Letters, April 12, 2012

Government should help fund transition Regarding the article, “Time to start thinking about group housing” (March 22, 2012), Bernie Peet is right to alert pork producers to the reality that gestation crates are on the way out. While transitioning to new housing systems, this is an opportune time for producers to improve housing conditions for

Tips on practical heat detection for AI programs

When looking into any artificial insemination program, several goals must be kept in mind. Achieving pregnancies is of course the most important. Improving your genetic base is always a desire of any breeder whether you are a commercial operator or seedstock breeder. In order to be successful though, costs both for supplies and labour must


Moving beyond supply management

Now that we have some clarity on the economic future of the Canadian Wheat Board, attention is slowly turning toward the issue of supply management, which has arguably served our agricultural economy well for decades. Economically speaking, these sectors have been unwavering, and consumers have long benefited from stable retail prices for these products. However,



MRAC moves forward with new strategic plan

An expanded mandate, a new agricultural foundation, and possibly a name change are some of the changes in the works for the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council (MRAC) as it implements a new strategic plan. About 60 in attendance at last week’s annual general meeting heard details on how MRAC plans to significantly rebrand and reposition

Superstud Jocko the bull: Gone, but not forgotten

Reuters / Dairy cows across the world are mourning the loss of “Jocko,” ranked as the world’s third-most potent breeding bull, who has died of natural causes leaving behind as many as 400,000 offspring. Jocko Besne had an industrious 17-year career donating some 1.7 million sperm straws that were used in France and abroad to


Alberta firm records first alfalfa sale to China

Staff / Green Prairie International, a global wholesale supplier of quality forage products located in Alberta, has become the first Canadian company to ship alfalfa into the Chinese market. Twenty containers of Canadian alfalfa hay have been shipped to China and 40 more containers have been ordered; the total estimated $600,000, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz

Farmers have a positive outlook, for good reason

A recent survey by Farm Credit Canada found 80 per cent of farmers feel positive about the future and Agriculture Canada’s latest income forecasts will add to the rosy outlook. Net farm cash income for 2011 was $11.7 billion, Agriculture Canada said in a report. Factoring in depreciation cuts that number in half, but it


Organic research achieving critical mass in science

The modern organic agriculture movement started 100 years ago. Sir Albert Howard was an English mycologist who served as the imperial economic botanist to the government of India between 1905 and 1924. He was fascinated by the indigenous practices of Indian farmers, whom he called his professors. His 1940 book, An Agricultural Testament, has become

Plant product to go toe to toe with meat and dairy?

A researcher says the global food problem is not feeding people, but animals Livestock agriculture is an obsolete technology, says Stanford researcher, Patrick O. Brown. “Animal farming is by far the biggest ongoing global environmental catastrophe,” says Brown. “It’s an inefficient technology that hasn’t changed for a millennia.” In a presentation to the American Association