Policy Areas

The Farm Income Crisis and the COVID 19 Crisis

Today, let us make sure that our current farm population has what they need to make it through the COVID 19 crisis and carry on to build an even stronger food system in the years to come Read more

Union Farmer Quarterly: Spring 2020

In this issue: Messages from the Editorial Advisory Committee, President Katie Ward, Youth President Stuart Oke; Regional Coordinators NEW MEMBERSHIP TYPE: What the Farming Unit means and why it was adopted NOUVEAU TYPE D’ADHÉSION: L’unité agricole : définition et motifs de l’adoption Articles: Knowing the borders of Canada’s Food System — by Bryan Dale, Carla Read more

Letter of Support of Farmers’ Markets & Direct Sales of Farmers’ Food across Canada

NFU letter of support for the continuance of farmers’ markets and other direct sales during the COVID-19 crisis. We urge Public Health and municipal officials to work with the markets to develop a way to continue direct sales from farmer to consumer. Public decision-makers must work to support this continuation of sales that invests in the long-term benefit for community health and economic sustainability. Read more

Will Canada’s grain farmers be collateral damage in the rush to pass Bill C-4?

Bill C-4 included a series of omnibus style amendments to the Canada Grain Act that affect the Canadian Grain Commission which were not negotiated in CUSMA and have nothing to do with implementing the trade deal. Read more

Bill C-4 makes unnecessary and harmful amendments to Canada Grain Act

Bill C-4, the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement Implementation Act, amended certain existing laws to bring them into conformity with Canada’s obligations under the CUSMA Agreement. A review of witness statements shows that neither MPs nor witnesses delved into the actual text of Bill C-4, but assumed it was consistent with the CUSMA text. When the National Read more

Farmers and Migrant Workers Need Immediate Support for 2020 Growing Season

(Saskatoon) — The National Farmers Union is pleased to see the federal government’s rapid response to the economic disruption that stems from putting urgent public health measures in place to slow the spread of pandemic COVID-19. New support programs are being rolled out to help vulnerable people during this crisis. However we are concerned that Read more

Farmers Markets Are Essential Services, says NFU

(Kingston) — The COVID-19 global pandemic highlights the vulnerabilities in our society. Our healthcare system, our globalized economy, and our food system are all being tested. Food supply chains have undergone major changes over the past several decades as a result of globalization. Corporations coordinate transnational shipments to precisely balance supply and demand, keeping inventories Read more

NFU President Katie Ward speaks to Ag Committee on Business Risk Management programs

(Ottawa) — Today National Farmers Union (NFU) President Katie Ward urged the House of Commons Agriculture and Agri-Food Committee to support changes to Canada’s Business Risk Management Programs that will support a robust food system in Canada that can deliver both production and fair incomes in the face of shocks and disruptions such as the Read more

Unwarranted changes to Canada Grain Act must be removed from CUSMA Implementation Act

(Saskatoon) – Bill C-4, the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) Implementation Act, is being rushed through Parliament so fast that major discrepancies between the Act and the CUSMA agreement have been overlooked by witnesses and Committee members. Bill C-4 amends certain existing laws to bring them into conformity with Canada’s obligations under the trade agreement. However, its amendments to Read more

NFU leaders meet with BC Agriculture Minister

(Victoria) — Today, National Farmers Union (NFU) Youth President, Stuart Oke and NFU Region 8 (BC) Coordinator, Seann Dory, met with BC Agriculture Minister, Hon. Lana Popham to discuss the future of agriculture in the province. They shared the NFU’s recent report, Tackling the Farm Crisis and the Climate Crisis: A Transformative Strategy for Canadian Read more