Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian farmers are getting dour news on the future of canola prices, but real data might not back up the scope of tariff-driven market chaos everyone is worried about
Are China’s tariffs on Canadian canola oil and meal a ruse?
Canadian farmers are getting dour news on the future of canola prices, but real data might not back up the scope of tariff-driven market chaos everyone is worried about
Opinion: Fighting for low grain prices
One bushel of barley can make 500 bottles of beer, but the Wheat Growers are asking for help to make it cheaper
Reading Time: 3 minutes It used to be that if you wanted to raise a farmer’s blood pressure, you only had to suggest that an increase in bread prices was due to a change in the price of wheat. That started in the 1970s after wheat prices skyrocketed to the $6 per bushel range after the “Great Grain Robbery,” […] Read more
From the best to the worst, it’s the year told in verse
It’s a year-end tradition done with contrition, a light-hearted review for you to go through
Reading Time: 3 minutes As longtime readers know, what we do each year first isReview the one that’s just past, but do it in doggerel (bad verses)A look back to review things is usually a good practice gainfulBut this year it’s one that feels kind of painfulUps and downs for farmers here seem only a piffleCompared to those in […] Read more
A look back at the year that was — from bad to verse
There’s not that much to celebrate — and so this ‘poetry’ you’ll just have to tolerate
Reading Time: 3 minutes Once again, a year’s passed and for better or worse We start a new one in doggerel — that’s badly rhymed verse We review the last year (which you could say was a hexed one) And give you some tips on what to do in the next one Now I’ve heard all the stories while […] Read more
Giving Alberta its own farm paper wasn’t a slam dunk — but it worked
A look back at the decision to start a new paper for the province’s farmers and ranchers
Reading Time: 3 minutes How come there’s never been a provincial farm paper in Alberta?” For many years, that question often came up when a group of farm writers got together over a drink. Though it has many readers across the Prairies, the Western Producer had its roots in Saskatchewan and had proven successful. The Manitoba Co-operator, with a […] Read more
New wheat-marketing system isn’t just a mess — it’s a great big mess
With Canada’s wheat selling at a discount to Russia’s, it’s time to admit the new open market isn’t working as it should
Reading Time: 3 minutes Critics of the Canadian Wheat Board used to routinely point to published price quotes for U.S. Dark Northern Spring (DNS) wheat from the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and assume that was a benchmark price for all wheat sold in the world. If the board got less, it must have screwed up, said the critics. In fact, […] Read more
Doing a better job of turning grass into grain — and saying so
Growing more forage is the right thing to do. Is the beef industry prepared if it happens?
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you’re looking for proof that there is no such thing as bad publicity, beef may be a good example. For years it’s been painted as a public health and environmental villain, and recently there were more reports on how bovine frontal and rearward methane emissions are a major source of climate-altering greenhouse gas. All […] Read more
Looking below the surface for sustainable agriculture
Increasing world food production means having healthy soil able to effectively deliver water and nutrients
Reading Time: 3 minutes Some of the world’s top soil scientists and conservation agriculture exponents convened for the sixth World Congress on Conservation Agriculture in Winnipeg last month. The message from speakers was on one hand sobering, if not frightening — massive soil erosion continues around the world, and in both developed and undeveloped countries. The good news is […] Read more
Keeping the farm organizations in line
Reading Time: 3 minutes “Hardly a day goes by” may be an overused phrase, but not when it comes to the frequency of news releases from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada — we received 13 for the month of November. There’s nothing wrong with governments communicating with citizens, and some of the releases are pure business, such as brief notices […] Read more
We need at least four cell providers, but two railways are OK
Apparently grain companies reporting a weekly shortfall of between 1,000 to 2,000 cars isn’t evidence of poor service
Reading Time: 3 minutes Just as there’s good stress and bad stress, there’s good excitement and bad excitement. There’s the good excitement you get when watching the Grey Cup, especially if you’re a Riders fan. Then there’s the other kind of excitement (as in riled up) you got watching this year’s Grey Cup commercials about how the Harper government […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
