“Another day older and deeper in debt”. These famous words from the 1955 Tennessee Ernie Ford songSixteen Tonsdescribe the financial situation of coal miners. But they ring true for many Canadian families today. A recent study by the Vanier Institute shows that the debt load of the average Canadian household has gone over the $100,000 […] Read more
Stories by Nettie Wiebe
Story of poverty in Victorian England still resonates today
One of the many delights of the holiday season is reading or hearing that famous Charles Dickens story,A Christmas Carol. The tale of ghosts visiting an old miser Scrooge to transform him into a better, more generous fellow is entertaining, hopeful and satisfying. And the sub-plot of the poor, working class Cratchit family, holding their […] Read more
Non-renewable nature of potash carries responsibilities today
The bidding for PotashCorp of Saskatchewan has been as exciting as any high pitched bidding for the prize machine on a farm auction sale. But this high drama has big implications. It reveals key things about our reach into and responsibilities for what comes after us. Much of the public discussion about the pros and […] Read more
Plants, producer options shut down in prairie beef industry
The end of summer means the barbecue season is coming to a close. Now is the time to enjoy the last of those sizzling steaks and burgers on the grill. Fortunately, we can look forward to grilling more beef again next spring. Not so for the last federally inspected beef processing plant in Saskatchewan. Nilsson […] Read more
Uncounted, discounted
Making the long census form voluntary and removing questions on unpaid work is a double whammy against Canadian women. Not only will the data collected be skewed, but there won’t be any information on the millions of hours of domestic, voluntary and care giving work, much of it done by women, as Chris Lind points […] Read more
Prison farm closure shines light on value of farming skills
Does learning to farm have any real value these days? If so, what is it? These questions are in a spotlight shining from a rather unusual angle. Few of us have considered the value of farming through the shadows of prison bars.Six federal prison farms across Canada, with one in each of the prairie provinces, […] Read more
Science of selling is as complex as science of seeding
It’s May, so the seeding plans that were months in the making are being turned into real action. Most of us do a lot of planning before any seed is actually put into the ground. On our farm, every field undergoes a scientific soil test and all farm-saved seed is tested for germination. Moisture conditions, […] Read more
Precautionary principle helps protect us – The Moral Economy
A RECENT article in this paper, “Sprayer struggles with RR canola,” (Aug. 13) gave me one of those “should ‘a seen that one a comin’ ” moments. A little more than a decade ago, I was invited to participate in a workshop on biotechnology in agricultural production. The hall was full of scientists, industry representatives, […] Read more
Food crisis prompts land deals to go global – The Moral Economy
WHILE the global recession was the key topic for the G8 leaders this July, the subject of food security also made it onto the agenda. The spike in food prices last winter has put food issues on the front burner, especially for food importing countries. While other G8 leaders considered agricultural aid and trade issues, […] Read more
True family farm support requires focus – The Moral Economy
WHEN IS the last time you heard someone say publicly that they are opposed to the family farm? Family farming rates up there with positives like motherhood and apple pie. Who would dare to say outright that these things should be wiped out? In fact, surveys continue to show that farmers are among the most […] Read more
