Burns, Ore. | Reuters — Residents of the Oregon town thrust into the spotlight after self-styled militiamen took over a U.S. wildlife refuge voiced sympathy for the jailed ranchers whose plight inspired the action but were critical of the armed protesters. Saturday’s takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge outside the town of Burns, Ore., […] Read more
Sympathy for jailed ranchers, anger at occupiers in Oregon town
Get the lowdown on marketing your farm products
Workshop takes place in Fort Saskatchewan, register by January 13
Reading Time: < 1 minute Want to sell farm products to the public? The Marketing Made Easy workshop on Jan. 20 in Fort Saskatchewan “examines selling products at farmers’ markets and beyond,” said provincial marketing specialist Karen Goad. “It’s a chance to uncover strategies for creating a lasting first impression, clearly identify your target clients and make them choose you. […] Read more
Oregon activists picked the wrong battle, militia leaders say
Reuters — Self-styled militia members who seized federal property in rural Oregon in an effort to galvanize opposition to the U.S. government appear to have made a tactical error — potential allies say they picked the wrong battle. As armed anti-government activists occupied a snowy wildlife refuge for a third day to call attention to […] Read more
Wants, needs, and some advice for young farmers
When you ask beginning farmers about their priorities, a few key themes quickly emerge
Reading Time: 4 minutes Farm Management Canada recently hosted a fabulous conference in Regina where I was also contributing. The conference was peppered with interactive breakout sessions that made for lively discussion. Three of the questions stuck in my mind and I would like to share five comments on each of those questions with you. I don’t think it […] Read more
Protesters occupy Oregon wildlife refuge as rangeland dispute flares
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Princeton, Ore. | Reuters — A group of self-styled militiamen occupied the headquarters of a U.S. wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon to protest the imminent jailing of two ranchers, officials said Sunday, in the latest skirmish over federal land management in the U.S. West. The occupation, which began on Saturday, followed a march in Burns, […] Read more
Drilling down into production costs
AgriProfit$ is a free program that breaks down cost of production for every enterprise on a farm
Reading Time: 2 minutes Enrolment for this year’s AgriProfit$ program is open until the middle of January. “With changes in today’s environment and economy, there seems to be renewed interest in building business plans, following cost of production and getting adequate returns for that production,” said provincial research analyst Pauline Van Biert. “The AgriProfit$ is a business analysis program […] Read more
U.S. meat cases awash with Christmas hams at bargain
Chicago | Reuters –– Shoppers preparing to feast on ham for Christmas can do so without breaking their budget, thanks to record amounts of pork as the industry rebounds from a deadly pig virus, said analysts following the government’s monthly cold storage report on Tuesday. Christmas is the top-ranked holiday for eating ham, followed by […] Read more
Every item of the feast has a great story behind it
When the table is set, give thanks to those who grew and processed the food — and all those who played a role in its history
Reading Time: 4 minutes My son gifts me a subscription to a Quebec-based cuisine magazine entitled Ricardo. The last issue had a little sidebar that read, “If you calculate the time elapsed from the moment seeds are sown, the festive meal takes an average of 295 days to land on our tables.” When you think about great meals in […] Read more
Mexico halts bid for COOL retaliation
Mexico City | Reuters — Mexico has halted a bid to impose retaliatory trade measures on the U.S. over meat labeling rules after U.S. lawmakers repealed them this week, a Mexican government official said. Mexico had announced earlier this month it would start internal procedures to strip benefits from some U.S. agricultural and industrial imports, […] Read more
From the kitchen to the marketplace
Here are the key steps to consider if you want to sell a product you produce on your farm
Reading Time: 2 minutes What does it take to get a new product from your workshop or kitchen into a buyer’s hands? “Lots of time, patience and attention to detail,” says a provincial new-venture specialist. The first step is to do a self-assessment, said Elaine Stenbraaten. “Are you an entrepreneur? Understand that with a business you start, you assume […] Read more