Reading Time: 3 minutes As farmers ponder their spring business plans, many are buoyed by the optimism that this could be a profitable year, one that will bring stability against difficulty in recent years. Yet amid this optimism, there is a far-reaching sense of anxiety among the general public over food prices. Many look for a direct connection between […] Read more
Much For Canadians To Savour On Food Freedom Day
LETTERS – for Jan. 31, 2011
Reading Time: < 1 minute Education And Common Sense, Not More Rules I am appalled recently by the many articles written about farm safety: why we need to fall under Occupational Health and Safety services, why we need Workers’ Compensation and why we need all of this to be mandated by the government. All farm deaths and accidents are tragic […] Read more
Merger Will Be Good For Canadian Beef Promotion
Reading Time: 3 minutes It was an inevitable process that just took some time to accept and act upon, but the merger of the Canada Beef Export Federation (CBEF) and the Beef Information Centre (BIC) into the new Canada Beef agency looks like a done deal, save for the legalities. The merger would also include the National Checkoff Agency. […] Read more
Could A Paradigm Shift Could Be Coming?
Reading Time: 2 minutes We may be heading into a prolonged period of high grain prices. Many analysts say world grain stocks are so low that strong prices are likely for the next two or three or even five years. “Don’t talk about it because you’ll just jinx it,” some will say. Certainly, there have been many occasions in […] Read more
Tribute To An “Agricultural Icon” Across Western Canada
Reading Time: 3 minutes Many will mourn the passing of John Harapiak, who succumbed last week to cancer. The highly respected agronomist spent more than 40 years of his life serving western Canadian farmers through his work in soil fertility research and extension. Dubbed an “agricultural icon” by his colleagues, he was best known for his steadfast commitment to […] Read more
Government Can’t Do Much More Against Scary Stories
Reading Time: 2 minutes Every time we get a recall of imported food we have another round of huffing and puffing that we’re not doing enough to protect Canadians, and the media spend a day or two pushing scary stories about the awful dangers of imported food. So I’m often asked: is Canada doing enough? That was the question […] Read more
Equal Protection For Farm Workers
Reading Time: < 1 minute Re: Are dead ducks more important than dead people? (editorial, Jan. 3): Great editorial contribution to the dialogue. Any “hint” from Minister Hayden is likeSeinfeld,a show about nothing. With the farm and ranch elite breathing down his neck he has no intention to introduce social policy that supports equality and justice for those who go […] Read more
Property Rights Growing Into Political Headache
Reading Time: 3 minutes It doesn’t take a political scientist to figure it out, but there is a rapidly growing issue in the countryside that could have big political ramifications. It’s an issue that could possibly knock the present PC government on its collective butt in rural ridings in the next election. It all has to do with that […] Read more
EU Common Agricultural Policy Secure — For Now
Reading Time: 2 minutes The European Union’s financial crisis is big news these days, which made a seminar for North American journalists about EU monetary policy particularly timely. But when asked about the future of the Common Agricultural Policy, which we are often told is unsustainable and about to break the EU bank, EU officials were somewhat bemused. It […] Read more
Government Land Use Initiative Threatens Landowner Rights
Reading Time: 3 minutes Since 1896, the Western Stock Growers’ Association (WSGA) has supported a strong, free-market approach to the production and marketing of cattle in Western Canada. While protecting the interests of the livestock producer by lobbying government, the WSGA also promotes the enhancement and protection of the environment through sound range-management practices. In addition, the WSGA has […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
