Policy Areas

Submission to the Land Matters Advisory Committee

Presented to the Committee in Summerside, PEI, January 12, 2021 District I, Region 1 of the National Farmers Union is appreciative of the opportunity to appear before the Land Matters Committee. We will begin our presentation by familiarizing committee members with our organization. Formed in 1969 on the national stage, the National Farmers Union is Read more

National Farmers Union Opposes Alberta Open-Pit Coal Mines

The National Farmers Union (NFU) opposes the Alberta government’s decision to rescind forty-four-year-old coal policy protections.  With this move, the government is permitting development of open-pit coal mines on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. The government proceeded without public consultation. The NFU supports the ranchers, farmers, and First Nations opposed to this environmentally Read more

National Farmers Union calls on BC Agriculture Minister to Stop Site C

Speaking for the National Farmers Union (NFU), Women’s President and Peace Region farmer Bess Legault has written to BC Agriculture Minister Hon. Lana Popham asking her to stand with farmers in opposing the Site C Dam project. The BC cabinet is expected to consult this week on a recent review by former deputy finance minister Read more

NFU Manitoba troubled by 21 Ag Office Closures

WINNIPEG, MB – The National Farmers Union (NFU) in Manitoba is deeply concerned about drastic cuts to public agriculture services in Manitoba announced on January 6, 2021. The Manitoba Government will close 21 rural offices occupied by Manitoba Agriculture Services Corporation and Rural Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development, leaving only 10 rural offices standing. “These Read more

Backgrounder to NFU statement in solidarity with Indian farmers

Why are India’s farmers protesting? India has 164 million farmers, and many have small farms where they grow food to feed themselves and sell locally to feed their communities. Over half of India’s workforce is involved in the agriculture sector. Hundreds of thousands of farmers are protesting impending changes that will result from three controversial Read more

NFU stands in solidarity with Indian farmers protesting new agricultural laws

The National Farmers Union stands in solidarity with farmers in India, who continue to protest new agricultural laws formally passed in September. This agriculture reform will effectively undermine the guaranteed prices farmers receive through government purchase of staple crops and open them up to exploitation by large corporations. Tens of thousands of Indian farmers are Read more

NFU encouraged by progress on AgriStability

The recent Federal-Provincial-Territorial Conference of Agriculture Ministers made encouraging progress towards reforming AgriStability, one of the key Business Risk Programs under the Canadian Agriculture Partnership agreement. While a final agreement has not yet been reached, Provincial Ministers are now considering federal Agriculture Minister Bibeau’s proposal for two important and significant changes: ending the margin cap Read more

A vibrant small-scale meat industry for British Columbians

NFU recommendations to BC Ministry of Agriculture

The Ministry of Agriculture has recently released an Intentions Paper on “Rural Slaughter Modernization.” We are very excited to see the MoA tackling the complex issues facing the meat processing sector in BC and welcome the opportunity to influence the thinking of the MoA as they work to address the critical policies, regulations, and financial Read more

PEI’s Land and Water Need Protection, says NFU

The concerns surrounding our land can’t be separated from the usage of water. If exploitation of the land is allowed to continue, then exploitation of water will increase. The NFU takes the position that if the role of water is to be extended in agriculture production, then its usage must be a regulated part of a far broader strategy that addresses stewardship of the land and the greater good of farmers, the environment, and rural communities. Read more

NFU Letter to CITT re Injury to Canadian Soybean Producers

Trade data suggests that the US MFP program allowed traders to purchase imported subsidized US soy at lower prices, causing prices to Canadian producers to go down and denying our farmers the opportunity to benefit from high Chinese demand. We believe the injury to Canadian farmers is clear, and that a proper investigation into the extent of harm is needed. Read more