AGCanadaTV: In case you missed it; your national ag news recap for June 27, 2025
Bill C-202 passes in the Senate
A bill to protect supply management sailed through the Senate late last week to the consternation of farm and exporter groups. Bill C-202 amends the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act to make supply management untouchable in future trade talks.
The Canadian agri-food trade alliance said the bill sets a troubling precedent and undermines Canada’s commitment to rules-based trade.
The Senate vote was not unanimous. Alberta Senator Paula Simons said that with protectionism “running rampant,” Canada should set an example by bringing down barriers, not building them higher.
Bill C-202 awaits royal assent before it becomes law.
Prairie farmland is still cheap compared to U.S., Europe
It may be little consolation to farmers, but Western Canadian farmland actually is a steal compared to European or U.S. prices.
That’s according to Stephen Johnston, director of Omnigence Asset Management. The firm owns 140,000 acres of Prairie Farmland.
He said that, when productivity is factored in, Prairie land is still undervalued. He priced the capacity to grow a tonne of wheat at around 2500 to 3000 dollars per tonne on average. To acquire the same capacity in Germany, France and the U.S. would cost about 10,000 dollars.
Prairie farmland prices have increased anywhere from 300 to 500 per cent since 2007. Crop farming has been profitable for most of that period, and farmers have been willing to pay more to acquire land.
Investors only own between 1.5 and two per cent of Canadian farmland, however Johnston suggested interest in land as an asset class is growing.
University of Waterloo inventors take milk safety to small-holder farms
University of Waterloo students’ off-grid milk pasteurization tool is improving food safety for farmers in East Africa
and winning global recognition.
Unpasteurized milk is a major cause of illness and death in East Africa, particularly among children.
Miraal Kabir and Martin Turuta developed a simple pasteurization control unit called “Safi” which allows farmers to heat milk on their stoves. The device’s temperature probe tells them when conditions for pasteurization have been met.
The tools have been piloted in Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda. Farmers can purchase them through NGOs working in those regions. The farmers receive a premium for selling pasteurized milk, which is captured through a “pay as you pasteurize” model to pay off the device. A digital dashboard delivers the proof of pasteurization.
The tool recently received a United Nations digital innovation award and won a global food system challenge.
