Daily Network News

More News →

Opinion

Opinion

Take Free Trade — Please

By
When the international trade portion of your resume is as thin as the new U. S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk’s, it’s likely you’d stress personal ideals over professional accomplishments when talking about your new job. Kirk did just that in a May 22 speech to the U. S. Meat Export Federation. As Barack Obama’s trade
Opinion

An Open Letter To The Prime Minister And All Federal Leaders

Canada’s independent ranchers and farmers – the backbone of our cattle and beef sectors – are receiving some of the lowest prices they’ve seen since the Great Depression. Adjusted for inflation, prices today are half of price averages from the 1970s, and ’80s. Today’s Depressionechoing prices are bankrupting long-standing cattle producers and forcing farm families
Opinion

New Regs Upset Ethanol Applecart

By
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on May 5 announced proposed regulations regarding implementation of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA). Despite the legislation’s namesake, there isn’t much security for the growth of traditional corn ethanol. EISA was landmark legislation for the biofuels industry because it set a national goal of producing
Opinion

They Aren’t Making Any More

JOHN MORRISS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR If you follow the Canadian stock market, you will probably be familiar with the name of Jeff Rubin, former chief economist for CIBC World Markets. Like all economists, he hasn’t always been right, but he’s been right several times on some bold predictions. In 2000 he predicted oil prices would hit
Beef cattle, Livestock, Opinion

Cattle Producer Predicted XL Closure

By
Regular readers of this column will know I wasn’t too enthused about the sale of Lakeside Packers to XL Beef. The Competition Bureau decided that Canadian farmers would be well enough served by having two companies controlling 95 per cent of beef packing in Canada. It blessed the sale with the proviso that it would
Opinion

Letters – for May. 28, 2009

Where’s the warming? Regarding global warming: I do not believe in it. In the 1950s, I’d go to work every winter in Winnipeg, Toronto or California; I came back every spring April 1 and would get on my tractor – no cab, no jacket – and start farming. By April 20, the wild oats would
Opinion

If It Ain’t Broke…

By
Most farmers have been blissfully unaware of how the Canadian Grain Commission ensures they get paid for the crops they work so hard to produce and sell – unless they’ve had the misfortune to deliver to a company that doesn’t pay. Even then, in most cases their losses have amounted to sweaty palms and restless
Opinion

Too Little, Too Late

It has taken the Manitoba government a long time to officially recognize the value of maintaining a railway network in rural Manitoba. The decision to contribute $615,000 in forgivable loans to the Boundary Trails Railway Company is to be applauded. This is a good fit with government policy to promote transportation that assists the province
Opinion

Too Small To Save Or Too Big To Fail?

By
The biggest maker or breaker of business in rural America is not Washington rulemakers, state environmental agencies or local taxing bodies. Instead, it’s usually the local bank. A bank’s collective fairness and wisdom can be seen from Main Street to surrounding farms. Not so with the money centre and Wall Street banks. Citibank, Bank of
Opinion

Community Ownership Key To Successful Short Lines

By
There is seldom enough money available in moving grain on branch lines to afford extensive services from outside contractors. Nobody likes rain on the day of a parade. And so the metaphor about raining on someone’s parade is pretty apt. You don’t get to be the crowd favourite if you’re disrespecting an idea the crowd

Upcoming events

AgCanadaTV

AgCanadaTV Special Feature: Crop pest insects to watch out for in 2026

Sponsored by:
More Videos →

Latest Market News

More Market News →