Drill lengths; More unity; Cattle deaths; A simple plan; Landis school; Fairy tale; Senate reform; Basic sanitation; My dad calls; Sewage rules; Livestock strategy
Drill lengths
I would like to know where Alfred Bechard purchased that eight-foot section of Seed Master Air Drill. It appears in the article on page 77 of the Nov. 20 Western Producer that this piece of drill can seed 16 acres per hour.
I don’t farm nearly as many acres as he does so four eight-foot sections capable of seeding 16 acres per hour each should do nicely. I should be able to pull 32 feet with my sprayer tractor.
Read Also
Agriculture needs to prepare for government spending cuts
As government makes necessary cuts to spending, what can be reduced or restructured in the budgets for agriculture?
On second thought, maybe I should keep my four-wheel drive as I must pull this unit at 16.5 mph in order to cover 16 acres per hour with each section.
– Emer Gudmundson,
Mozart, Sask.
More unity
Experts indicate that greed by U.S. banking systems and several large manufacturers are only a few of the main causes of the collapsing U.S. economy.
Because of the large amount of Asian, European and even Canadian investments in the United States, there could be a global effect caused by a collapse in the U.S. economy.
The last thing that western Canadian farmers need at this time would be to test what the effect of the dual market would have on our wheat and barley prices.
The open marketing of existing open marketed crops hasn’t worked out very well with the present market conditions. There are signs that it could get a lot worse; not better.
It is being shown that unity amongst farmers can result in a large reduction for 2009 crop fertilizer expenses if farmers are willing to work together.
The imported fertilizer that could be shipped to Canada is only half the price that Canadian manufacturers want. The Canadian fertilizer manufacturers are working together as a monopoly. It is the division of farmers who are paying the ransom.
Farmers not willing to work with each other will see higher fertilizer costs in 2009 than farmers who are willing to work together to import cheaper fertilizer.
Farmers are always asking why it is the farmers who end up taking more losses than anyone else. A good portion of the answer would be lack of any unity among farmers.
Western farmers need more unity, not the destruction of the tiny bit that we already have, which is the Canadian Wheat Board.
– Fred G. Willis,
Saltcoats, Sask.
Cattle deaths
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is this country’s leading land conservation organization. For nearly 50 years NCC has undertaken its mission to preserve Canada’s biodiversity in a responsible and ethical fashion.
That is why I was disappointed to read unbalanced coverage of our organization in the pages of The Western Producer (“Weather data disputes cause of cattle deaths,” Oct. 16).
In July several NCC patrons who graze cattle on our lands at Old Man on His Back Nature Preserve lost livestock in what we believe was an act of nature – a lightning strike. This was a distressing time for the patrons and for NCC staff.
Your article failed to report salient facts of the story. Upon discovering the cattle loss, NCC staff acted immediately and responsibly. The veterinarian called to the scene, who examined the animals closest to the time of death, clearly diagnosed loss due to lightning strike. His field notes and observations, along with the observations of NCC staff are consistent.
Necropsies and pathology reports several days later did not yield a conclusive cause of death due to severe post-mortem change. The pathologist, however, “does not rule out lightning,” and notes the animals were in good body condition. No other contributing cause of death has been substantiated.
Water systems at the site were functioning properly prior to the deaths and were functioning at the time the animals were discovered. Animals in neighbouring fields that are watered from the same system were healthy and showing no signs of distress.
It is the view of NCC that all staff on site carried out their duties with care and due diligence at all times.
NCC is concerned for the loss experienced by our two patrons. We have supported the care of the surviving animals and the investigation and analysis of the event. We ensured the safe and effective disposal of carcasses at NCC’s expense. …
– Lyle Saigeon,
Regional Vice President,
Saskatchewan Region,
The Nature Conservancy of Canada,
Regina, Sask.
A simple plan
After reading John Beckham’s opinion in the Nov. 13 edition of The Western Producer, I felt that I had to respond. I guess I am one of the few deluded souls with massive intellect who need choice.
It is highly unfortunate that Mr. Beckham has to resort to name-calling and mud slinging to get his point across.
There are only two points in the editorial that I can agree with, the first being that the Canadian Wheat Board would be allowed to get into the input business and the second that the CWB does stand up to the railways every once in a while.
However, I strongly disagree that the CWB would not survive in an open market. They are only one of many players selling in the world market now. What could be better than a strong co-operative Canadian company owned and controlled by farmers selling top quality wheat and malt barley into the world market?
This company would be supported by those farmers who choose to sell in a pooled co-operative environment.
As for me and I believe a majority of producers, we need to be able to sell our wheat and malt barley to the highest bidder. It works for me with canola. I did manage to sell some canola at historically high values and, yes, I wish I would have captured more.
I also sold some wheat at fairly high levels, but I was restricted by the ridiculous pricing options that the CWB has. I can only use the tools that they offer and they are far too complicated for this dumb farmer.
Would it not be much simpler to sell wheat and malt barley in the same way that we now sell canola? I am, however, in favour of the Daily Price Contract and there were a fortunate few that did capture some high prices. However, I believe it was only offered for part of one day and I was not one of the lucky ones.
I need to be able to sell my wheat and malt barley in an open market to the highest bidder. The CWB will definitely be one of these bidders and if the price is right, then they will get my business. What could be simpler? Anything less would be uncivilized….
– Glenn Sawyer,
Acme, Alta.
Landis school
Saskatchewan is experiencing an economic boom. Our own businesses and industries in Landis community are flourishing and expanding. The Palo Mine is reopening under a new 10 year contract. This will create many jobs.
We would like our school to remain open until at least June of 2011. By then, we will know how many new families have moved in. We know there will be some.
Next year, we will have a K-12 school with enrolment in the 60s. We know the boom will allow us to do better. The government speaks of the importance to our children of rebuilding rural Saskatchewan. Please give us that opportunity.
Anyone who has grown up in a country school will know its value to our children. In academics, Landis School has produced doctors, lawyers, even an associate Nobel Laureate. Of course, farmers and community leaders are just as important.
Most importantly, we turn out great citizens and parents. Our children also receive a great social education. …
When it comes to sports, everyone makes the team. They are also given opportunities for hockey, dance, etc. in the surrounding communities, where many of our parents work. Some of our parents may work elsewhere, but we wish to point out that all of them feel Landis school is the best place for their children. …
On Jan. 20, the division board will vote. If we have been unsuccessful in convincing the board that Landis School is the best place for our children, our school will close in June. Saskatchewan will have lost a little piece of rural magic.
– George Hindley,
Landis School Review Committee,
Landis, Sask.
Fairy tale
Today’s fairy tale is brought to you by belbutte.wordpress.com, where in some far away medieval castle, the baron (minister of health) turns to the wisdom of his courtiers (ministry officials) and the sheriffs of his fiefdoms (regional health authorities) to control the peasantry, secure in the knowledge that none of this will affect his ample treasury.
The peasantry have been accused of dumping raw sewage upon the land. Filthy peasantry indeed.
The sheriffs have cried, “Walkerton and North Battleford” and let slip the dogs of sewage (health inspectors).
Boots are heard marching across the kingdom; a mailed fist pounds upon the secluded cottage door and Granny is dragged screaming from her noncompliant flush toilet.
The peasants send a delegation to far away Gormenghast Castle to plead their cause. The weary baron awakens his ministry official, Barquentine, who stirs from his filthy straw pallet and opens the dusty Book of the Last Cold Tome to read: “Section 20(1) Sire: No sewage is to be discharged upon the land in a subdivision.”
The peasants are summarily dismissed with the minister’s parting words: “Again, thank you for taking the time to bring your concerns to my attention,” as he wanders away to contemplate his intact treasury.
In truth, the peasants have not been dumping raw sewage on the ground.
They mostly dwell upon acreages in the land of their forefathers in nice homes built in the 1970s and ’80s. They have sewage lagoon and jet pump systems that met all the legal requirements of the day and have operated safely and efficiently for 20 to 30 years without any health incidents.
Now the sheriff demands that all these seniors on fixed incomes spend $15,000 on new compliant systems. A 30 year safety record means nothing to the baron and his minions, nor does the peasantry’s cries of financial distress.
The minister will not spend one single farthing from his overflowing coffers to aid these filthy peasants who choose to wallow in their own sewage.
Under the banners of Walkerton and North Battleford, the sheriffs of the fiefdoms chant a new mantra: “theoretical risk,” which summons the disturbing imagery of an infinite number of monkeys eventually typing Shakespeare: “Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of sewage.”
– Dale Budd,
Belbutte, Sask.
Senate reform
Saskatchewan’s Senate Nominee Elections Act (is) a sellout.
This act permits the nomination of federal party candidates contrary to section 22 of our constitution, which states that the provinces “shall be represented in the Senate,” contrary also to the 14th of the Quebec resolutions of 1864, on which our constitution is based, which provides that the Governor General shall appoint senators “so that all political parties may as nearly as possible be fairly represented.”
Clearly, if our provincial parties were proportionately represented in the Senate, our provincial interests, our provincial political capacity, simply put the provinces, would be truly represented in our federal parliament.
The purpose of the Senate is to ensure that our federal government is responsible for its conduct to the federation.
Without this representation, as we know, the provinces are mere peons in the federal government’s game, buying them (us) out at will, with our money, to ensure their (our) subservience.
We need this check to ensure legitimate opposition to arbitrary rule, to ensure respect for the legitimate interests of the people and for our representatives in Parliament, to check the whim of our prime minister. The West wants in? Well, we all want in.
– Vincent Pouliot
Québec City, Qué.
Basic sanitation
Can you imagine your children going to a school without toilets? (About) 2.6 billion people in this world can. They don’t even have access to a basic latrine.
Due to this lack of basic sanitation, 443 million school days each year are lost and 50 percent of girls in third world countries will drop out without completing their education.
How can we possibly fight poverty in this world if children can’t even finish school due to deadly illnesses and lack of sanitation?
The World Health Organization declared 2008 the International Year of Sanitation. So far, the Harper government has made no move to acknowledge this year by contributing to the WHO’s new Global Sanitation Fund.
I urge the Canadian government to take the most cost-effective measure to improve global health and contribute to the Global Sanitation Fund before the year is out.
– Natasha Snelgrove,
Edmonton, Alta.
My dad calls
In regard to the question and answer in The Western Producer “Limiting phone calls,” (Nov. 13), I am disgusted and angered at the fact that this daughter even had the nerve to write such a ridiculous question to a newspaper or the answer given to her.
She should be honoured and blessed that her father is able and willing to call her on a daily basis, not complaining of the time it takes out of her busy schedule.
I, too, am busy, have six children and a busy husband who is out of town regularly on business, and so much look forward to the daily calls from my dad. I treasure those calls because I know with him being 65, they may end any time soon. And the fact that she lost her mother only five years ago should make her see that life is just so short. Treasure those phone calls, don’t think of them as a nuisance.
And for (Jacklin Andrews) to tell her that people continue to do things they are rewarded for, I agree. I am honoured that I am in my dad’s thoughts regularly and that he takes the time to call….
For you to tell her to stop responding to her calls just bothers me to no end. I couldn’t imagine telling my dad he was a bother just because he wanted to talk to me, find out about my day and the day of my children…
You should have told this daughter to slow down, enjoy the fact that she is on her father’s mind, take five minutes out of her busy and hectic schedule to tell her dad how much she loves him. He isn’t going to be there forever.
I will always answer his calls and so look forward to them on a daily basis…
– Sharon Irvine,
Sherwood Park, Alta.
Sewage rules
If you are using a private lagoon or jet type sewage system located within a kilometre of the boundary of a city, town, village, hamlet or a subdivision containing two or more parcels, you could be forced to spend $10,000 or more to change your system for no logical or legal reason.
Belbutte, a community of less than 30 people over a square mile, has been in a battle with Prince Albert Parkland Health Region for over a year. There has been no complaint within or from outside the community and no health issue of any kind related to sewage or water. There are no statistics showing a correlation between waterborne illness and private sewage systems. All Belbutte private sewage systems were in place prior to 1994.
This story has many interesting twists and turns. The details including a video, copies of documents and a chronology can be accessed by visiting the Belbutte web log. Simply type, belbutte.wordpress.com into your web browser.
Not only is the PAPHR not accepting the grandfathering clause in the Public Health Act 1994, they are overstepping their authority as outlined in the Plumbing and Drainage Regulations, which limits the health authority’s jurisdiction regarding private sewer systems to when a sewage works is being established, constructed, extended, renovated, altered, repaired or connected to a communal sewage works.
Belbutte residents are doing none of the above.
We are aware that other communities in other health regions are being subjected to similar unnecessary enforcement. Farm yards with private systems that do not meet the new distance requirements could well be the next target.
– Evelyn Johnson,
Spiritwood, Sask.
Livestock strategy
Since Bill 31 of 1998, our family has been aware that the Alberta government wants to take over our land, or at the very least control our land as we are in conflict with more lucrative users.
We live with the constant knowledge that the powers that be will do whatever it takes to get their way.
Now we are faced with a hostile takeover of all lands involved with the production of livestock and meat, in the guise of a marketing plan.
On June 5, 2008, (Alberta agriculture minister George) Groneveld ordered us to co-operate or “find an exit strategy.”
I haven’t slept well since that announcement.
This covert marketing strategy is to be implemented as regulations under the new Alberta Animal Health Act, which awaits royal assent. …
The act allows the minister to order ranchers to obtain a unique identification number for their premises. This is actually a global licence system, controlling your ranching operation. It is not transferable. Buyers of land may have to submit an application to raise animals on property that has been doing just that for generations, with no guarantee this activity will be allowed to continue….
When our MLAs passed the AHA last year, did they understand that they were passing a bill that would require, for the first time, the licensing of primary livestock producers in this province?
Why has this marketing strategy been accompanied by fat juicy cheques for those that voluntarily sign on before the act is even proclaimed? And why leave horses out of the strategy when horses are used for meat also? Perhaps the politicians and bureaucrats knew it would take a bribe to make the cash strapped producers buy into their project.
While the ever-optimistic rancher might not want to look at the dark side of the Alberta Livestock and Meat Strategy under the AHA, ignoring it won’t make it go away. Through no fault of your own, your animals and land can be exposed to agents from industrial emissions, nuclear fallout or debris from activities of the military, which could result in your ranch being closed down. What if products now deemed safe become unsafe? A simple addition to the regulations and everything changes.
The AHA states the minister “may” compensate you, when it should say “must” compensate you, when your animals or property are destroyed, and puts limitations on compensation payouts….
Future licensing for any purpose through regulation is another of the excessive powers granted by the act.
If the government is sick of propping us up, then let the chips fall where they may. Ranchers will find balance, sustainability and our own markets in the future.
– Kathy and Les Czar,
Hanna, Alta.
