Issues & Insights

This is the second article in a two-part series. The first part is available here. <*link to first article once published> Sustainability and affordability aren’t the only consumer demands that Canada’s food system stakeholders need to be mindful of. According to Nourish Food Marketing’s 2023 Trend Report, customers are looking for individualized wellness options, shared…

By Brittany Ekelund, Alberta Farmer Express Nearly three years after the province tried, and failed, to open the Eastern Slopes to coal mining, this iconic piece of Alberta is still under threat, say those who live and work there. “We have to make sure that this land is going to continue for generations,” said Laura Laing,…

Despite growing awareness of mental health in the agriculture community, stigma is still a barrier to finding support. The 2019 Report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food found that 45 per cent of Canadian farmers were experiencing high levels of stress. However, 45 per cent stated that even if they needed help they…

The Province of Alberta is in the process of tackling current barriers to reliable rural internet. The Alberta Broadband Strategy, an ambitious four-year project, has set out to provide quality high-speed internet access to Alberta’s rural, remote and Indigenous communities, with a goal of reaching 100 per cent connectivity by 2027. “We all know that…

The cancellation of AFSC’s Satellite Yield Insurance program is among the corporation’s changes to its insurance products for 2023. AFSC announced on January 18 that due to technical challenges it would no longer be offering Satellite Yield Insurance, and that producers who have used this coverage in the past would be able to move easily…

Protecting Canada from the threat of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) requires constant vigilance. For the livestock sector, this threat is serious and would have devastating consequences on the Canadian beef industry and our economy. FMD is a highly contagious viral infection of cloven-hoofed animals including cattle, pigs, and sheep. Canada remains FMD free, but…

The assessment process required to hire temporary foreign workers in Canada is moving online this spring. Canadian employers hiring under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program are required to first submit an Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application to Service Canada. As of April 3, 2023, this application process will be available online only. Employers applying…

A new pilot project is underway to better facilitate interprovincial food trade in the city of Lloydminster. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is working with the Alberta and Saskatchewan governments to eliminate difficulties relating to moving food from both provinces into and within Lloydminster. “We are excited to see this pilot, not only as…

Tips for wintering replacement heifers One of the most illogical things we do as beef producers is overfeed or pamper our heifers through their first winter in hopes more will become pregnant in the spring. Then we say, “Oh, by the way… don’t expect to be spoiled like that ever again!” and we are genuinely…

By Alberta Farmer Express staff The Canadian Cattle Association is hailing Ottawa’s plan to boost trade with the Indo-Pacific region. About 20 per cent of beef exports already head to the region, with Japan, China, South Korea, Vietnam and Hong Kong being the top markets. The prospects for increasing beef exports are good, it said. “The…