Intelligence Brief
Geopolitical Friction and Fiscal Incentives Reshape Sector Strategy
March 14, 2026
Cross-Border Trade Friction Workforce Development Funding Energy Cost Volatility Agrarian Reform Movements SR&ED Tax Credit Eligibility
External volatility in energy and trade markets strains operational stability while federal support expands through workforce and fiscal programs. Simultaneously, sector actors navigate complex social and political shifts driving calls for deeper agrarian reform and sustainable innovation.
Canadian Agricultural HR Council gets federal funds for workforce development tools
The Canadian Agricultural HR Council (CAHRC) is one of 14 groups set to receive federal funding to develop sector-specific information and HR tools to support workforce development, the federal government announced on March 9.
Farmer movements in the United States and Canada call for agrarian reform and transformative rural development in North America
Following the conclusion of the International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ICARRD+20) on February 28th, 2026 in Cartagena, Colombia, the National Farmers Union (Canada) and the National Family Farm Coalition (United States), representing over 100,000 small-scale farmers, fish…
Making trade easier: Export opportunities for Canadian fresh potatoes to Mexico
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has reached agreement with Mexico’s Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASICA) on arrangements that will allow shipments of Canadian potatoes for consumption or processing to Mexico.
U.S. facing headwinds in trade negotiations with Canada, U.S. ambassador says
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said Washington wants to renew the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade pact but faces resistance from Canada, underscoring uncertainty as a mandatory July 1 review approaches.
Opening Statement to the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry : Food Security
Opening Statement to the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry : Food SecurityMarch 12, 2026
The war on DEI reflects the quiet normalization of white nationalism — in the U.S. and beyond
Political theorist Hannah Arendt warned that authoritarian politics rarely begin with spectacles of repression. More often, authoritarianism advances through routine administrative decisions that appear technical or neutral but gradually reshape public life — a kind of bureaucratic normalization of…
Research check-off dollars may qualify farmers for federal SR&ED tax credit
Farmers who pay commodity check-off or levy dollars that support research may be eligible for a federal tax credit through the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax incentive program. Administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the SR&ED program encourages investment in r…
Iran war sends diesel prices higher ahead of peak farm fuel demand
War in Iran and blockage of a key global oil shipping route have sent diesel prices sharply higher, creating uncertainty for world energy supply and farmers who rely heavily on diesel. Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, joined RealAg's Shaun Haney to discuss the situation in the…
How we turned plastic waste into vinegar: A sunlight-powered breakthrough
Hundreds of millions of tonnes of plastic are produced globally every year. New research shows how that waste can be turned into something useful. (Unsplash/Nick Fewings) Plastic is one of the most durable materials humans have ever made. That durability has made it indispensable in medicine, food p…