Reading Time: 3 minutes The infrastructure in Canada to get farmers’ product to market is broken. Canadian farmers are not alone, as this is a concern worldwide, especially right after harvest. In most countries, piles of product sit by the road in the sun waiting for a pickup by the local truck. In some countries, such as Australia, lack […] Read more
Infrastructure is the weak link in agriculture around the globe
Straight from the hip: We produce enough food to feed a growing world, but getting it to consumers is getting more difficult
McDonald’s pilot could usher in overdue reforms
The fast-food giant’s bid to use only ‘sustainable beef’ may finally force the industry to share data and work together
Reading Time: 3 minutes Did A&W’s “better beef” campaign pop into your head when you read the front-page story on McDonald’s picking Canada for its first-ever “sustainable beef” pilot? Did you think, ‘Oh goodie, more paperwork.’ And, of course, you must have noted McDonald’s is not offering premiums for this program. That’s a point made repeatedly by senior company […] Read more
Conference board’s supply management reform ill conceived
Scrapping the current system would require government to subsidize both domestic production and exports
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Conference Board of Canada embraces the mantra that “all growth is good.” Its plan to change supply management for growth is a prescription for weakening, if not eliminating, the three pillars of supply management for dairy production in Canada — production controls, import tariffs and farmers’ cost-of-production pricing — in order to produce more […] Read more
The time has come to scrap supply management
Canada has a unique opportunity to supply the world with dairy products, but first it must phase out supply management
Reading Time: 2 minutes Dairy supply management is an old solution to an old problem. The approach of setting dairy prices, controlling production, and controlling imports has been costly to Canadians as a whole and to dairy farmers for a long time. Today, Canada has an opportunity to break with supply management for the benefit of everyone — and […] Read more
It’s no longer a man’s world in agriculture
Conference highlights the new reality — women not only play a key role in agriculture but are critical to its success
Reading Time: 3 minutes ‘Mommas, don’t let your daughters miss out on careers in agriculture!’ That’s how the Willie and Waylon classic could have been modified by anyone attending the inaugural Advancing Women Conference in Calgary. The event, created by well-known conference organizer Iris Meck, was designed to provide life and leadership skills for women involved in agriculture. While […] Read more
Fixing the system will take more than blame
Reading Time: < 1 minute I would suggest the federal government could save about $3 million just by reading Laura Rance’s article in the April 14 edition of Alberta Farmer (‘Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act — much ado about not much’). I would further suggest that one sentence of that article should be highlighted for members of this government […] Read more
Saving seed should be a right, not a privilege
Reading Time: 2 minutes Why should there be a law giving us a privilege now when for thousands of years this was a right that no one questioned? That is downgrading that right and the first step to taking it away. Will the next omnibus bill grant us the privilege to eat breakfast and the one after that grant […] Read more
Finding the news that matters on your farm
A century ago, a lone journalist had a huge impact on Prairie agriculture — and she has a lesson for us today
Reading Time: 2 minutes E. Cora Hind was one of the greatest farm reporters ever, with a unique talent that earned her the gratitude of farmers across the Prairies, not to mention worldwide fame. Her appointment as agricultural editor of the Winnipeg Free Press in 1901 got everyone talking because women news reporters were almost unheard of back then. […] Read more
Set boundaries and be safe
Straight From the Hip: Anything that risks the well-being of those on the farm shouldn’t be tolerated, and women need to make sure that message is heard
Reading Time: 3 minutes Women in agriculture are exposed to the risk of injury every day. Whether you work full time, part time, are an employee or partner, women and girls on Alberta farms need to ensure they are protected from injury and disability. That starts by setting boundaries for ourselves. A woman I’ll call Pat works in partnership […] Read more
Expert warns of ‘silent killer’ sneaking up on cash-short farms
Merle Good says many farmers will find themselves in financial pain next winter, but can avoid it by acting now
Reading Time: 3 minutes The sharp fall in grain and oilseed prices has dramatically altered the farming landscape. But many farm business experts say the fallout won’t be felt until 2015. Merle Good is one of them. And he says many farmers at the greatest risk don’t know it. He spoke with editor Glenn Cheater. Q: You say if […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
