Reading Time: 3 minutes Ever heard the joke about the farmer who wished for good prices and a good crop simultaneously? Editor, Manitoba Co-operator They say “it’s just a number,” but something strange happens to your journalistic perspective as you cross over to the dark side of 50. Story leads that had you pulling out your notebook in the […] Read more
Are Farmers Rational? Easy Answer
George Groeneveld Deserved A Much Better Fate
Reading Time: 3 minutes I think we just kneecapped the only ag minister in memory in this country who really had the good of agriculture at heart. President, beef initiative group Re: New ag minister could change political fortunes, editorial Feb. 1. If there exists any problem in the countryside it was caused by deceitful manipulation of the facts, […] Read more
New Minister Needs To Make Some Dramatic Decisions
Reading Time: 3 minutes The minister upon being appointed did receive an unpleasant welcoming gift -a budget cut New agriculture ministers must get a feeling of self-importance, if the endless parade of lobby groups to their door is any indication. It’s almost a ritual with competing groups wanting to get to the new minister first in the hope to […] Read more
Potential Benefits From Livestock ID
Reading Time: 2 minutes Here in Canada, we’re enhancing our livestock identification programs. Individual cattle ID with radio frequency ear tags (RFID), age verification, premise ID, animal movement records – about the only thing that isn’t planned is a GPS locator attached to each individual animal. Incredibly, American efforts for a National Animal Identification System are back to square […] Read more
Are Farmers Rational? Sure. But Maybe Farming Isn’t
Reading Time: 3 minutes “Different choices are made if the same choice is framed as a loss rather than a gain.” Editor, Manitoba Co-operator Ever wonder why those herbicide ads portray weeds as the silent killer of your yields? Or why farmers cling to the bin keys while markets are rising, only to sweep them clean and race for […] Read more
Livestock Exports On The Horizon —Oasis Or Mirage?
Reading Time: 3 minutes To us there is a disconnect between agricultural export expectations in this country – particularly with regard to meats – and the stated intentions and market actions of China and Russia, the very countries being touted as U. S. agriculture’s export saviours. National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) vice-president Nick Giordano reportedly told the recent Minnesota […] Read more
U.S. Groups Outline Principles For National ID
Reading Time: 2 minutes Highlights from a Jan. 14 statement by eight U.S. cattle industry groups on 12 principles in development of cattle disease traceability ID system. The proposal to the USDA and Congress was signed by the Livestock Marketing Organization, the American Angus Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, Dairy Farmers of America, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, R-CALF USA, […] Read more
Letters To The Editor – for Feb. 1, 2010
Reading Time: 2 minutes We rural folk want our parcels Courier companies like UPS, Purolator and DHL do not deliver in rural areas. If they can get you by phone they will ask where they can leave the parcel for you to pick up, usually a relative in a town. Sometimes they might deliver to their agent/drop-off in a […] Read more
Big U.S. Packers Pull Out Their Ammunition
Reading Time: 2 minutes Roosters crow, cows moo and pigs squeal. To be more precise, proud roosters crow, contented cows moo and, contrary to popular folklore, scared pigs – not happy ones – squeal. In fact, the more scared the pig, the louder the squeal. This simple piece of farm knowledge was confirmed, again, in a Jan. 5 letter […] Read more
New Ag Minister Could Change Political Fortunes
Reading Time: 3 minutes One of the tipping points for the former minister was when he told cattle producers that if they were not prepared to accept his new livestock strategy they could just as well quit the business In the last edition I speculated that we might soon have a new agriculture minister in Alberta. Little did I […] Read more