APRIL 22 was Earth Day. For prairie people, it is often a spring day when the snow is finally gone and the earth is actually visible again. Farmers move toward cultivating fields. Gardeners yearn to get their hands into the soil. Earth Day, first named in 1969, is meant to focus our attention on the […] Read more
Stories by Nettie Wiebe
Need reality check on rural development – The Moral Economy
EXPERIENCE matters. We can all learn from it. It’s the better part of wisdom. This is true in our personal lives as well as in larger domains such as rural development. So I was delighted to have the privilege of sharing some of our Canadian experience on that topic recently at a Farmer’s Forum that […] Read more
A plea for aid delivered with dignity
THE year 2004 crashed out, literally, in the wake of the biggest tsunami in history. The disaster of the under-ocean earthquake near the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, and wall of water it set off, marks 2004. The terror and sorrow of this event touches us all. Like others who have acquaintances in the affected areas, […] Read more
The ripple effect of the American election – The Moral Economy
WITH the prairie crop either in the bin or under a blanket of snow, farmers might be able to take a little time around the coffee pot discussing the ways of the weather and the world. And that brings up the United States presidential election. As farmers, we know that U.S. politics have a lot […] Read more
WTO framework needs structural change – The Moral Economy
THE latest round of World Trade Organization negotiations resulted in an agreement just moments before the July 31 deadline – sort of. Because the previous round of talks in Cancun had collapsed, there was tremendous pressure to avoid another failure. All the stops were pulled out and delegates left Geneva claiming success. But what has […] Read more
What’s farming got to do with elections? – The Moral Economy
ON June 28, I joined millions of Canadians to cast my ballot in the federal election. But this election was unique in my personal experience. Not only did I have the privilege of voting, I also participated as a candidate. As a farmer who has been deeply involved in agricultural policy discussions for the past […] Read more
There’s too much food, too little justice – The Moral Economy
“WHERE there is too much, something is missing.” This ancient Jewish saying seems apt when it comes to food in the Prairies. It challenges us to think about what may be missing. There is clearly too much beef in this region. The BSE case discovered almost a year ago in Alberta provoked the United States […] Read more
Ag myths have more power than tractors – The Moral Economy
DVISING farmers that improving the efficiency, productivity and growth on their farms will make them poorer is a lot like telling kids that being extra good before Christmas will get them fewer toys from Santa. It just runs counter to every story we’ve always been told. Like the connection between behaving well and getting better […] Read more
Is the WTO giant gentle – or dangerous? – The Moral Economy
When the World Trade Organization talks collapsed in Cancun, Mexico, last month it was like a mighty giant had reeled, lost his balance and crumpled to the ground. Those who feared or loathed this WTO giant cheered when they heard the thud. This included many civil society groups, peasant and small-scale farmers’ organizations and millions […] Read more
GM wheat issue tests the limits of co-existence – The Moral Economy
MOST of us value having lots of options and the freedom to choose among them. Whether we’re shopping for a car, voting in an election or scanning the dessert menu, it’s just good to know that we have a range of choices. Having choices is a key part of being free. The quality of our […] Read more
