You Can’t Beat The Pool

JOHN MORRISS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR One of the more peculiar accusations levelled at the Canadian Wheat Board is that it is “secretive.” Compared to what? No other of the world’s major grain-marketing organizations provides so much detail such as that in the annual report released this month. Contrast the CWB’s multi-page statements of revenue and expenses

I’d Laugh If I Could Stop Crying

It is widely known that the Canadian public has a low opinion of politicians. The best evidence of this comes not from surveys or coffee shops, but from the low turnout in Canadian elections. Of course, politicians always try to spin this to suit their purposes. The winning party claims it is because people are


Brazil’s JBS Drops U. S. National Beef Bid

Brazil’s JBS, the world’s largest beef producer and owner of JBS-Swift, has abandoned its attempt to take over U. S. meat company National Beef Packing Co., saying it could not work out an agreement with U. S. authorities over terms of the deal. JBS became the No. 3 U. S. beef producer in 2008 when

Tight U. S. Market To Shut Cargill Feed Mill

Citing costs and restrictions making the U. S. feed market uncompetitive, the Canadian wing of U. S. agrifood giant Cargill plans to stop production at a southwestern Ontario feed plant. Winnipeg-based Cargill Ltd. announced Feb. 10 it will cease operations at its animal feed production mill at Arkona, Ont., about 55 km west of London,


Low prices no mystery, says NFU

The National Farmers Union is hoping to make hamburger from some beef industry sacred cows with a series of meetings publicizing the findings of its report into the root causes of the Canadian cattle industry’s woes. The first of six meetings around the province was held in Oak Lake, where a small crowd of ranchers

Budget Aid To Be Followed By Livestock Aid Meeting

“We see (slaughter capacity funding) as filling in holes and gaps in packing facilities across the country.” – Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz The progress reports the Liberals have demanded for their support of the Jan. 27 federal budget should help farm groups keep track of how much of the $550 million allocated for agriculture is


Mexico clears U. S. meat plants

USDA confirmed Dec. 30 that Mexico has approved 20 of 30 suspended U. S. meat plants to resume shipments to that country. The 30 meat plants, which produce beef, pork, and poultry, were suspended from shipping to Mexico the previous week due to sanitary issues like packaging, labelling, and transport conditions, USDA and Mexican officials

Cargill looking to buy

Cargill, one of the world’s largest private corporations, is looking for acquisitions, after the collapse in raw material and share prices cut valuations, according to a Bloomberg report citing an executive at the agribusiness and trading company. “There will be opportunities to acquire both assets, companies and hire people that we didn’t think we’d be


Cattle producers earn less than their ancestors

Canadian cow-calf and feeder operators are receiving only half as much for their cattle as their parents and grandparents did, according to a new study. And it’s mainly because of powerful packers and an overdependence on the U. S. export market, the study by the National Farmers Union concludes. The report, released on the eve

LETTERS – for Nov. 6, 2008

Drainage maintenance still allowed In response to the article “Licence exemption for minor drainage works removed,” which appeared in the Oct. 30 edition of the Manitoba Co-operator, Keystone Agricultural Producers would like to assure its members that we are working in co-operation with officials from Manitoba Water Stewardship to bring forward the concerns of producers.