Reading Time: 3 minutes Recently former Alberta leader Peter Lougheed was proclaimed and lauded as Canada’s best premier. I am not sure whether that proclamation was the result of a careful academic analysis or a glorified popularity contest. The folks who judged this “best premier” exercise were mostly from other parts of Canada. I expect if this was an […] Read more
Alberta an agrarian hinterland? Not quite
Grain freight regulations inhibit productivity
Revenue cap It is worth considering whether the cap on grain earnings is smart regulation
Reading Time: 3 minutes The cost of railway infrastructure projects, such as the Rogers Pass tunnel or network acquisition, is staggering. In contrast, rail’s air, trucking and marine competitors have an advantage from the outset in not having to build or maintain infrastructure. And while rail can withstand underinvestment for years, eventually a lack of capital catches up and […] Read moreLetters — for 2012-06-04 00:00:00
Reading Time: < 1 minute The CGC has been contacted by Mr. Bill Toews who advised that he is concerned about the attribution of a statement in the feature on the CGC’s 100th anniversary printed in the April 9 issue. In the piece entitled “CGC guarantees Canadian grain quality worldwide,” the quote, “You have a disciplined system for putting grain […] Read more
Are farmers the bait in Fisheries Act changes?
Reading Time: 2 minutes Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield seem to be using farmers as bait to get the public to swallow the changes to the Fisheries Act. By suggesting that the federal government is abandoning protection of fish habitat so that farmers don’t have to deal with red tape when they maintain their irrigation […] Read more
Calgary graduates its first class of vets
Reading Time: 3 minutes This month will see the graduation of the first class of students from the University of Calgary faculty of veterinary medicine. Congratulations to those students. After four years of intensive study in one of the most difficult of professions, they have made a remarkable achievement. Veterinary medicine is sometimes seen as more difficult to master […] Read more
Railway raise of 9.5 per cent for hauling grain highlights need for review
Invest Grain farmers will be paying more so investors are attracted to CN and CP shares
Reading Time: 3 minutes Recently the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) announced that Prairie grain farmers will pay 9.5 per cent more to ship their grain. Based on the 2011 total freight bill under the revenue cap of $952 million, a 9.5 per cent increase means another $90 million straight out of the pockets of Prairie farmers. Based on 31 […] Read moreLatest census reflects a changing farm face
Reading Time: 2 minutes Whether or not you think consolidation in agriculture is a good thing, it’s continuing at a brisk pace. And nowhere is that more apparent than on the Canadian Prairies. The latest data on farm numbers and scale based on the newly released 2011 Census of Agriculture shows the pace of farm size growth in Alberta, […] Read more
Will it be negotiation or more alienation?
Reading Time: 3 minutes It would be safe to assume that with the election over we are in for at least four (or 40 more — depending on your political perspective) years of steady government in Alberta. It means that the Land Use Framework (LUF) legislation can now be implemented and enforced by the ruling PC government. By all […] Read more
Beef producers must engage the public on animal welfare
Get involved Development of a new code of practice means producers must participate in the process
Reading Time: 2 minutes Animal welfare. These two words often evoke a strong response from livestock producers across the country who feel that their way of life is under siege by those who don’t understand them and don’t grasp what they do for society. One just has to look at a few headlines to understand why farmers may feel […] Read moreFood security is a problem, even in Canada’s richest province
From the hip After many Albertans pay for a place to live, there isn’t much left for proper nutrition
Reading Time: 4 minutes When most Canadians think of food insecurity, they likely envision a poor person a world away. And although they may be frustrated when a grocery item is sold out, the reality of food insecurity which is defined as a “lack of access to affordable, adequate food through socially acceptable means” is a little more startling. […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
