Rage all you want about Ottawa favouring eastern automobile manufacturing industries and sacrificing farmers, but the new economic realities that brought the huge Canadian tariffs on Chinese electrical vehicles and the outraged response against Canadian canola by China aren’t changing any time soon. Industrial policy and friend-shoring lie at the soul of the new world […] Read more
Ed White
Stories by Ed White
WTO case seen as new tactic for China
Making formal anti-dumping claims rather than questionable phytosanitary accusations could leave the door open to negotiations
China’s decision to use an anti-dumping claim against Canadian canola is a new approach that geopolitical and trade experts are watching closely. It’s a different tactic than in previous Canada-China canola disputes, but not a new weapon in China’s arsenal. “To some extent, I think it highlights the mirroring approach China is taking to trade […] Read more
Chinese tariffs not expected to stop canola flow
Anti-dumping investigation announcement has an immediate affect on prices, but market access not seen as major worry
China’s shot across Canada’s bows is splashing alarmingly close to U.S. farmers. “We’re in the same boat,” said Barry Coleman, executive director of the Northern Canola Growers Association. “It’s not a situation where the Canadian grower is getting less than the U.S. grower. They’re both affected the same.” Canadian canola futures on the ICE exchange […] Read more
Exports face threats, but commodity flow can be resilient
Farmers are waiting with bated breath to see what China does about Canada’s strangling tariffs on its manufacturers’ electrical vehicles. Farmers are hoping California’s proposed renewable diesel rules aren’t going to kill that enormous market for Canadian canola oil. These two developments couldn’t come at a worse time for the canola market. Prices are on […] Read more
Focus turns to improving rail
When the elephants fight, the grass suffers. — African proverb Farmers can feel like they’re a badly bashed patch of turf whenever the three elephants of the rail system — the railway companies, the unions and the government — lock tusks and fight for dominance. Related stories: WP rail labour dispute coverage Despite that feeling, […] Read more
Rail labour disputes hold sharp knife against thin throat
Holding a knife to the throat of Canada has become a predictable national dysfunction. The railroad companies and their unions just did that to farmers, with both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City simultaneously slashing national jugular veins before the federal government stepped in to end the escalating labour dispute. Related stories: WP rail […] Read more
VIDEO – Fast farm machines seen as threat to soil
Most farm machinery manufacturers don’t seem to care much about soil health, say a number of soil scientists at the University of Manitoba. That’s a problem because many of them make machines that damage soil and undermine the sustainability of today’s farms. “They’ve doubled the speed and they’ve dramatically increased the (soil) degradation,” said David […] Read more
Lab work – photo essay
The main hallways at the University of Manitoba are mostly empty and the campus quiet during the summer, but it’s as busy and buzzing as ever inside the soil science department’s laboratories. Professors, graduate students and undergraduate researchers take advantage of the “quiet” months to press ahead with agricultural research. | Ed White photos
Producers continue to worry about market acceptance
It’s sad to see how profoundly the world’s trade demons have come to haunt the minds of western Canadian farmers. When three farmers on a panel at Ag in Motion were asked about their main considerations when selecting a new crop variety to try, all three included “market acceptance” on their short list. Wow! Besides […] Read more
Rib-eye or ribs: just push this button
RUSSELL, Man. — Today the machine is working fine. “I’m the tech,” notes Arron Nerbas, a Shellmouth cattle producer who has just opened an automated retail beef storefront on the main street of this town. “It’s great … if it all works as it should.” Nerbas’ venture with retail beef is a way of adding […] Read more
