John Fefchak made a good point in outlining the process of producing (grain) to product (bread) in his May 12 letter. However he failed to point out that the seed used to grow the grain undergoes the route of
Tag Archives Editorials/Comments
Can’t Go Back In Time
Letters – for May. 12, 2011
As reported in theManitoba Co-operator,some time ago (24 Dec. 2009), Ron Friesen tells us that Canada has joined an international network devoted to helping farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is an interesting vision and undertaking, for today’s industrial food production methods all have a bearing on global warming. So after doing some research, I
Time To Call It Quits
Can the Canadian Wheat Board survive without the “single desk?” Anyone considering the question would do well to consider the following: Why should the Canadian Wheat Board absorb the cost of branding Canadian wheat, absorb the cost of promotion and working on sales of Canadian wheat, absorb the cost of dealing with trade issues; absorb
The Question Now, Is How?
The federal Conservatives made no secret of their plans to end the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly if given a majority. Canadians, including the vast majority of Prairie farmers, gave them the mandate. So no one should be surprised if they do what they said they would, despite the results of CWB director elections. You don’t
Food In Canada — Eat At Your Own Risk
Canada’s public and private sectors are not doing enough to prevent foodborne illnesses. Among the major failings are inadequate active surveillance systems, an inability to trace foods from “farm to fork” and a lack of incentives to keep food safe along the “farm to fork” pathway. The result? Eleven million or more episodes of food-related
Glencore: One Of The World’s Largest Private Companies, Goes Public
With the end of the Canadian Wheat Board now virtually certain following last week’s election of a Conservative majority, it was interesting to see that news coincide with a glimpse of a company that may soon play a bigger part in the Canadian grain-marketing future. On May 4, Swiss-based Glencore, sometimes described as “the biggest
Justifying Livestock
Every so often some research findings come along that cause an “aha” moment. An “aha” moment is not to be confused with a “eureka” moment, which is derived from the Greek expression “I have found it,” and denotes the discovery of something new and unique – like what Archimedes reportedly uttered in the 17th century
Cautious U.S. Hog Herd Expansion Underway
Record-high hog prices and strong demand from overseas markets are spurring U.S. hog farmers to pursue production expansion opportunities. But with global hog output expected to hit a record in 2011, producers need to be cautious about overexpansion – especially in the current environment of record-high input prices. U.S. hog farmers have been faced with
Global Grain Reserve Idea Gaining Momentum – for May. 5, 2011
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
Letters – for May. 5, 2011
Accommodating different views on technology I read with great interest and then dismay the article in the April 21Manitoba Co-operator titled “KAP opposes Roundup Ready alfalfa’s release in Canada.” There are two things of note in regards to this article. The first is the quote made by Paul Gregory in regards to the Canadian Seed
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
