Manitoba’s marketing boards are demanding to know the reason behind a controversial provincial surcharge on the value of quota transfers between dairy, egg and poultry farmers. Producer boards and Keystone Agricultural Producers will meet with the government next week to seek an explanation for the new two per cent levy on successful quota sales and
Producers Strongly Oppose New Quota Levy
Pork Promotion In Canada To Get Funding Boost
“The feds have assured us that they will fast track it.” – JURGEN PREUGSCHAS, CPC Canada could soon start collecting a new levy on imported cuts of fresh pork to help promote its own pork industry. The Canadian Pork Council is drafting a levy proposal to send to federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz sometime this
Loan Guarantee Program Helps Only A Few Producers
“We do hear from farmers on both sides of that.” – IAN WISHART, KAP Canadian pork producers are calling a federally backed industry assistance program a flop after the government ended up spending just two-thirds of the money it originally committed. Ottawa put up only $270 million of the $400 million in federal loan guarantees
Province Wary About Hog Loan Payment Extension
“We can pay this in the long run. But the long run has to be at least 10 years.” – ANDREW DICKSON, MPC The Manitoba government is close to easing repayment conditions for special loans to financially strapped hog farmers but it may not be the kind of relief producers want. The province may temporarily
Alberta Checkoff Change Hurts National Beef Program Funding
The elimination of a nonrefundable cattle checkoff in Alberta could cost Canada’s beef industry over $20 million a year in lost economic benefits, according to figures in a new study. A national agency which directs checkoff money toward beef research, promotion and market development has slashed its annual budget, mainly because the Alberta checkoff, once
Seed Companies Pull Out Of Variety Trials
APrairie-wide program of canola variety trials has been cancelled this year after most of the participating seed companies unexpectedly pulled out. Canola seed developers did not enter enough canola varieties in the 2010 Prairie Canola Variety Trials for it to go ahead, the Canola Council of Canada, which administers the trials, said last week. Dissatisfaction
Gestation Stalls Could Become Canada-U. S. Trade Issue
“Do you think they will be friendly to product coming in that’s produced in a different manner?” – ED PAJOR Canada may eventually have to ban gestation stalls for pregnant sows if it wants to continue exporting to the United States, where such bans are occurring. A leading Canadian animal welfare scientist warns the spread
Prairie Farm Groups Wrestle With Attracting New Producers
“We need to see profitability, first and foremost.” – GREG MARSHALL, APAS How you gonna get ’em back to the farm? Adequate government programs and a better public image of agriculture would help a lot, say the Prairie provinces’ three major farm groups. Support for young and beginning farmers was a major subject at an
Packers Not Villains In Beef Profits: Study
“There is no case to be made that packers are taking an unwarranted share of the revenue.” – CHARLIE GRACEY Although cattle producers receive only a small share of the beef dollar, packing plants are not the reason for their lack of profitability, according to a recent study. In fact, retailers get vastly more value
Putting Fertilizer Where It’s Needed
“We’re trying to match the nutrient requirements to the production.” – WADE BARNES, FARMERS EDGE Last year, about eight million pounds of phosphorus fertilizer – roughly equivalent to 150 semi-truckloads – were not applied on 750,000 acres of cropland in Western Canada. It wasn’t needed. Credit Farmers Edge and variable rate technology for the cost
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