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#agriculture

Farm and silos on Île d’Orléans, Quebec — illustrative; not a site named in the bill — Photo: Guillaume666 / Antoine Letarte, CC BY-SA 3.0

Policy Watch|Canada

Budget bill would end Canada’s automatic 15-year safety re-evaluation of pesticides

Division 13 of Bill C-31, the Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 2, would replace the Pest Control Products Act’s mandatory re-evaluation of every registered pesticide after 15 years with an “assessment” on available information. A full re-evaluation would follow only if the Health Minister has reasonable grounds to believe risks have “increased significantly.” The finance committee heard objections last week; amendments are due 22 October.

Daily Teabag Desk·Centre
Berlaymont building, European Commission, Brussels — Photo: EmDee, CC BY-SA 4.0

Cost of Living|European Union

Brussels clears €40.5 million in cheap French loans for farmers, fishers and hauliers hit by fuel prices

On 9 October 2026 the European Commission approved two French state-aid schemes under its Middle East crisis framework: €17.2 million for agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture and €23.3 million for transport. Firms whose fuel bill is at least 5% of turnover can borrow €5,000 to €50,000 at a fixed 3.8%, state-guaranteed, for up to three years with a year’s grace on principal. It is French money, not an EU grant.

Daily Teabag Desk·Centre
Centre Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa — Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0

Accountability|Canada

Bill C-39 passes second reading 296–26 and goes to a legislative committee; the Building Canada Strong Act is still not law

Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, is still at second reading. On 5 October 2026, the House’s first day back, the Projected Order of Business puts it first under Government Orders: resuming debate on the previous question moved by Ryan Turnbull on 25 September, with a legislative-committee referral pending. Labour Code s.107 guardrails and Indigenous consultation clocks are the live citizen fights. Update, 8 October: at midnight on 7 October the House carried the previous question on division; the second-reading recorded division is deferred to 8 October after Question Period, and its 11-member legislative committee has been named. Update, 9 October: on 8 October the House passed second reading 296–26 (Division 178) and referred C-39 to the Legislative Committee on Bill C-39, chaired by James Maloney. Conservatives and Liberals voted yes; the Bloc, the NDP and Elizabeth May voted no. The bill is not yet law.

Daily Teabag Desk·Slight right
John Deere tractor with trailer in the Netherlands — Photo: joost j. bakker, CC BY 2.0

Accountability|European Union

Denmark’s Folketing passes L5 fertiliser law — nitrogen rules reset for 2027

On 3 September 2026 Denmark’s Folketing adopted Lovforslag L5, the new gødskningslov on sustainable management of nutrients and greenhouse gases in farming and forestry. It takes effect 1 January 2027 after tractor protests against tougher nitrogen controls.

Daily Teabag Desk·Slight right
John Deere tractor with trailer in the Netherlands — Photo: joost j. bakker, CC BY 2.0

Policy Watch|European Union

Prinsjesdag pushback: Dutch farmers reignite the nitrogen war

Roadside fires and blockades hit Budget Day as livestock producers reject a €20-billion package they say will shrink herds — while police separately hunt who sabotaged 20+ rail sites.

Elena Vogt·Lean right
Dunnum Family dairy farm near Westby, Vernon County, Wisconsin — Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, public domain

Accountability|United States

USDA pulls ESG from dairy checkoff after Wisconsin farmers sue

Three Wisconsin producers backed by WILL challenged mandatory checkoff spending on emissions and sustainability. USDA directed boards to stop; the lawsuit is paused while the order is implemented.

James Ortega·Lean right