It's backwards. Illogical. The federal government's move to enforce an outdated rule that increases the risk of PED virus infecting Western Canadian pig farms doesn't make sense. While hog operations across the U.S. and Eastern Canada have been devastated by PEDv over the last few years, Western Canadian hog farms have managed to stay mostly... Read More
Category: Canadian Agriculture Policy
We ran a poll last week asking Alberta producers if they were procrastinating or protesting the mandatory sign up for WCB. You can see from the results that 28% of respondents say they refuse to sign up for a WCB account based on their personal principles. It's been brought to my attention that I misinterpreted... Read More
As the US dairy industry struggles with low milk prices, a number of trends continue to drive a make over of the country’s dairy farm operations. Overall, the size of farm operations continues to grow rapidly, says Mark Stephenson, University of Wisconsin’s Director of Dairy Policy Analysis. Stephenson told farmers attending the Canadian Dairy XPO... Read More
Soy Canada is calling on the European Union to move ahead with its decision on approval of three genetically modified soybean products and for an explanation of why it's taken so long. Monsanto was planning to introduce one of these GM traits — Roundup Ready 2 Xtend and its stacked glyphosate and dicamba tolerance —... Read More
Did you ever play a game of chicken as a kid? You know the game where you and a buddy ride your bikes full speed at each other and the first one to bail off the collision path is the chicken. Its truly a silly game that lacks true skills of intelligence or strategy but... Read More
The message to canola growers from the Canola Council of Canada and grain companies over the last few months has been straightforward: Don't apply quinclorac herbicide to canola this year because it could jeopardize exports. Farmers will have to sign a declaration saying their canola has not been treated with quinclorac for it to be... Read More
The year is definitely flying by very fast. It only seems like yesterday that famers were rallying about Bill 6 and expressing their displeasure with the possibility of being legislated to offer Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) coverage to employees. As we approach the end of April we are encroaching on the deadline set by the... Read More
Producer and grain industry groups are applauding the federal government's plan to extend measures meant to keep grain moving to market by rail. Several provisions implemented during the grain backlog in 2014 as part of Bill C-30, the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act, are scheduled to be repealed on August 1, 2016. On Friday,... Read More
Last week when the Alberta Government released its budget, certain third party agencies and councils were relieved of their duties. Much of the focus was on the death of the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA), but there were others put to rest. The Alberta Farm Safety Advisory Council was also cut and dismissed. What?... Read More
While the confetti and balloons might still be settling at the feet of Brian Pallister (he's really tall), the Progressive Conservative leader and his 39 elected colleagues will quickly find themselves no longer dreaming about holding the reigns for the province. Most Manitoba farmers will have a local MLA in the governing party for the... Read More