Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) welcomed the hiring of Conservative Manitoba Senator JoAnne Buth by the Canadian International Grains Institute as CEO, effective Aug. 11, 2014. Buth is taking an early retirement from her position as a Senator. Ritz also took the opportunity to thank current CEO Earl Geddes for his remarkable contribution to the agricultural sector following the … Read more
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) welcomed the Royal Assent of the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act (Bill C-30) at an event held to mark the coming into force of legislation that identifies clear and achievable measures to get Canada’s agricultural products, and other commodities, to market in a predictable and timely way. The full release is available … Read more
Canada’s swine industry has received a $13 million investment from the government for a pork research cluster that will help the sector to keep pace with changing consumer demands, enhance disease resilience and continue focusing on animal welfare measures. This investment, being made under the AgriInnovation Program, will help the sector to build on the … Read more
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has launched a renewed five-year Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP) to help the sector continue to adapt and remain competitive announced Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.). Under CAAP (2014 – 2019), over $50 million will be available for investments in industry-led projects that will help the sector seize opportunities, respond to … Read more
Canadian livestock producers will benefit from new export opportunities in Ukraine with the signing of an arrangement allowing exports of pure-bred sheep and goats. Canadian sheep and goat producers can now expand their sales into this market, while also benefiting Ukrainian breeders who will have greater access to Canada’s top quality livestock genetics. Canadian livestock … Read more
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) has concluded a visit to Mexico, where he and his two counterparts, Mexican Agriculture Secretary Enrique Martinez, and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, gathered together for the first time. To mark the North American Free Trade Agreement’s (NAFTA) 20th anniversary, Ritz joined secretaries Vilsack and Martinez to discuss the vast … Read more
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) will be in Mexico to promote the widespread agricultural trade benefits the North American Free Trade Agreement has provided across the continent over the past 20 years. Ritz will join Mexican Agriculture Secretary, Enrique Martinez, and U.S. Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, marking the first tri-lateral gathering of the three North American agriculture leaders. Ritz … Read more
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) announced an investment of more than $230,000 to the Canadian Special Crops Association (CSCA) to increase export sales of special crops in markets abroad and increase the competitiveness of the mustard and sunflower seed industries. This investment will help the CSCA promote Canadian pulses and special crops on trade missions … Read more
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) and Transport Minister Lisa Raitt (Halton, Ont.) announced that the Government’s Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act (Bill C-30) passed third reading in the House of Commons and has been referred to the Senate. This legislation aims to put into law clear and achievable measures to support a world-class logistics system … Read more
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) announced an investment of over $100,000 to Egg Farmers of Canada to integrate its existing assurance systems into a single system that will be known as the National Quality Code for eggs. The streamlined National Quality Code program will provide egg producers and graders with an all-in-one certification program that … Read more
