Letters — for 2012-11-22 00:00:00

CGC legislation debated many times I would like to correct the many inaccuracies contained in a recent Manitoba Co-operator article about our government’s Safe Food for Canadian Act (S-11) and changes to the Canadian Grain Act (CGA). Let me start by first assuring readers that when it comes to food safety, the health of Canadians

Winter is no time to forget about the bulls

The first winter storm brought in the reality of seasonal changes and the need to take care of the bulls. For many, the cows and calves head home, and then the calves are sorted for market. The busyness of it all is mind boggling at times. The pens are stretched to the max, and there


Regulations, farmer voice needed in post-CWB monopoly world

Two vocal advocates for deregulating Western Canada’s wheat marketing are now suggesting farmers need a strong voice and new regulations to protect them from the open market. While free enterprise is the best economic system, it only works when transactions are voluntary and there is true competition, Paul Earl, a former lobbyist against the Canadian



Federal politicians handing out Growing Forward funds

A number of commodity groups and organizations received allocations
under the new Growing Forward program last week

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and other members of Parliament fanned out across Canada making Growing Forward announcements last week under the new agricultural policy framework, Growing Forward 2 and the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). The new Growing Forward program doubles its cost-shared funding for strategic initiatives including innovation, competitiveness, and market development. “Growing Forward



Drought across the globe reducing grain stocks

Reuters / Food prices have eased slightly but this year’s droughts in key producer regions from the Black Sea to the U.S. Corn Belt are keeping cereal stocks at low levels, says a new report from the United Nations’ food agency. “This season’s world cereal supply-and-demand balance is proving much tighter than in 2011-12 with



More diversified weed management practices needed

Public- and private-sector weed scientists agree integrated weed management, rather than any magic-bullet chemistry, will be the way forward to maintain viable fields against herbicide-resistant weeds. Scientists from across Canada gathered in Winnipeg last week to discuss new research at the Canadian Weed Science Society’s 66th annual conference. Much of the research on the agenda