According to the dictionary, a sin tax is "a tax on items considered undesirable or harmful, such as alcohol or tobacco." There is mounting pressure from activist groups to add animal proteins to that list of so-called "sinful" items. They argue meat creates added healthcare costs and negative impacts on the environment. It might sound... Read More
Category: Western Canada
Cattle markets are kicking off 2018 like it's 2017, with strong prices and a strong basis in Western Canada, in spite of a higher Canadian dollar. Factoring the jump in the Alberta fat cattle market last week to around C$167, the loonie rising over 80 cents, and a U.S. price of around $123, the spot... Read More
If you've happened to go outside in much of Canada the last couple of weeks, you'll be well aware of the bone-chilling cold that gripped parts of the country over the holidays. For some, the cold halted plans, while others merely took more time to don more layers, or scheduled an urgent meeting with their... Read More
We all lead busy lives that seems to have us looking ahead instead of behind most of the time. Pausing to stop and reflect can be insightful, rewarding and some real fun. Fellow agriculture podcaster Wendell Schumm recently invited me to be a guest on his Ontario AgCast podcast to discuss a full slate of... Read More
With all of the hype around synthetic meat and plant based burgers, it appears consumers still have a taste and desire for regular old meat. In the 2017 wrap-up show on RealAg Radio, Kelvin Heppner described "plant-based meat" as one of the most overused terms of 2017 and consumers are not buying the Silicon Valley... Read More
Intercropping — the concept of growing multiple crops together (intentionally!) — can sound overwhelming, messy and complicated for many of us accustomed to growing one crop at a time. Which crops should be grown together? How do we separate them after harvest? Hang on, how do we harvest them? And seeding? How do you manage... Read More
The Canadian Transportation Agency says both CN Rail and CP Rail exceeded their maximum grain revenue entitlements during the 2016-17 crop year. CN's grain revenue of $808,213,784 was $5,773,741 above its volume-based entitlement of $802,440,043, while CP's revenue from grain of $725,457,448 was $1,078, 947 above its entitlement of $724,378,501. Both railways have 30 days... Read More