Latest news with #HeathMacDonald
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
UPDATE: Cleanfarms Launches New Pilot Program to Help Fraser Valley Farmers Recycle Ag Plastics
Farmers Learning About Ag Plastic Compactors for Efficient Handling LETHBRIDGE, Alberta, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cleanfarms, in collaboration with the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD), is launching a five-year pilot program (2025-2029) to support farmers in the Fraser Valley in recycling bale wrap and silage plastics. Financial support for this program is provided by the governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, under the Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change program. This pilot builds on experience from similar pilots in Northern BC and expands on the work of farmers in Agassiz who have been recycling plastics for several years, recently with expertise and logistical support from Cleanfarms and financial support from the Dairy Farmers of Canada. It aims to reduce ag plastic waste while improving on-farm recycling efficiency. Leveraging experience in preparation and collection of agricultural plastics for recycling, Cleanfarms is launching this pilot to develop sustainable long-term solutions relevant to BC agriculture. As BC's largest dairy region, the Fraser Valley pilot will provide valuable learnings to inform programming for farmers across the province. 'Our producers are always looking for ways to take better care of the land,' said the Honourable Heath MacDonald, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. 'Programs like this will help farmers in the Fraser Valley make their operations more sustainable and protect their livelihoods and landscapes for generations to come. 'B.C. farmers know taking care of the land and environment is a key part of preserving our food security, and minimizing production waste and maximizing recycling helps everyone,' said Lana Popham, B.C.'s Minister of Agriculture and Food. 'This pilot program will help plastics used on-farm end up where they should, the recycling depot, and also help our farmers continue to put food on our tables through sustainable practices and food production.' 'The FVRD is proud to be involved in the new five-year pilot program of collecting and recycling used agricultural plastic,' said Patricia Ross, FVRD Board Chair. 'The collaboration with Cleanfarms is creating an opportunity with practical solutions to help farmers reduce their environmental footprint in the region,' she said. Cleanfarms will host a demonstration day in Agassiz on June 17th, 2025, where farmers can test different compactors and learn about how to participate in this pilot project. Farmers will store baled plastics on their farms, and drop-off events will be held twice per year. Additional details are available on our BC pilot webpage. 'Pilot projects like this allow us to test and refine programs, making it easier to establish permanent recycling solutions,' said Barry Friesen, Executive Director. Furthermore, farmers can recycle other ag plastics through Cleanfarms' existing collection programs for used ag plastic containers, totes, drums, and Unwanted Pesticides & Livestock Medications (UPLM) which has its next collection in BC's Peace Region in 2025. For more information on how to participate in this pilot, visit our BC Pilot webpage, or contact Carly Fraser at fraserc@ About Cleanfarms Cleanfarms is an agricultural industry stewardship organization that contributes to a healthier environment and a sustainable future by recovering and recycling agricultural and related industry plastics, packaging and products. It is funded by its members in the crop protection, seed, fertilizer, animal health medication, peat moss, animal bedding, feed, ag plastics, and maple tubing industries. Its team members are located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. About the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) Sustainable CAP is a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada's agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5-billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories. Media ContactCatherine Lecomte, Media Relations and Digital Communications Coordinator | lecomtec@ | (236) 202-3580 Ext. 2249 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Toronto Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- Toronto Sun
CHARLEBOIS: Feds still think food industry ends at the farmgate
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Heath MacDonald, left, and Prime Minister Mark Carney. Photo by Postmedia file With the pomp of the opening ceremonies behind us, Canada's 45th Parliament is finally getting to work. A new government is in place, complete with a new minister of Agriculture, a throne speech, and a single, somewhat generic mandate letter. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Yet, for the agri-food sector, it all feels underwhelming. Heath MacDonald, Canada's new Agriculture minister, began his tenure by reaffirming support for farmers. That's a political necessity. But if this government is serious about food affordability, economic growth, and trade resilience, the minister must broaden his focus beyond primary producers. The Liberal platform emphasized support for the food processing sector during the campaign, but so far, little has materialized. Under the previous government, major files like food inflation and the grocery code of conduct were handled outside of the agriculture portfolio. Minister François-Philippe Champagne, then responsible for innovation and competition, was tasked with managing those files. While it made structural sense given the Competition Bureau's place in his department, it also signaled a chronic sidelining of agriculture in national economic strategy. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. If agri-food is to become a top-tier policy priority, the Agriculture minister must assert a leadership role — not just for farmers but for the entire food value chain. That means linking supply and demand economics, from farmgate to grocery shelf. The new mandate letter fails to address food security, food affordability, or food innovation in any specific way. And while the throne speech repeated the government's usual vows to protect supply management — a policy that governs dairy, eggs and poultry and is still widely misunderstood by Canadians — it offered no new thinking on how to evolve a system in a changing global food landscape. The overarching tone from the new government is one of economic renewal. That's welcome. But how will the agri-food sector fit into Canada's broader economic, climate and geopolitical agenda? This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Farmers face steep tariffs in key global markets like India and China — issues that have dragged on for months without meaningful federal response. These are not minor trading partners — they are the two most populous nations on the planet. Yet, the prime minister has remained largely silent. Then there's the carbon tax. The industrial carbon tax — arguably the most economically damaging aspect of Canada's climate pricing framework — continues to erode competitiveness in the agri-food sector. Many Canadians are unaware that processors and growers shoulder heavy costs, particularly in comparison to their U.S. counterparts. Tariffs on American imports might make for good politics, but they don't change the economic reality: The U.S. produces food more efficiently and more cheaply than we do. The cost gap is growing, not shrinking. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Competition policy remains another unresolved file. The grocery code of conduct and the dismantling of interprovincial trade barriers represent two of the most impactful, yet long-delayed, reforms. Properly implemented, these initiatives could inject more fairness into food supply chains, level the playing field for suppliers, and ultimately benefit consumers through greater variety and price stability. But chatter is not enough. Successive governments have promised action — none have delivered. With a volatile and unpredictable regime in Washington, Canada can no longer afford to delay. The opportunity for bold, strategic action is now. This Parliament can do better. But it must move from symbolism to substance — and from promises to policy execution. The agri-food economy depends on it. — Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is the Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and co-host of The Food Professor Podcast Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls Tennis NFL
Global News
28-05-2025
- Health
- Global News
Canada's agricultural minister weighs in on B.C. ostrich farm, U.S. political interest
Canada's agricultural minister is weighing in on the fate of almost 400 ostriches at a farm in B.C.'s Interior. However, Minister Heath MacDonald did not have much new to say on the topic. He said the government is in a process with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and all the facts are being taken into consideration when it comes to the fate of the birds. 'We'll move forward on the best possible solution for everybody involved and I certainly obviously feel sorry for the farmers and that but we also have the economic side to this, we have to protect other industries and sectors as well,' MacDonald said. But Katie Pasitney, whose parents own the farm, said they aren't interested in moving the flock, although they're grateful for the support. Story continues below advertisement Oz is the administrator for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and is the second health official in the administration of President Donald Trump to try to prevent the cull, after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr intervened last week. MacDonald said he has not been in contact with anyone in the U.S. administration and he has faith in the Canadian process to come to the right decision. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy When asked if all the birds could be killed, MacDonald said 'not necessarily' but did not give any further details. The CFIA ordered the cull last year after an avian flu outbreak at the farm, and a judge tossed out a challenge this month that sought to stop the order. — with files from The Canadian Press
CBC
28-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
B.C. ostriches won't 'necessarily' be killed, says Canada's agriculture minister
Canada's minister of agriculture says a group of B.C. ostriches will "not necessarily" be killed, despite an order from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) that they be culled due to concerns about the avian flu. On Wednesday, reporters in Ottawa asked Heath MacDonald, the minister of agriculture and agri-food, about the fate of the ostriches, after high-ranking U.S. officials, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., publicly called for the herd to be spared. "We're in a process," MacDonald said. "We're taking all facts into consideration. And we'll move forward on the best possible solution for everybody involved." Asked directly if the birds would be killed, he said, "The process is in place. And not necessarily." WATCH | Dr. Oz, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. wade into B.C. ostrich debate: Dr. Oz, U.S. billionaire offer to take B.C. ostriches ordered killed 16 hours ago Duration 2:42 The fate of the birds on Universal Ostrich farm, in Edgewood, B.C., has attracted international attention since December 2024, when they were told by the CFIA that their entire herd of roughly 400 ostriches would have to be killed after two dead ostriches tested positive for avian flu. The order follows the CFIA's blanket policy of "stamping out" all domestic flocks where the disease is detected, in an effort to stem its spread and possible mutation. The disease has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of birds in Canada and the United States and can also infect mammals, and in rare cases, humans. Its spread was a primary driver of skyrocketing egg prices in the United States earlier this year as commercial flocks were infected. But Universal Ostrich farm has tried to appeal the order, arguing that while 69 birds died during the initial infection, the last death occurred in January, and since then, it says the remaining birds have shown no symptoms of the disease. They also say they don't sell their birds for food but have pivoted instead to using them for scientific research. However, the CFIA points out that the ostriches continue to be in open pens where they are exposed to wild birds and animals, which would allow avian flu to be reintroduced or, if the ostriches are still carrying the disease without showing symptoms, for it to be passed back into wild animal populations. They also said the farm did not present evidence that the ostriches were genetically unique enough to warrant an exemption on scientific grounds. And they say they have a responsibility to follow international guidelines on how to handle infections in order to preserve Canada's agricultural industry and public health. MacDonald said while he sympathizes with the farmers, it's also important to take a look at the broader context of combating avian flu. "I certainly, you know, obviously feel sorry for the farmers... but we also have the economic side to this," he said. "We have to protect other industries and sectors, as well." The farm is entitled to up to $3,000 per ostrich killed. In the meantime, Universal Ostrich has filed for an appeal, which still has to be accepted, of an earlier court ruling allowing the cull to move forward. And a group of dedicated supporters have set themselves up on the farm, publishing daily live streams and lobbying for help. It was through this network that the ostriches came to the attention of U.S. billionaire John Catsimatidis, who told CBC News he had learned about the kill order through a website called Broken Truth, which describes itself as a network aimed at "exposing fraud and corruption, particularly in medicine and beyond," and says it has its roots in pushing against public health policies stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Catsimatidis then used his platform, which includes a radio show on a New York-based station he owns, to bring the topic up to other leaders, including Kennedy. During an April episode of his program with the health secretary, Catsimatidis claimed the ostriches were being killed because of corruption and pharmaceutical companies, with Kennedy responding that it was a "huge mistake." Kennedy then followed up with a letter posted last week to X, stating that he had met with the president of the CFIA and was requesting that Canada consider not culling the herd but rather work with the United States to research them. Additionally, former TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz, who is now the administrator for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has offered to take the ostriches in at his ranch. MacDonald said he has not yet had a conversation with his U.S. counterparts about the topic, but it would be better to have a conversation rather than communicating online via social media. "If we follow Twitter or that sort of thing with any major decisions that we're making here in Canada, I'm not sure that's the appropriate course of action," he said.
CBC
28-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
North Rustico charter boats say low tides in silted-in harbour will cost them big this season
With spring lobster fishing crews already navigating extremely low tides in North Rustico's harbour, the problems may just be starting for tourism boats in the community on P.E.I.'s North Shore. Getting vessels in and out of the harbour is always a tricky challenge — it's narrow and has lots of twists and turns. But back on April 29, a combination of very low tides, gusty winds and sand accumulation on the sea bed left more than a dozen lobster boats stranded in the harbour. It was well into the evening before the tides rose enough for them to get back to the wharf without bottoming out in the sandy channel. Julie Ann Gauthier was on one of those stranded lobster boats, but her concerns about water depth go beyond the end of the commercial fishery on June 25. She's also the co-owner of Joey's Deep Sea Fishing, a charter service that begins operating for the summer as the spring lobster season comes to an end. Gauthier said the tide forecast is forcing the business to cancel at least a full week of sailing in both July and August. "That also means the wages for all those employees, the tax dollars that go back into this island to help it run — it's just taking money off the table," she said. "It's also disappointing so many visitors who are… waiting for so long to come and get their first experience deep-sea fishing." Gauthier said the problem could be solved if Fisheries and Oceans Canada dredged the channel again, and has been calling Malpeque MP Heath MacDonald daily to try to make that happen. She's also drafting a letter on behalf of all the deep sea fishers in the area, calling on DFO to take immediate action. Dredging needed more than in past More P.E.I. harbours have needed dredging in recent years, in part because there's less sea ice to keep the shifting sand in check. DFO is responsible for maintaining P.E.I.'s network of fishing harbours. It routinely dredges to deepen the channels, which helps prevent boats from running aground when they enter or leave a harbour. Michelle Boyce of the charter company Atlantic Sailing P.E.I. said she needs three and a half feet to safely navigate the North Rustico channel. Currently, she said, there's less than three feet of depth. Her company's sailing season begins Sunday, but she said they've already cancelled 70 tours this season based on what the tide charts say about the expected water depth at low tide. Users may consider navigating the channel by adjusting their plans for periods of low tides. There are no plans to carry out additional dredging at this time. "We need a safe harbour so that we can get in and out safely with those guests on board," Boyce said. "It's not being provided to us at this point, and the loss of revenue is one thing, but loss of equipment, damage to equipment and passenger safety are huge concerns of ours." Boyce bought a new boat with a shallower hull depth ahead of this season, hoping to have to cancel fewer tours. But even lobster fishing boats, which can navigate in less water than her boat and have more engine power to help push them through, had to come in early on Tuesday to avoid getting stuck. Having just recovered from the loss of customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Boyce doesn't know how much more of a financial hit the business can take before it's not viable to sail out of North Rustico anymore. "There's nothing worse than calling somebody and disappointing them and telling them that their vacation plans have changed and they can't do what they wanted," she said. "My livelihood starts on Sunday. I make my annual income in three months, and if I lose that income, I don't know where I'm going." No more dredging planned 'at this time': DFO CBC News reached out to DFO about dredging and received a short statement "Fisheries and Oceans Canada carries out dredging in support of the commercial fishery when required and subject to available funding," it said. "Dredging at North Rustico took place ahead of the lobster season, which opened on April 25. "Users may consider navigating the channel by adjusting their plans for periods of low tides. There are no plans to carry out additional dredging at this time."
