CAAR in Action

By Myrna Grahn

At CAAR, not only is your executive director engaged in advocacy work, but so are your board members.

  • Stan Loewen, CAAR’s Advocacy Committee chair, is leading conversations with Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC)’s Science and Technology Branch to discuss enhancing the knowledge translation, mobilization and impact of AAFC initiatives through collaboration with ag retail:
    • Exploring how CAAR can be a low-cost, high-impact conduit for government outreach and education
    • Leveraging CAAR’s network to reach ag retailers with applied, timely and well-packaged information from AAFC’s different branches, including Research
    • Identifying mutually beneficial projects or pilot initiatives with AAFC and Environment and Climate Change Canada
  • Craig Senchuk, CAAR Membership Committee chair, and I were asked to present at the AgLink Shareholders meeting. We shared the changes that have been made in the past year and the renewed energy and focus of the New CAAR. We discussed how we can assist each other on the advocacy front as a united strong voice is what is needed to represent ag retail to regulators and policymakers.
  • CAAR was invited to attend the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crops and engage in the topics and discussions that ag retailers and their agronomy staff play a key role in with their growers in the collection of data and distribution of information. Topics included sustainability best practices, Field to Market Canada 4R module and nutrient balance calculator, National Soil Health Strategy, Agriculture Research Extension Council of Canada and their benchmarking for the Farm Sustainability Assessment and other tools for farmers. Discussions focused on how to turn the data collected at farm level into information that the farmers benefit from and can provide meaningful insights and impact at the farm level with the assistant of their trusted agronomy advisors at ag retail.
  • On April 17, CAAR signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC). This partnership has been over six months in the works and will provide valuable human resources information and training for our CAAR members that is fully focused on agriculture businesses and growers. CAHRC provides tools, research, programs and data on the labour market, as well as information and customizable solutions to workforce development and HR management needs specific to agriculture. We are looking forward to exciting things ahead, so please watch our training and resources page on our website for “new tools for your toolbox” for you as an entrepreneur and leader and for your staff.
  • Check out our federal election-related social media posts with key messaging from our ag retail community influencers on how to add your voice to empower our ag retail industry. Hear why it’s important to have a relationship with your local Member of Parliament. They want to hear from you, they want to know what’s important to you as an ag retail business that has significant economic impact in their riding. If policies are being discussed, changed or implemented at the provincial and federal levels, they need to know why that’s important to your business so they can positively affect our ability to assist the farmers in growing our crops that impact Canada’s economy.
  • CAAR, itself, has been in action with hosting our in-person board of directors meeting in Winnipeg. Building on what we heard at the two Ag Retail Member Forums and many meetings and events that we have attended and talked with you, our members and non-members, we tackled a strategic planning process. You will begin to see the results of making some hard decisions and setting our top priorities for CAAR over the next month or so. Stay tuned!

CAAR Insider Member Alerts

Did you know that only CAAR members receive a communication called the CAAR Insider with important information about ag retail? If you aren’t yet a member, here are the topics that you may have missed:

  • CSA B620 and B622 Clarification – Rear End Protection (Bumpers) requirements for TC51 tanks, April 4, 2025
  • Guide to Crop Protection Survey, April 17, 2025

If you are a member of CAAR and did not receive these CAAR Insiders or if you have a question about your membership status, please contact Jordan Cieciwa at jordan@caar.org.

What’s on the horizon?

It would be great to meet with you or take a tour of your location when I am in different parts of the country, so please reach out to set up a meeting if you see that I am going to be nearby you this summer.

  • CropLife Canada Spring Dialogue Days in Ottawa – A forum that brings together senior executives from member companies, key agriculture organizations and government officials. CAAR will engage in dialogue on key issues that underpin the success of the Canadian agriculture industry.
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