Gas pump.

Comment: Biofuels are a fake climate change solution

There are too many costs of all types to make biofuels a solution to our problems

Biofuels in Canada cannot be produced without a subsidy or a government order called a mandate. The Canadian and various provincial governments are again increasing biofuel mandates as a simple solution to the serious climate change crisis we face. But are biofuels the solution politicians claim? Biofuels sound good and with mandates they cost government

Ukraine still has a good deal of its 2021 corn crop to ship and Russia has yet to plant 30 per cent of its 2022 wheat crop.

Concerns rise over Black Sea spring crops in wartime

Shipments are halted and spring planting is in question

Reuters – The stoppage of grain exports out of Ukraine was confirmed February 28, as the country said all ports will be closed until the end of the Russian invasion, though there is a chance that supplies for the next season out of both Ukraine and Russia could also be in jeopardy pending the outcome


Ukraine is Europe’s breadbasket, so Russia's invasion will affect global commodity markets in a meaningful way.

Comment: From a worldwide virus to a tyrant

Yet again farmers and the food industry face the unknown — but we must stand with Ukraine

Humanity just got dealt another blow with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Only thinking of the human cost is unbearable. But the agri-food sector has already been impacted by the conflict in more ways than one. First, Ukraine is Europe’s breadbasket, so this conflict will affect global commodity markets in a meaningful way. Wheat and corn

Frito-Lay products are made in Canada, using Canadian potatoes grown by Canadian farmers.

Comment: War on potato chips just the tip of the iceberg

This is all about the balance of power in the grocery retailing system

We recently learned that Frito-Lay, a brand owned by giant PepsiCo Canada, opted to stop selling to Loblaws after the retailer refused requests by Frito-Lay to increase their prices. Food manufacturers, when selling products to grocers, have suggested retail prices. With low profit margins, labour shortages, packaging issues and supply chain woes, inflation has been


Ontario and Manitoba are two of the backstop jurisdictions, having failed to develop a climate change strategy of their own that meets federal standards.

Comment: Relief on drying costs needed to meet federal sustainability goals

With no alternative to fossil fuels for grain drying, farmers will be paying big bucks to the feds

In the past few years we’ve heard numerous times that the federal government wants agriculture to be an economic driver for Canada. It also wants agricultural production to be greener. Both can certainly be achieved. But changes to the federal carbon tax scheme, the Greenhouse Gas Polluting Act, need to be considered for this to

Protestors’ vehicles block the Ambassador Bridge on Feb. 8, 2022. If supply chains are the backbone of our economy, the border is its spinal cord.

Comment: Invoking the Emergencies Act also about Canada’s reputation

When so much of our economy crosses the border disruptions are poison

In recent days, many Canadians watched in disbelief when protesters easily blocked many access points between the United States and Canada. For six painful days, this included the Ambassador Bridge, a key trade conduit between the two countries, forcing trucks to be rerouted towards Sarnia. Other border crossings were disrupted in Manitoba and Alberta. Many


Comment: Making pork chops flow uphill

Comment: Making pork chops flow uphill

Duelling reports from industry economists full of bafflegab

For more than 40 years my father farmed within a mile of where the Kaskaskia River met the Mississippi deep in southern Illinois. That meant he had two, lifetime partners: the river and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, landlords of the levees that guarded our wedge of the Great American Bottoms. Dad never argued

Unlike other food products, due to the state-sanctioned public quota regime, milk is nothing less than a public good.

Comment: Canada’s white gold

Milk prices are anything but transparent under the current system

It goes without saying that milk and cream are important foodstuffs in our diet. Cheese, yogurt, and butter; these products are cherished by many people and will force average households to spend between 10 and 15 per cent of their food budget on them. Our love for dairy products will be put to the test


Technological advances have greatly improved the general quality of weather forecasting.

Comment: What weather forecasting takes and why it’s so hard to get right

Developing countries will be hardest hit by a changing climate and lack forecasting capacity

Weather forecasting is an important science. Accurate forecasting can help to save lives and minimize property damage. It’s also crucial for agriculture, allowing farmers to track when it’s best to plant or helping them protect their crops. And it will only become more vital in the coming years. Severe weather events are becoming more frequent

Comment: Farmers beware the variety use agreement

Comment: Farmers beware the variety use agreement

Are the voluntary agreements meant to normalize farmers paying for saved seed?

The eagerly awaited annual seed guides have arrived bringing farmers reliable information on which to base this year’s variety choices. These publications have a long history of providing objective, unbiased, science-based information. Data in the seed guides predict the agronomic performance, crop quality, and disease reactions expected from the crops in farmers’ fields. The seed