“I think the exemptions will absolutely be too narrow.” – TREVOR SCHREIMER Aconference on locally grown food last week strongly criticized Peak of the Market’s attempts to bring small unregulated potato growers under the marketing board’s authority. Larry McIntosh, Peak’s president and CEO, spent much of his time during a panel discussion defending the board
Small Potato Regulations Draw Fire
When Seeding Canola, The Tortoise Beats The Hare
– DERWYN HAMMOND “It’s about slowing down enough to ensure you’re getting good placement.” They say time is money. Which means slowing down while seeding crops should cost more in fuel and labour. Not necessarily, says Derwyn Hammond, a Canola Council of Canada agronomist. Seeding canola at a slower speed can actually save money, Hammond
Manitoba Soybean Plantings Look Strong For 2010
“The weather won’t scare guys off.” – dennis lange, parent seeds Volat i le markets and a near crop disaster last fall are unlikely to dampen Manitoba farmers’ enthusiasm for soybeans this year. Manitoba’s 2010 soybean acreage could be similar to the record area planted in 2009, industry officials predict. Soybean growers barely managed to
Dry Bean Acreage Looking Up In 2010
“It’s time to make some money in the bean industry.” – TODD STEWART, MPGA Expect an increase in Manitoba’s edible bean acreage this year. Stable prices and steady demand should result in a “fairly decent bump in acres” for dry beans in 2010, says Jonathon Driedger, a marketing analyst with FarmLink Marketing Solutions. Speaking at
New Pig Disease Poses A Puzzle
“These pigs look very similar to pigs that simply starve to death.” – JOHN HARDING, U OF S Scientists at the University of Saskatchewan have discovered a new and baffling swine ailment in which newly weaned pigs fail to eat and starve to death. Postweaning Wasting/ Catabolic Syndrome (PWCS), can cause death losses of up
BrM Changes Needed To Save Spring Seeding: CFA
“I’m quite sure they will not have enough money.” – LAURENT PELLERIN, CFA Livestock producers need immediate improvements to agricultural safety net programs or they may not be able to seed crops this spring, the head of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture warns. That’s especially true for Canada’s financially ravaged hog farmers, Laurent Pellerin said
Differentiation Key To Pork’s Future, Conference Told
“I think there’s a future but it’s not in mass production.” – TED BILYEA The Canadian pork industry of the future may be a lot smaller and far more specific to customers’ needs. Differentiation will be central to pork’s marketing success once the industry recovers from its worst economic crisis in recent history, producers attending
Coalition Attacks Prison Farm Closures
Acampaign against the closing of Canada’s prison farms could signal a new opposition aggressiveness against the Conservative government’s anti-crime agenda when Parliament reconvenes next month. Speakers at a panel discussion last week slammed Ottawa’s plan to shut down Correction Canada’s six prison farms, including the Rockwood Institution at Stony Mountain Penitentiary. The closures reflect the
Province Softens Approach To Minor On-Farm Drainage
“It could have been an absolute nightmare.” – IAN WISHART, KAP In Oct. 2008, a Keystone Agricultural Producers council meeting was startled to hear farmers in southwestern Manitoba were getting letters from the province saying they would need licences to drain water from their land. The reason was Section 3(1) (c) of The Water Rights
KaP’s Member List Shrinking
Aperennial problem with a compulsory membership checkoff caused Keystone Agricultural Producers to finish 2009 with its fewest members in years. Financial statements released at KAP’s annual meeting in Winnipeg last week show the organization ended last year with 4,402 paid members, down from 4,824 in 2008. It’s not the lowest figure in KAP’s 26-year history
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