What do customers want when they buy Canadian wheat? Cereals Canada and the Canadian International Grains Institute recently commissioned market research firm LMC International to answer this question. Farmers should care about the answer because it will impact their future bottom line, and their check-off dollars may be going to go to support the industry’s […] Read more
Author Archives
Trans-Pacific Partnership: deal or no deal?
It is a bit hard to tell, but Canada is part of one of the largest trade negotiations that have ever taken place. Hard to tell because not many seem to want to talk about it. Canadian reaction to the negotiations seems a bit like a five-year-old putting his hands over his eyes and hoping […] Read more
It’s time for free trade inside Canada
I was in a Tokyo liquor store the other day (I don’t have many opportunities to say that) and came across a bottle of Single Malt Canadian Vodka. The box contained the logo of Ducks Unlimited, showcasing the Canadian industry’s strong environmental record. Kudos to the small distillery in British Columbia that is bringing this […] Read more
Canadian wheat not in decline: officials
The Western Producer recently published comments from an international grain broker that led the paper to ask the question, “is Canadian wheat in decline?” We are pleased to answer that question with an unequivocal “no.” In fact, it is quite the reverse. The wide-ranging comments brought up questions on logistics, grain grading and return to […] Read more
Industry consensus: what is it good for?
Policy debates often centre around the word “consensus,” bandying it about like a sword in battle. Well-reasoned arguments and debates are habitually dispatched with the phrase, “there was no consensus on that.” But what does consensus really mean? The dictionary tells us that consensus means a general agreement, but the definition is vague regarding the […] Read more
Sustainability is not a four letter word
A national pollster once told me that “Canadians really like farmers, but they don’t always like what farmers do.” He followed that up by noting that the second half of the statement was the more important part, which is the agriculture industry’s responsibility to address the misinformation circulating about modern day farming. Unfortunately, misinformation is […] Read more
Who is Cereals Canada and why to care
Farmers today, no matter what they are producing, belong to or support a number of agriculture associations and organizations. These industry groups are working on your behalf and as a farmer, you are better off because of their work. However, I am likely biased on this assessment. When does it become too much? Does Canadian […] Read more
Showing good animal care important
Animal care issues in the Manitoba beef industry have been in the news lately, with a guilty plea entered in a court case stemming from incidents in 2011. The details of the case are horrific, with more than 60 cattle dead from starvation and an almost equal number found close to death. Manitoba Beef Producers […] Read more
Good old days were not always so good
Local. Organic. Hormone free. Gluten free. No pesticides. Nothing artificial. These are the buzzwords in food marketing today. Who can object to all of these wholesome sounding concepts? Food companies are trying to take us back to a time that many consumers imagine as idyllic, pure and healthy. The fact this is an effective marketing […] Read more
Producers must speak up on trade
Trade negotiations. I can almost hear the pages turning as people turn to other things that seem more relevant. For years, everyone involved in agriculture has been subjected to the strong arguments on both sides of this issue. And yet, little seems to change. For example, since 2001, the World Trade Organization’s Doha round of […] Read more
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