Supply management, particularly Canada’s dairy industry, has come under heavy scrutiny in the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Western Producer reporters Barb Glen, Robert Arnason and Ed White look at the American and Canadian systems to see where problems are, where solutions might be found and what would happen if Canada adopted the U.S. […] Read more
Author Archives
The accidental case that brought us to the edge
Class 7 milk provisions have created a loophole in the North American Free Trade Agreement that America intends to exploit
There’s no way to provide a brief history of the evolution of Class 7 milk. But it is possible to untangle the factors that led to the creation of possibly the single biggest American complaint about Canada’s trade behaviour, one that has threatened to cause the unravelling of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Nothing […] Read more
Knowing your lender when times get rough pays dividends
Editor’s note: This the third of a series of columns looking at the lessons learned from the financial crisis of 2008. Angie Setzer recalls what made her realize just how profoundly bad the 2008 financial crisis had become: Republicans in power, Democrats replacing them, and the apolitical Federal Reserve Bank co-operating to bail out Wall […] Read more
New funding for Manitoba research facility
GLEN LEA, Man. — A year ago, Manitoba dairy farmers could have drawn back into their shells to avoid taking on more risk. After all, trade agreements with the Asia-Pacific region and Europe had given away slices of the Canadian dairy market and United States President Donald Trump was demanding Canadian dairy concessions. Instead, the […] Read more
Neonic ban must wait for more data: canola council
After going through the neonicotinoid-banning decision, the canola industry has discovered a number of disturbing elements: The Pest Management Regulatory Agency doesn’t appear to be using direct evidence; The comment period ends before 2018 water monitoring data can be collected and analyzed; The PMRA is applying an aggressive risk avoidance approach that is not shared […] Read more
Hedging makes sense, but manage them
Editor’s note: This the second of a series of columns looking at the lessons learned from the financial crisis of 2008. David Derwin doesn’t have trouble remembering where he was and what he was doing as the financial world fell apart. “I was in the hospital, trying to keep an eye on what was going […] Read more
Glyphosate residues threaten oats
Oats is the crop that received the first U.S. health claim approval. It’s commonly seen as a miracle food that combines whole-grain, high fibre and heart-healthy characteristics. It forms the basis of many of the healthiest breakfast foods available, including oatmeal, Cheerios and granola bars. But recently it’s been hit by multiple claims that glyphosate […] Read more
Remembering the lessons from the 2008 financial crisis
Editor’s note: This the first of a series of columns looking at the lessons learned from the financial crisis of 2008. Do you remember where you were 10 years ago when we fell into a worldwide financial crisis? (It still doesn’t have a generally accepted name, with the Great Contraction, the Financial Crisis and the […] Read more
Nothing new in US NAFTA position: Class 7 will be at the core of any deal
That's good and bad news, but at least we know what the US wants
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has been remarkably consistent about his country’s main agricultural concern – and demand – with Canada that it wants dealt with in a new NAFTA: Class 7 milk has shut off a growing market for U.S. dairy exports, and it has led to an increase of Canadian exports into […] Read more
Pesticide residues vex food firms
Food companies are struggling with costly challenges launched by anti-pesticide activists. While they are not facing mega-costs like Bayer is facing with the recent US$289 million jury judgment against Monsanto, activist lawsuits and claims are causing food companies to spend time and resources on lawyers and repackaging. General Mills, the food and cereals colossus that […] Read more
