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.
Swine Innovation Porc to Host Webinar Examining the Impact of Pork Research in Canada
Jan. 21, 2026 (Ottawa, Ont.) – Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) will host a national webinar on February 18 at 11:00 a.m. ET to present and discuss the findings of its latest Impact Assessment, which evaluates the economic, innovation, and sector-wide impacts of pork research investment in Canada. Titled From Research to Results: Measuring the Impact of Pork Research in Canada, the webinar will feature the report’s authors — Stuart J. Smyth, Peter W.B. Phillips, and David Castle — who will share key insights from their analysis and explore what the findings mean for producers, industry leaders, and policymakers navigating today’s challenging operating environment. The Impact Assessment examines how research investments have supported productivity, competitiveness, and long-term resilience across the Canadian pork value chain, providing evidence to inform future research priorities and funding decisions. “Producers are facing unprecedented pressures, and understanding the real value of research has never been more important,” said Daniel Ramage, General Manager of Swine Innovation Porc. “This assessment provides clear, data-driven evidence of how research investments translate into tangible outcomes for the pork sector, and this webinar is an opportunity to share those insights directly with industry stakeholders.” The webinar will explore the measurable returns generated by …
Canada’s Agri-Food Exporters Welcome Pragmatic Engagement with China
Jan. 19, 2026 (Ottawa, Ont.) – The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance welcomes renewed, pragmatic engagement with China that marks an important first step toward restoring stability and predictability in the bilateral trading relationship despite remaining market access challenges. Canadian agri-food exporters have faced prolonged uncertainty in recent years as market access barriers and sudden trade disruptions have limited their ability to serve customers in one of the world’s largest agricultural markets. Against that backdrop, renewed dialogue, reduced tariffs and progress on unresolved issues is a positive development for the sector. “The Prime Minister has shown leadership that creates new opportunity for the Canadian agri-food industry” said Greg Northey, President of CAFTA. “We have long called on the Canadian government to engage with China to support our ability to export to China without trade barriers – last week’s developments are a breath of fresh air.” Stable and predictable access to international markets is essential for Canada’s export-oriented agri-food sector. Exporters rely on clear, rules-based trade frameworks to make long-term investment, production, and supply chain decisions that support jobs and economic activity across the country. “The potential for more Canada-China agri-food trade is vast as Canada produces the products that Chinese consumers …
Grain Growers of Canada Statement on Canada–China Trade Developments
OTTAWA, Jan. 16, 2026 – Grain Growers of Canada welcomes renewed engagement between Canada and China, including Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Beijing and today’s announcement of preliminary steps to de-escalate recent trade tensions. For Canada’s grain farmers, restoring predictability and access to key export markets matters. China is Canada’s second-largest grain market, and prolonged trade disruptions have had real consequences on farm revenues, cash flow, and confidence. Any progress that lowers barriers for Canadian agricultural products, including canola and pulses, is a positive step for farmers who depend on stable, rules-based trade. Grain Growers of Canada has consistently called for pragmatic engagement with both the United States and China to protect tariff-free access and prevent farmers from becoming collateral damage in broader geopolitical disputes. Over 70 percent of the grain grown in Canada is exported, and there are simply no alternatives that can replace markets of this scale. At the same time, renewed engagement must be grounded in predictability and follow-through. Canadian farmers need assurance that market access will be durable, transparent, and insulated as much as possible from future political escalation. Ongoing issues around trade enforcement, regulatory certainty, and the treatment of Canadian exports will require continued, …
Grain Farmers of Ontario Joins Grain Growers of Canada, Strengthening National Advocacy
Jan. 8, 2026 (Ottawa & Guelph, Ont.) — Canada’s grain sector is strengthening its national advocacy voice as Grain Farmers of Ontario formally joins Grain Growers of Canada, with federal decisions on trade, transportation, research, and infrastructure taking centre stage. Grain Growers of Canada represents grain farmers through its national, provincial, and regional member organizations, bringing a unified national voice to federal discussions on behalf of grain producers across the country. For nearly 25 years, the organization has advocated for the grain sector’s competitiveness and long-term viability, advancing policy grounded in on-farm realities for a sector generating $45 billion in annual exports. “For decades, grain farmers have been dealing with the fallout of long-standing issues that have been left unresolved,” said Scott Hepworth, chair, Grain Growers of Canada. “Global market instability is exposing cracks across the system, and Grain Farmers of Ontario joining Grain Growers of Canada reflects just how broad these pressures are and why a unified national voice, representing every major grain-producing region, is critical now.” Ontario is one of Canada’s largest grain-producing provinces and a critical contributor to the country’s export economy. Grain Farmers of Ontario joins Grain Growers of Canada alongside its 14 other grain grower …
Swine Innovation Porc announces first projects under national “Advancing Swine Research” initiative
Jan. 6, 2026 (Ottawa, Ont.) – Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) is pleased to announce four research projects under its Advancing Swine Research Call for Proposals, a national initiative designed to strengthen the resiliency, sustainability, and competitiveness of Canada’s pork sector. Supported by the Pork Promotion and Research Agency (PPRA), the projects announced today represent the first set of approved investments under a highly competitive, industry-guided research call. Additional approved projects will be announced as partner co-funding decisions are finalized. For the four projects announced today, SIP will invest up to $488,347, mobilizing up to $1.18 million in total project funding to advance innovation across priority areas including housing systems, animal health, energy efficiency, and product quality. “SIP is proud to lead this national research effort that channels research investments into meaningful, targeted impact for producers and processors,” said Mark Ferguson, Chair of SIP. “This call delivered exceptional proposals from across Canada, and the projects we are advancing will help producers meet today’s challenges while positioning the sector for long-term success.” Projects were selected through a rigorous review process informed by industry input and scientific expertise, ensuring research outcomes are relevant, impactful, and positioned to deliver value back to producers and …
Canadian agri-food leaders in Washington to champion North American competitiveness ahead of USMCA review
Nov. 17, 2025 (Ottawa, ON; Washington, D.C.) – Canada’s leading agri-food exporters are in Washington, D.C., this week, meeting with U.S. lawmakers to underscore how the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA/CUSMA) drives jobs, growth, and food security across North America. The delegation, organized by the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA), brings together 12 national industry groups representing Canada’s grains, livestock, food-processing, and life sciences sectors, industries that account for more than 90% of farmers and the agri-food industry that depends on trade. “CAFTA is in Washington to highlight what the USMCA makes possible,” said Greg Northey, Chair of CAFTA. “It’s the backbone of our shared economic security, keeping cross-border supply chains efficient, competitive, and delivering affordable, high-quality food to consumers on both sides of the border.” Canada is the largest customer for U.S. agri-food exports, purchasing more than US $722 per person in American farm products every year. The USMCA, which entered into force in 2020, faces its first joint review in 2026, a pivotal test of North America’s ability to keep borders open and supply chains competitive. Canadian agri-food exporters are urging all three governments to reaffirm the agreement’s full 16-year term to provide predictability for farmers, processors, and consumers …
Budget 2025 Provides Clarity for Canadian Grain Farmers but Raises Concerns for Competitiveness
Nov. 4, 2025 (Ottawa, ON) – Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) responded to targeted wins for grain farmers in Budget 2025, including the permanent reversal of the capital gains tax increase, but cautioned that other measures could undermine farm competitiveness. “Budget 2025 acknowledged the impact that the capital gains tax increase would have had on family-run grain farms across Canada by permanently reversing it,” began Kyle Larkin, Executive Director of GGC. “This will ensure that family farms can continue their succession planning with certainty and that the next generation of farmers does not pay millions of dollars more in taxes.” The budget also allocated significant sums towards trade diversification, including in response to the challenges that growers are currently facing due to Chinese tariffs on canola and peas. This includes the creation of a Strategic Exports Office and funds for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to modernize trade tools and secure market access. “I’m seeing first-hand how trade uncertainty is impacting grain farmers across the country,” said Scott Hepworth, Chair of Grain Growers of Canada and a grain farmer from Saskatchewan. “With challenges in the U.S. and tariffs in China, producers are under real pressure. The new investments in digital export …
Swine Innovation Porc Announces New Chair
Oct. 14, 2025 (Ottawa, ON) – Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) is pleased to announce that Mark Ferguson was elected as Chair of the organization on September 25, 2025. “I am honoured to be elected as Chair of SIP,” said Ferguson. “I look forward to working with our members and partners towards our shared vision of ensuring long-term profitable pork production through collaborative research and innovation.” Ferguson brings more than 20 years of experience to the role. As General Manager of SaskPork, based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he has been instrumental in advancing numerous industry growth initiatives. He grew up on a family farm near Edgeley, Saskatchewan, and currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Prairie Swine Centre. “The value SIP provides by bringing producer groups and industry partners together across Canada for coordinated research is key to our sector’s success.” added Ferguson. “By advancing science-based solutions SIP is helping the Canadian pork sector build on its strengths.” Ferguson joins René Roy (Vice-Chair) and Jorge Correa (Treasurer) on the SIP Board of Director’s Executive team. He succeeds outgoing Chair Arno Schober, who led the Board since 2021. “We are pleased to welcome Mark as Chair as we continue …
