Reading Time: 2 minutes An agricultural think-tank called the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) has released a study on the direction of the cattle industry and its future ramifications. The future it seems doesn’t look all that promising, since the study brings to light some of the inherent weakness and challenges of the present industry. The study, which was […] Read more
Beef industry report almost tells the whole story
Calling the XL Foods E. coli alert a crisis is irresponsible
Response When the problem was detected, the system went into action the way it’s supposed to
Reading Time: 3 minutes What is it about people that we’re so attracted to economic panic and alarm? Are the business pages and economic news stories so bland and lifeless that we need to stir up crises out of nothing? Consider one of the biggest news stories this fall in Alberta: the E. coli situation. Several weeks ago, there […] Read moreInvestigation needed to clear the air in E. coli case
Reading Time: 3 minutes At the time of writing last week the fate of the XL Foods beef plant in Brooks was still undetermined. By now it may have reopened or may still be closed to buying new cattle. Either way, there is a genuine concern in the industry that XL Foods may not have the financial willingness to […] Read more
Premier confirms promise, but when?
Reading Time: < 1 minute At a recent news conference in Edmonton, Premier Redford stated that she intends to keep her leadership campaign promise that farm workers will be covered by OHS legislation. According to a Calgary Herald report she said, “I’ve made a commitment. What we’re going to do is continue to do that work to ensure that we […] Read more
The beef industry has bigger problems than E. coli
No collaboration The beef industry is suffering from too many organizations and not enough leadership
Reading Time: 3 minutes The fallout from the E. coli contamination at the XL beef plant is bad enough, but it will be even worse if this single issue diverts the industry from looking at some of its larger long-term challenges. Farmers got cranky enough about the Canadian Wheat Board, so imagine there was a Canadian Beef Board in […] Read moreIt’s time for a national debate on the food industry
Reading Time: 3 minutes The XL Foods recall has really got people talking about the food system all across Canada. Concern for the safety of our food unites us whether we are urban or rural, farmers or consumers, regardless of which part of the country we live in. Some people are saying we need a national debate on the […] Read more
History may repeat itself inthe meat marketing business
Lamb co-op The new lamb marketing scheme has good intentions but, so have others in the past
Reading Time: 3 minutes In the agriculture industry, particularly the livestock sector, there is a disconcerting tendency to repeat history. One of those repetitions involves schemes to market meat directly to retailers and consumers. It seems cattle, hog and sheep producers are either fascinated or frustrated by the way the meat they raise is marketed and sold. That’s the […] Read moreNew strategy, collaboration needed for Canada’s beef sector
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canada’s beef sector is at a tipping point. Although the sector generates $6 billion in farm gate sales and represents 15 per cent of the country’s total agricultural production, we are at risk of becoming a net importer of beef with the United States. Our beef and cattle trade with the U.S. is vital but […] Read more
Hog industry needsto root out its own fix
Integration Canadian producers need to follow the Danish model of harmonizing the supply chain
Reading Time: 2 minutes Many factors, most of them foreseeable and manageable, have triggered bankruptcies in the hog industry over the years. These factors include fuel costs, currency fluctuations and access to some markets closing. Big Sky Farms, now in receivership, filed for bankruptcy protection and restructured its business just a few years ago after a similar run-up in […] Read moreLeaked report seems to contain the wrong answer
Reading Time: < 1 minute Areport on the direction of farm safety in Alberta submitted to the minister of agriculture more than six months ago has leaked to the media. By all accounts from the usual suspects, the report contains the wrong answer. It recommends more education and a farm safety certification process, it steers clear of what should have […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
