Conservative members on the House of Commons agricultural committee are being accused of obstruction in blocking a recommendation for financial aid to Canada’s cattle processors. In a December 11 letter to the beef industry, opposition committee members accused Tory members of repeatedly preventing a vote on a motion to recommend subsidizing the slaughter of older
Tories Accused Of Stalling On SRM Subsidy
Bipole III Raises Farmers’ Concerns About Land Impacts
“These high-voltage power lines are so big that going over top or underneath isn’t an option.” – DOUG CHORNEY, KAP Questions about its impact on agriculture surround a new Manitoba Hydro high-voltage transmission line planned from the North that will ultimately run through some of the best farmland in the province. Producers want to know
Former Honey Leader In Sticky Mess Over Membership Fees
“If they want to send the sheriff to collect, then at that point there’s a legal dispute.” – PHIL VELDHUIS Af o r m e r Ma n i t o b a Beekeepers Association president has set the stage for a potential showdown with his organization by refusing to pay a compulsory membership fee.
Domestic Trade Pact Could Threaten Supply Management
“We don’t have enough information to provide the level of comfort.” – WALLY SMITH, DFC Canada’s supply management groups are lobbying hard against wording in an interprovincial trade agreement which they fear could threaten their industries. Dairy Farmers of Canada wants governments to plug possible loopholes in the agreement that might leave supply management open
Throne Speech Recycles Ongoing Farm Programs
Last week’s Manitoba throne speech spoke a fair bit about agriculture but contained few actual new initiatives for farmers. Instead, the speech to mark the opening of the new legislative session was mainly a rehash of programs already ongoing, according to observers. “A lot of what was in the throne speech was actually reannouncements, not
Buying Meat From A Virtual Store
“It’s not just putting up a store and hoping they’ll come.” – ADAM DOOLEY, KEYSTONE PROCESSORS What’s the first thing you do to get a beef roast in the oven? You head for the computer. Manitoba’s newest beef packer has an online meat store providing consumers with home delivery of beef and bison cuts. Keystone
China Lifts Canadian Pork Ban
It may not be Manitoba hog producers’ biggest market, but the resumption of pork exports to China is a positive sign for a beleaguered industry. China last week signalled it would lift a ban on pork and pork products from Manitoba, Alberta and Quebec because of the H1N1 flu virus. China imposed the ban earlier
New Technology Touted To Fight Dairy Disease
“We are one ‘60 Minutes’ report away from rules against either leukosis or Johne’s.” – MARK VARNER A recently introduced technology to predetermine the sex of dairy cattle could also be the key to eliminating infectious diseases in dairy herds. Sexed semen, in which sperm is sorted for gender, can help milk producers develop herds
“Ice-Cream” Plant Improves Forage Production
“It has a lot of potential.” – MICHAEL SCHELLENBERG, AAFC They say the great cattle drives from the United States to Canada during the late 19th century used to follow the winterfat trail. Winterfat, a low-lying shrub native to Great Northern Plains, was a prime source of nutrition for ranging cattle because of its high
Ottawa Silent On Renewed ALUS Funding
“We’re quite prepared to push this hard federally.” – IAN WISHART, KAP In the fall of 1999, at a Keystone Agricultural Producers general council meeting in Portage la Prairie, Ian Wishart proposed a radical idea: paying farmers to protect the environment. The idea, called Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS), caught on. Wishart became its architect
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
