What a great time to have cattle to sell. Record smashing prices continue to appear, and even the most pessimistic producers are smiling. With the strong market providing continued profits and market signals continuing to fuel optimism, I wonder how the optimism will be translated into action? Will we forget the lessons learned in the […] Read more
Stories by Ross MacDonald
Cattle industry buoyed by check-off dollars
The Aug. 31 deadline to file for a cattle marketing levy refund has passed for another year in Saskatchewan. It may tempting to get that money back, especially when a producer organization may stand for things that are counter to your beliefs. However, fully appreciating the value of the cattle checkoff requires reflection on each […] Read more
Canada’s economic growth could be homegrown
Technology has been the great enabler of globalization, but globalization is a human construct and is therefore neither inevitable nor irreversible. This powerful sentence was extracted from the foreword of the 2013 World Trade Report, published by the World Trade Organization and penned by Pascal Lamy, the organization’s director general. Along with several other […] Read more
Habitat worth keeping is worth paying for
Agriculture policy is like pouring concrete. Planning, levelling and forming are important parts but can be modified as needed. However, once the concrete is poured and set, it’s a large, burdensome task to make major changes. Although I would like to take credit for this analogy, I cannot. The analogy is that of University of […] Read more
Canada between rock and hard place over COOL
Canada appears to be on the edge of unusual trade relation territory with the United States. Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz has said that Canada will impose tariffs on products imported from the U.S. as soon as he receives approval from the World Trade Organization. The tariffs will be imposed in retaliation to the U.S. […] Read more
New cattle insurance ideal tool for producers
The Western Livestock Price Insurance Program should become a valuable addition to a livestock producer’s tool chest. The program’s original scope, when it was developed in 2009 for Alberta’s fed cattle market, was broadened to include Alberta’s calf and feeder market and has recently been expanded. Producers from British Columbia to Manitoba now have access […] Read more
Transportation infrastructure vital to support exports
Saskatchewan exports a greater percentage of its agricultural production than any other province, according to University of Saskatchewan professor Bill Kerr. A recent article that Kerr published in the agriculture college’s Agknowledge publication painted an exciting global picture of opportunity for Saskatchewan exports. Interestingly, Kerr referred to “a smoothly functioning international trade system.” Identifying the […] Read more
Focus on beef exports over domestic demand must be examined
The beef market and the cattle market that feeds it are on a roll. I am excited about the next several years, but it will be easy to lose sight of what is important. As I watch markets soar to record levels and try to stay grounded in my business decisions, I wonder if we […] Read more
