Letters – for Oct. 14, 2010

Eating local can be done While there may be some accurate points in Ronald L. Doering’s recent articleManitoba Co-operatorOct. 7 article regarding “locavores,” energy consumption of production, processing and preparing of certain foods and how it outweighs transportation of food, you cannot make the subject so “simplistic” that it applies to all food. For example,

The Future Is Now

Tempers flared and fingers pointed as 350 residents from communities surrounding the three Shoal Lakes in the Interlake gathered in Woodlands last week. They were there to hear the long-awaited results of a study into possible solutions for an unfolding natural disaster – the seemingly unstoppable rise in lake levels that is submerging land that


Global Grain Reserve Idea Gaining Momentum – for Oct. 7, 2010

During the decade from 1996 to 2006, the world became accustomed to stable crop production levels. Production problems in one part of the world were balanced out by increased production elsewhere. In such a world it was easy to argue that reserves were unnecessary, because there would always be someone with a supply they were

Buy Local — But Ignore The “Locavores” Nonsense

You can’t open the food section of your newspaper these days without another sermon on the virtues of eating local. The eulogy takes as self-evident the moral superiority of the gospel of locavorism: relocalizing the food supply promotes sustainability because it reduces the fossil fuel needed to deliver the food. Buying local makes a good


Harvesting The Silver Linings

There are many reasons to be disappointed this harvest. But you can also find silver linings. Every farm faces a different set of circumstances. Here are some of my highlights and lowlights. Like many southern Saskatchewan farmers, I’m still combining lentils. Whenever you’re still harvesting lentils at the end of September, it isn’t good news.

How Governments Can Help

The difficult, abnormally wet growing season is being capped with a harvest from hell. If governments are interested in lending some support, here’s an idea that has merit. This concept has been suggested by a number of farm groups. The way the fall is going, the idea is now especially relevant. Why not provide a


Conspiracies And Cattle

It’s hard not to conclude from the continued dilly-dallying over support for Manitoba’s cattle sector that this is part of a back-door attempt to downsize the country’s cattle herd. First we had the Manitoba government saying helping producers feed their cattle is problematic because it might offend our export competitors. You can bet American policy-makers

Farmers Should Be Free To Decide

In a recent letter to the editor, Stewart Wells, past president of the NFU and current CWB director candidate criticizes the Wheat Growers for seeking the opportunity to price and deliver our grain at a time of our choosing,


Letters – for Sep. 30, 2010

Open letter to Premier Greg Selinger As a cattle producer of this province, I would commend your government’s announcement for changes to the Animal Welfare Act. Like all cattle producers, we take pride in our animals and will do anything for their wellbeing while in our care and do not support any form of failure

China Turns Into A Regular Corn Importer

China’s major foray into the global corn market this year could become routine as it strives to fend off the threat of animal feed price inflation, which Beijing worries could send household food bills soaring. With feed demand in the world’s second-biggest corn consumer rising by nearly eight per cent a year over the past


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