Do assumptions behind trade deals reflect our Canadian values? There is an expectation of economic growth. Is growth good? There are economists who warn that there must be limits to growth. We hear over and over that competition is good. Schools teach competition in having students trying to outdo others by getting higher marks. Competition […] Read more
Stories by Lorne Jackson
Board restructuring
The election is no sooner over than Harper’s Conservatives are talking about restructuring the Canadian Wheat Board. By chance I found a study commissioned by the Pulse Growers organization about the marketing of lentils. The study showed how farmers would do better financially if their lentils were sold through a central desk. For some reason […] Read more
Chess game
With the coming of spring, farmers look for information on what to seed. On a recentFarmgateTV program, Bob Simpson talked about flax with Dave Sefton. From the interview, one can see farmers are in a chess game with companies who develop seed varieties. Checkmate will be when farmers have to buy certified seed. As an […] Read more
Rule changes a concern
I am commenting on an article submitted by David Anderson MP (Grasslands). He seems to heap scorn on those who would like to change regulations in developing new varieties of crops. New varieties are expected to yield more or be better than existing ones. The chemical companies have taken over the research for new varieties […] Read more
Insight of J.S. Mill
As we get close to winter, we will hear more from Ottawa about trade agreements, changes in regulations and new legislation. Analysts will be reviewing the changes to see the effect on the farmer’s bottom line. One recent article showed that one change puts $10 million in farmer’s pockets but listed several changes that would […] Read more
Three reasons
I consider myself fortunate in having attended the recent Farming for Profit? conference (June 27-28 in Moose Jaw, Sask.) I can think of three reasons why so few farmers attended this conference. The first would be depression. To hear what is happening to the farming part of agriculture could make some want to up and […] Read more
Weakest seller sets grain price ceiling – Opinion
Jackson farms near Riverhurst, Sask. The weakest seller sets the ceiling and everyone else bids the price down to get their share of the market. Who is the weakest seller? With bills to pay and some crop harvested, farmers sell. If we were not so short of cash, we would not be selling. If we […] Read more
Federal farm income programs inadequate – Opinion
Jackson farms near Riverhurst, Sask. If one subscribes to a daily paper, it seems that every day one can read of another program that has been trimmed by the federal government. This should be an indicator as to the chance farmers have of getting programs developed to top up income. If we had the subsidy […] Read more
