Former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau once noted that living next to the United States is “like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.” On Nov. 5, the elephant did more than twitch; it sneezed, and Canada is likely to catch […] Read more
Stories by Cam Dahl
Prairie ag labour needs have changed
The availability of labour is critical in determining the long-term growth and profitability of Canadian agriculture. The ongoing viability of many farm businesses will be determined by labour. Farms, rural communities, value-added processing, and key support sectors like transportation, are all struggling to find and keep staff. This is not a new story, but the […] Read more
Let your voice be heard this election
Political campaigners have an adage: public policy is set by those who show up. We are in the middle of a federal election and now is the best time for producers to influence policy. Now is the time for you to actively participate in the political process and let your voice be heard, and to […] Read more
Alien invasions threaten Canada
We have been invaded by aliens. No, not green creatures from Area 51, but by plants and animals that don’t belong here. Take, for example, the common dandelion, which is not native to North America. European settlers brought dandelions here in the mid-1600s to enhance their gardens. Zebra mussels are another example. They are native […] Read more
Canada’s grain supply chain is secure
Customers around the world are asking Canada for assurances that our supply chain will remain whole during the COVID-19 pandemic and that Canada will be an ongoing reliable supplier of grain. These valid questions are shared by Canadian consumers. The lack of flour in most grocery stores is an indication that some believe there might […] Read more
Ag must work hard to woo new gov’t
The federal election is over and it is now incumbent upon all parts of agriculture to work with the government given to us by the people. There are good places to start. The Barton Report outlined the key role that agriculture will play in the development of the Canadian economy. Based on the report this […] Read more
Recognize ag technology’s importance
We love technology. Apple brings out a new cellphone and there are lineups around the block. Yet, when it comes to technology and agriculture, the same people that stand in line for the latest phone seem to want to go back to the technology of 1950. We had pesticide-free, grown without fertilizers, and non-GMO agriculture […] Read more
Pushing the politicians on trade
A federal election is coming this October. Now is the time for farmers to push for policies that will allow agriculture to deliver economic growth. Agriculture and agrifood give more jobs to Canadians than the auto and aerospace industries combined. But our jobs are spread out across Canada and not concentrated in big centres. That […] Read more
Countering new trade protectionism
The world has become protectionist. There is, justifiably, much focus on issues with China. But it is not just China. Canadian agriculture commodities are blocked in India, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam and face issues in key markets like Peru. Countries are turning inward, finding new ways to block trade. How do we protect our […] Read more
Time for a code of practice for grain
I was on a speaker’s panel a few weeks back with a farmer who said he never wanted to hear the word sustainability again. I understand the sentiment, but we as an industry are going to be hearing that word more and more from customers and consumers around the world. Farmers shy away from sustainability […] Read more
