The LineUp
The LineUp content hub features the latest releases and articles as they are distributed by Newsline, and it serves as a central location for the agriculture sector and media professionals to stay informed and up to date.
CAFTA Executive Director Michael Harvey Appointed to Canada–U.S. Economic Advisory Committee
April 21, 2026 (Ottawa, Ont.) – The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) welcomes the appointment of its Executive Director, Michael Harvey, to the Government of Canada’s newly established Advisory Committee on Canada–U.S. Economic Relations, ahead of the 2026 Joint Review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney and to be chaired by Minister Dominic LeBlanc, the Advisory Committee includes leaders from business, labour, and industry and will serve as a forum to inform Canada’s economic and security engagement with the United States. “I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to represent Canada’s agri-food exporters on this Committee,” said Michael Harvey. “It presents our sector with an important opportunity to drive exporter priorities into action, including maintaining reliable cross-border trade, addressing emerging barriers, and strengthening the framework that underpins North American food production.” CAFTA represents 90 per cent of Canada’s agri-food exporters, whose livelihoods depend on trade. With nearly $3.6 billion in goods and services crossing the Canada–U.S. border daily, that relationship is central to Canada’s competitiveness, export growth, and farm viability. “As CUSMA discussions advance, it will be essential that Canada’s agri-food exporters have a strong voice at the table,” said Greg Northey, …
Alberta-British Columbia Seed Growers Welcomes Adrienne Herron as General Manager
April 21, 2026 (Okotoks, AB) — The Alberta-British Columbia Seed Growers (ABCSG) is pleased to announce the appointment of Adrienne Herron as its new General Manager, effective May 4, 2026. Herron succeeds Kelly Chambers, who will retire on May 29, 2026, following a successful tenure leading the organization. “I am very excited to join ABCSG and to work alongside such a dedicated group of members,” said Herron. “I look forward to building strong relationships and supporting the organization in advancing the interests of seed growers while promoting innovation and sustainability across the sector.” Herron brings extensive experience in agriculture and producer engagement. Raised on a mixed farm in British Columbia’s North Peace region, she holds both a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Agricultural Systems and a Master of Agricultural Science from the University of Alberta and is a Professional Agrologist. She previously spent over 13 years with Alberta Agriculture and most recently served as the Knowledge Translation and Transfer Lead with the Alberta AgriSystems Living Lab, where she focused on connecting research with on-farm practices. Herron lives in Red Deer County on a cattle seedstock operation. ABCSG President Sarah Weigum welcomed Herron to the organization, highlighting the value of her …
Grain Growers of Canada welcomes Bill C-273 to support innovation and competitiveness in agriculture
April 17, 2026 (Ottawa, Ont.) — Grain Growers of Canada welcomes the introduction of Bill C-273, the FARM Act, which would help drive innovation and competitiveness in Canadian agriculture through faster access to crop protection tools. Bill C-273 would require provisional approval within 90 days for products already approved in two trusted international jurisdictions, while maintaining Canada’s rigorous safety standards through a subsequent full review process. Improving the pace at which new products reach the market has long been a priority for the agriculture sector, which has consistently called for regulatory modernization to improve the timeliness, transparency and predictability of the agricultural innovation system. Bill C-273 would help advance that objective by enabling faster adoption of innovation and supporting competitiveness across the sector. Introduced by Conservative MP David Bexte, the bill builds on similar legislation previously brought forward by Liberal MP Kody Blois, reflecting support for agriculture across party lines and a shared recognition that Canada’s regulatory timelines need to improve. This alignment in Parliament presents a clear opportunity to move forward in a practical way that helps farmers in a rapidly changing environment. Grain Growers of Canada welcomes this consensus and emphasizes the opportunity to advance Bill C-273 without …
Grain Growers of Canada appoints Bruce Burrows as Executive Director
March 19, 2026 (Ottawa, Ont.) – Grain Growers of Canada today announced Bruce Burrows as Executive Director, effective April 1, 2026. Burrows brings more than four decades of experience across transportation, infrastructure, labour policy, and association leadership. Based in Ottawa, he has built a career developing and implementing effective government relations strategies, including policy development, political advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and coalition-building across national industry organizations. He has held senior leadership roles with the Chamber of Marine Commerce and the Railway Association of Canada, as well as strategic advisory roles with Tactix. Earlier in his career, he held management positions with Canadian Pacific Railway in Canada and internationally. Working at the intersection of industry, government, and supply chains, his experience spans transportation, energy, infrastructure, and resource sectors. Burrows is recognized for his ability to navigate complex policy environments, align stakeholders across national organizations, and execute advocacy strategies that deliver results at the federal level. “It is a real honour to join Grain Growers of Canada and represent the interests of grain farmers across the country,” said Burrows. “As essential drivers of our economy and suppliers of the food Canadians and customers around the world rely on, it is critical that producers’ …
Swine Innovation Porc funds research to combat Streptococcus suis infections in piglets
March 18, 2026 (Ottawa, Ont.) – Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) is investing in new research aimed at addressing Streptococcus suis, a bacterial pathogen that can cause respiratory disease, meningitis, and sudden death in post-weaned piglets, leading to significant animal health challenges and economic losses for producers. The project, “Harnessing Lactobacillus: Engineering Bacteriophage Endolysins to Combat Streptococcus suis Infection in Post-Weaned Piglets,” is led by Dongyan Xu Niu at the University of Calgary. The three-year study will explore a novel approach to controlling Streptococcus suis by engineering beneficial Lactobacillus bacteria to deliver bacteriophage-derived enzymes that can specifically target and break down the pathogen. Researchers will identify and optimize these enzymes, integrate them into Lactobacillus strains, and evaluate their ability to protect piglets from infection, potentially improving piglet health while reducing reliance on antimicrobials. Supported by the Pork Promotion and Research Agency, this project is the latest funded under SIP’s Advancing Swine Research Call for Proposals. SIP will invest up to $150,000, mobilizing up to $419,580 in total project funding. “Strategic research investments like this help ensure Canadian producers have access to innovative tools and solutions to address priority health challenges in the barn,” said Mark Ferguson, Chair of Swine Innovation Porc. …
Canadian Agricultural Safety Week highlights importance of farm and ranch safety across Alberta
March 10, 2026 (Calgary, AB) – Ahead of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week (CASW), AgSafe Alberta is encouraging farms and ranches across the province to include farm safety in their plans this spring to avoid injuries and save lives. CASW is an annual campaign held in March with a focus on sharing information and resources to keep farming operations safe, healthy, sustainable and successful. The Government of Alberta recently released 2024 agricultural workplace injury, illness and fatality statistics. While these statistics show the number of recorded injuries and fatalities in agriculture is decreasing, the size of the agriculture labour force is also shrinking. The 538 total injuries across the sector in 2024, each of which led to an average of just over 44 days of lost work, highlight the importance of safety plans and training, as well as the value of high-quality farm safety information and resources. AgSafe Alberta executive director Jody Wacowich is available for media interviews before and during CASW to discuss farm injury and fatality statistics, provide safety advice to farmers and ranchers heading into the spring, and highlight farm safety resources that are available to producers. What: Canadian Agricultural Safety Week Who: Jody Wacowich, AgSafe Alberta Executive Director …
Grain sector warns of information gaps in AAFC research reductions, calls for immediate program impact disclosure
Feb. 6, 2026 (Ottawa, Ont.)—Grain Growers of Canada is calling on the federal government to provide clarity on the impacts of recent staffing reductions and announced closures or consolidations of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research facilities, stating that downstream consequences cannot be assessed without clear, program-level information. “Transparency is essential when decisions affect the foundation of Canada’s agricultural research system,” said Scott Hepworth, chair of Grain Growers of Canada and Saskatchewan grain farmer. “Without clear disclosure of what research capacity is being reduced or eliminated, the sector cannot understand the long-term risks to production and competitiveness,” he added. “It must be clear what capacity is being lost, where, and with what consequences.” Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has cited personnel confidentiality in limiting details on the announced changes. Grain Growers of Canada emphasized that while personnel confidentiality must be respected, it does not, and should not, prevent disclosure of which programs and research capacities are being impacted. “Personnel confidentiality is not a barrier to clarity on program impacts,” Hepworth said. “Clarity of affected programs, facilities, and research capacity is both possible and necessary.” The scale and pace of the announced reductions are raising serious concerns across the grain sector about long-term …
Canadian Pork Council and Swine Innovation Porc joint statement on AAFC research facility reductions
Feb. 6, 2026 (Ottawa, Ont.) – The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) and Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) are disappointed by recent federal decisions affecting Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) research facilities and scientific capacity, including centres in Guelph, Quebec City, Lacombe, and the AAFC Nappan Research Farm in Nova Scotia. Yes, fiscal restraint is a reality, but reducing federal livestock research capacity represents a cut to critical investments and would have long-term risks to producers, the agri-food system, and Canada’s science-based decision-making credibility and food security. The Canadian Pork Council represents more than 7,000 producers. Together, they contribute more than $8 billion to the Canadian economy, with pork exports exceeding $5 billion. Investments from the industry and government in research and innovation sustain animal health, disease preparedness, antimicrobial stewardship, environmental performance, and productivity. Swine Innovation Porc coordinates national, producer-driven research investments, that rely on federal facilities to deliver public- good outcomes. These outcomes require independent expertise, long-term infrastructure, and national coordination are required. Several Swine Innovation Porc supported projects have been conducted at, or are currently led from, AAFC facilities facing closure or funding reductions. One example is the ongoing Swine Cluster 4 pork quality project led by AAFC Lacombe. The …
