those countries. 

Some people losing temporary legal status may be able to apply for political asylum.

                           

Canada Post workers to vote

 

Employees of Canada Post will be voting on an offer from management of the  Crown Corporation.

The workers are frustrated after 19 months of bargaining, including a couple of strikes.

The corporation has said it is unable to offer workers much because it is losing money and business as people switch to online communications and competitors have taken the majority of parcel delivery business, including Amazon.

Ontario releases $5.4 million for ag research

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness announced it is releasing $5.4 million from a $40-million six-year fund announced earlier for agriculture research.

This tranche will fund 28 projects via the Ontario Agr-Food Innovation Alliance.

Among the projects are:

-using economic data to help farmers and businesses respond to market changes and explore new trade opportunities

- developing a battery-powered, AI-driven robot to manage pests in soybean fields

- creating healthier beehives using advanced technology to protect honeybee colonies from Varroa mites

-helping farmers lower costs by developing nutrition and production management strategies for pigs

         - alternatives to glyphosate for weed control

         - using drones for early detection of pests such as western bean cutworms and spider mites and for ‘spraying” parasites that attack those pests

         - finding a systems approach for countering Colorado potato beetles 

         - finding a way to raise queen bees to lessen reliance on imports.

         

 

                  

 

 

Clemens to expand Pennsylvania plant

Clemens Food Group, one of the nation’s largest pork processors and a buyer of Ontario hogs, is making a bold $130 million investment to renovate and expand its flagship facility in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. 

The expansion is designed to increase bacon, sausage, and value-added pork production while enhancing food safety, efficiency, and capacity, the company said.

Renovations to the existing 60,000-square-foot plant began earlier this year, and the expansion phase is set to break ground later this year. By the first half of 2027, the facility will be more than 100,000 square feet, signaling Clemens’ confidence in the growing demand for premium pork products.

“We are investing in this project to continue our commitment to the highest levels of safety and food safety, and to improve product flow,” the company’s spokesman said.

Organic producers can comment on rules

 

Canada’s organic farmers have until July 29 to comment on new organic standards.

One of the proposals would allow struvite to be used as fertilizer. 

Struvite is precipitated from waste water or can be claimed out of manure and food waste.

The white granular result is high in phosphorous.

The new rules would also crack down on producers who slip up on organic management.

There are also new wrinkles the required time between conventional management and organic.

The national and provincial organic associations have already submitted their comments; individuals can make their own comments to the Canadian General Standards Board before the July 29 deadline.

Simon Crouch dead at 67

 

Simon Crouch, who had a passion for agriculture while working almost 40 years in a variety of Chatham-Kent news media jobs. He was 67.

He was a radio producer, wrote a newswriter, hosted a talk show and was a television reporter.

Kim Cooper, a long-time active member of the agricultural community in Chatham-Kent, said Crouch will be remembered as someone who carried the torch from local farm broadcasting pioneer Harold Smith.

"Simon was kind of the second voice of agriculture in Chatham-Kent," said Cooper. "He was a proponent of helping any way he could... I always could count on Simon if there was something I needed to get into the press about different agriculture matters or issues. Simon was always there."

Elora plans Food Day BBQ

 Organizers in Elora said “Canada’s ultimate open-air BBQ is back! On Tuesday, July 29, the heart of downtown Elora transforms into a celebration of Canadian cuisine for the return of Elora’s Longest BBQ the official launch of Food Day Canada 2025.”

This free, all-ages event brings together more thqn 20 restaurants, local craft beers, wines and cider, live music in the evening and family-friendly activities.

Organizers hope to attract 10,000 people this year, up from 7,000 last year.

Food Day Canada and the Elora Mill are building the longest communal table Elora has ever seen, stretching across the Grand River. This table invites everyone to sit side by side, share stories, and celebrate the farmers, chefs, and neighbours who nourish our nation, organizers said.

Food Day Canada was founded in Elora by the late author, food laureate and culinary activist Anita Stewart.

It has become a national celebration of Canadian food and the farmers, fishers, chefs, and communities that shape it. 

Ontario seeks to exclude U.S. biodiesel

 

The Ontario government has posted a proposal to restrict biodiesel to Canadian-produced fuel.

It specifically intends to exclude biodiesel from the United States because the Ontario government claims it is subsidized and is driving Canadian competitors out of the market.

In a posting on its regulatory proposals website, the government said:

“Subsidies for U.S. biofuel producers, specifically the 45Z tax credit under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, threaten to shut down Ontario’s biodiesel production. 

“The U.S. 45Z tax credit provides significant subsidies to American producers of cleaner fuels, such as ethanol, biodiesel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and other transportation fuels. Such subsidies are not available to Canadian producers. The credit is awarded on a per-gallon basis, with the amount varying based on the fuel's lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions and whether a facility has satisfied labour requirements.  

“Renewable fuel policies such as the federal Clean Fuel Regulations (CFR) and provincial policies including those in Ontario, BC and Quebec are driving demand for increased volumes of renewable content such as ethanol and biodiesel in Canada. The 45Z tax credit is offering U.S. producers a strong competitive advantage over Canadian producers in this growing market for clean fuels. This is impacting the operational viability of Ontario’s facilities.  The continued presence of U.S. subsidies could result in permanent closure of Ontario’s biodiesel facilities and impact Ontario’s resource recovery objectives if no action is taken.

“In this policy proposal, we are seeking feedback on a domestic renewable content requirement for diesel fuel placed in the Ontario market.  Ontario is proposing to require three per cent of the renewable content required in diesel fuel to be produced in Canada.  This requirement represents 75 per cent of the renewable content that is currently blended in diesel fuel.  This enables the continued processing of some Canadian waste feedstock at clean fuel facilities in Ontario.

“Local biodiesel facilities are critical players in sustaining a circular economy in Ontario.  A circular economy is one where waste streams can be harnessed to produce value-added products, such as clean renewable fuels.  Some feedstocks in biofuel production may be supplied from Ontario’s waste streams (e.g. animal fats, used cooking oil and organics).

“The proposed domestic renewable content requirement would help maintain and sustain a circular economy in Ontario by supporting the continued operations of Ontario biodiesel facilities, which have a key role to play in effectively managing Ontario’s waste streams. This policy could also help recover more waste as a resource and is necessary to enable longer-term innovation and development of Ontario’s circular economy.”

Grape grower loses insurance appeals

 

 

Leonard Feranacci who runs his father’s vineyard at Niagara-on-the- Lake has lost several appeals he filed against crop insurance decisions made by AgriCorp.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Agribusiness and Food Appeals Tribunal ruled in favour of AgriCorp on all of the appeals, including the extent of winter damage to vines and AgriCorp’s cancellation of the Fernacci insurance contract.

Fernacci claimed crop insurance employees lied but the tribunal believed them and not Feranacci.

Drone spraying not yet legal in Canada

 

While United States farmers are using drones to spray crops, particularly for spot-spraying to control weeds, insects and diseases, so far there are no pesticides cleared by the federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency for drone spraying in Canada.

In the United States, any sprays cleared for aerial application can be applied by drones.

If there are Canadians ignoring the lack of PMRA approvals, so far they have not been charged by the agency.

Drones are perfectly legal to be used to check crops, field conditions and livestock on pastures.

Drones could be useful for spot applications and for reaching hard-to-access areas. Ground sprayers are allowed, but they leave tracks of trampled crop such as in Ontario wheat fields sprayed during moist conditions to control fungal diseases that produce toxins.

Global butter prices nearing record high

 

Butter prices have climbed close to record highs and economists see no relief in sight.

The main causes include problems in milk production impacted by weather conditions and livestock diseases), changes in consumer habits in Asia, and a very tight supply, which maintains upward pressure on prices.

In Canada, butter falls within the supply management system which is holding prices steady during this global increase, but the Canadian price is well above the world prices.

Grocery prices continue rising more than inflation

 

While Canada’s inflation rate rose by 1.9 per cent in June, grocery prices rose by 2.8 per cent and in May by 3.3 per cent.

Grocery prices have been rising faster than overall inflation all year long.

In the United States inflation was also on the rise — consumer prices rose 2.7 per cent in June from a year earlier, up from an annual increase of 2.4 per cent in May, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

But unlike Canada, food prices there rose by much less than overall inflation. Food prices went up by a third of one per cent.

CFIA finds salami poisoned consumers

 

A recall has been issued for Rea brand Genoa Soppressati Salami because the Canadian Food Inspection Agency tracked it down as the source of an outbreak of salmonella food poisonings.

The salami has been recalled from retailers in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta.  It was sold from deli counters.

There are 67 people in Alberta who are sick, 15 in Ontario and one each in British Columbia and Manitoba.

Feds challenge California’s welfare law

The United States Department of Justice has filed a legal challenge in federal court against California’s Proposition 12 standards for laying hen housing.

The lawsuit said the federal government has sole jurisdiction over eggs and that California’s law on housing and egg labeling conflict with the federal Egg Products Inspection Act.

Pork producers in the United States and Canada will be watching this court case closely because they face loss of markets for hogs that do not meet the California standards.

Industry groups, including the National Pork Producers Council, have voiced support for the lawsuit and has expressed concern over the economic ripple effects of differing state-by-state standards affecting pork and other proteins, in addition to eggs.

Although the focus of this lawsuit is eggs, a favorable ruling for the DOJ could open the door to similar challenges against state-level regulations for pork and veal. Conversely, a decision against the DOJ may affirm the authority of states to impose animal care standards on out-of-state producers.

                           

 

 

U.S. pork farmers doing OK

 

CoBank said the United States pork sector remains remarkably steady, despite labor and economic headwinds.

The same is true for Canadian hog farmers whose margins have been in the black so far this summer.

As of June 1, total hogs available for market were down only 0.1 per cent year-over-year, and the breeding herd held steady at 5.98 million head, said the CoBank report.

Dressed hog weights averaged 216 pounds per head, helping secure pork supply into summer.

Lean hog futures surpassed $112  per hundredweight in June, the highest since July 2022. Pork carcass cutout values averaged $103 per hundredweight this spring, boosted by belly and ham prices. 

Belly prices have gone up by 18.7 per cent so far thgis year and ham prices increased by 6.4 per cent.

Despite softer feed costs, herd expansion has been limited by tight processing capacity, labor shortages, and high capital costs. Automation and technology are seen as essential to help fill labor gaps across the protein sector, CoBank said.

 

U.S. faces labour shortage

 

CoBank said the United States economy is heading into a labour shortage which will become acute as early as this fall.

There are several reasons, including lower immigration numbers, lower births, retirements and 2.5 million able-bodied people are not working.

Workers have also been hit with a 60 per cent increase in home ownership prices in the last four years, it said.

“With the labor supply about to get tighter, businesses and industries operating in rural America should be increasing their focus on technology to overcome labor availability challenges.

“Barring an unforeseen change in labor force participation rates or immigration policies, the pool of available workers is set to shrink precipitously in the next few years,” said Rob Fox, director of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. 

“The problem will be even more acute in states with lower population growth in the Upper Midwest, Corn Belt and the Central Plains. 

Increased adoption of technology, namely AI and robotics, will likely be at the core of any strategy to address the oncoming labor squeeze,” Fox said.

                           

 

 

Forage council elects leaders

The Ontario Forage Council has elected Joe Dickenson president and Travis Grubb and Michael Richards vice-presidents.

The other board members are past president Birgit Martin and Kerrie Jenken, Scott Fisher, Jake Gregory, Lawrence Levesque, Brian Burnett, Denise Byers, Donna Hancock and Christine O'Reilly.
“Together, with renewed energy and continued purpose, we step into this next chapter with optimism and shared resolve,” said general manager Patricia Ellingwood.

Trump targets Canadian dairy tariffs

United States President Donald Trump has put a large target on Canada’s dairy tariffs as he announced plans to hit Canada with a 35 per cent tariff on everything on Aug. 1.

His threat comes amidst intense negotiations to reach a tariff peace deal between Canada and the U.S.

All of Canada’s political parties have promised to protect dairy farmers with tariffs so they can charge prices for their milk that reflect their production costs and provide a return on labour, management and investment.

But the fact remains that U.S. dairy farmers produce milk at prices almost a third less than Canadian prices.

Many dairy farmers on both sides of the border have quit the industry over the years, but the decline has been greater in the United States where larger dairy farms have emerged.

The U.S. has always tried to get through or around Canadian protections for its supply-managed dairy and poultry farmers, but Trump now has ratcheted up his pressure to put the dairy industry at the top of his demands.

In previous trade negotiations, Canada has conceded slices of the Canadian market by allowing limited volumes of dairy products to come in at relatively low tariffs. The U.S. and New Zealand have challenged the way Canada allocates those import volumes to importers.

Most have gone to Canadian dairy companies; New Zealand and the U.S. want the import rights to go to retailers and distributors without ties to the Canadian dairy industry.

                           

Nominations now open for excellence awards

 

 The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Agribusiness and Food is opening nominations for the 2025 Excellence in Agriculture Awards, which recognize individuals and organizations.

 

“The Excellence in Agriculture Awards provide an opportunity to honour and celebrate our agri-food leaders,” said Agriculture Minister Trevor Jones.

 

The 12 categories are:

• Youth Excellence

• Food Processing Excellence

• Research and Innovation Excellence

• Northern Business Excellence

• Workforce Excellence

• Women’s Excellence

• Education Excellence

• Supply Chain Excellence

• Indigenous, Métis or Inuit-Owned Business or Community Excellence

• Promotional Excellence

• Farm Family Excellence

• Urban Agriculture Excellence

Nominations are being accepted until September 2, 2025. 

They can be submitted, including self-nominations, at 

ca/agrifoodinnovation. Both individuals and businesses can be nominated.

    

Bumper corn crop possible

 

The United States is talking about a bumper corn crop this year, although it’s too early to make confident predictions.

 With talk of a new national corn yield record, cash corn prices have dropped as low as $3 a bushel.

Rains moved across the Midwest over the weekend and early this week, aiding crop conditions. Those rains, combined with the fact the U.S. didn’t announce a trade deal with China yet, pressured prices even more. And as analysts explain, you can’t deny the U.S. corn crop could be a monster, even with the possibility of an increased number of prevent plant acres in the South. 

U.S. corn prices have a major influence on all Canadian feed-grain crops and the cost of animal and poultry feeds.

An agriculture gab-fest announced

The Agriculturral Adaptation Council is hosting a gathering of people and organizations interested in envisioning the future of Ontario agriculture.

It will be Sept. 17 at the Brock Hotel in Niagara Falls.

It will be an ideal setting for industry leaders to network, much as used to happen at the annual federal agriculture department’s outlook conferences in Ottawa. 

The conference fits with the AAC’s broader Agri Food 2050 Initiative which is a multi-year effort to identify and act on long-term priorities for Ontario’s agri food sector. 

The conference will explore the big-picture trends shaping the industry’s future: land use pressures, climate change, evolving technologies, labour and demographic shifts and more.

“Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food stakeholders have unique insights and talents to help society collectively respond to disruption and create a future for our next generation,” said AAC board member Ruth Knight who is chair of the Agri-Food 2050 committee. 

“The Agri-Food 2050 initiative is an invitation to all members of our industry to come together proactively and help create a vision of what we’d like that future of our sector to be.”

The event will feature:

• Sector-wide dialogue on the most pressing long-term challenges and opportunities;

• Interactive sessions to help shape future programming and policy;

• Cross-sector networking to spark collaboration and innovation, and

• Launch of vision-to-action working groups that will continue the conversation well beyond the event.

To lay the groundwork, the AAC established a Foresight Working Group to envision three possibilities for how the agriculture and food sector might look in 2050: an optimistic future outlook, a future that maintains the status quo, and a pessimistic future scenario. 

The Working Group also identified five key change drivers that will influence how the future unfolds: economics, environment and resources, social factors, innovation and technology, and policy and capacity for change.

This is AAC’s 30th anniversary. 

It has more than 60 member organizations.

         

Barry Senft announces retirement plans

Barry Senft, the founding chief executive officer of Seeds Canada, said he plans to retire at the end of next year.

Seeds Canada is the result of a merger four years ago of the Canadian Plant Technology Agency, the Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada, the Canadian Seed Institute and the Canadian Seed Trade Association.

“I think after five years, it’s time for new leadership,” he told people attending the 2025 Seeds Canada conference in Quebec City adding that somebody with more experience in the seed industry would be a good replacement.

Senft was picked to head Seeds Canada after he managed the successful merger of crop organizations into Grain Farmers of Ontario.