Party platforms in terms of agriculture

Aug 06, 2015

Canada votes on October 19th, 2015

In 11 weeks on Monday, October 19^th, Canadians will go to the polls and vote which government they want represented in Ottawa for the next four years.

Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party will look to win another term as Prime Minister while Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party and Tom Mulcair’s New Democratic Party try to form Canada’s next government.

Over the 11-week campaign trail, the candidates will engage in debates about a variety of issues including the economy, health care, tax credits, military spending, and agriculture.

Here’s a brief look at some of the agricultural policies and actions of each party.

Conservative Party (Stephen Harper)

Stephen Harper is currently involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-country agreement that could expand Canada’s agricultural trade opportunities worldwide.
He’s implemented Growing Forward 2, a five-year, $3 billion investment into agricultural programs and services
Helped establish a permanent campus for the Northern Farm Training Institute in the Northwest Territories
Under Stephen Harper, the Canadian Wheat Board was sold to foreign investors to open up marketing freedom for farmers

Liberal Party (Justin Trudeau)

Part of Trudeau’s platform includes the “Bees and Farming Resolution: Moratorium on Neonicotinoids in Canada”.

The Liberal party would call for the Pest Management Regulatory Agency to suspend registration of all neonicotinoid-based compounds. The action would put an immediate moratorium on the use and sale of neonic technology in Canada.

The Liberals would make pollinator health a more prominent subject when registering and reviewing pesticides.

New Democratic Party (Tom Mulcair)

Tom Mulcair’s New Democrats would implement a pan-Canadian food strategy called “Everybody Eats” in which they lay out a number of initiatives including investing in rural communities, grow farm incomes, ensure agriculture’s sustainability, ease barriers for new farmers and support agricultural marketing boards.

The first of the leaders’ debates will take place Thursday, August 6^th at 8pm.

Video: Dr. David Rosero: Fat Quality in Swine Diets

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. David Rosero from Iowa State University explores the critical aspects of fat quality and oxidation in swine diets. He discusses how different types of lipids affect pig performance and provides actionable insights on managing lipid oxidation in feed mills. Don’t miss this episode—available on all major platforms.

Highlight quote: "Increasing levels of oxidized fats in swine diets reduced the efficiency of feed utilization, increased mortality, and led to more pigs being classified as culls, reducing the number of full-value pigs entering the finishing barns."

Meet the guest: Dr. David Rosero / davidrosero is an assistant professor of animal science at Iowa State University. His research program focuses on conducting applied research on swine nutrition and the practical application of smart farming. He previously served as the technical officer for The Hanor Company, overseeing nutrition, research, and innovation efforts.