Consumers don’t start out disliking farmers. But farmers can end up being seen as the bad guys when consumers are led to believe in a ro-manticized version of farming and then suddenly see the underlying commercial reality, an expert on consumer misperceptions of food told Keystone Agricultural Producers’ annual meeting. “They feel deceived. They feel […] Read more
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Consumers need truth about farming
Farm meetings key to success, says speaker
Farm families need to get around the table for weekly business meetings. However, that table shouldn’t be the kitchen table, Leona Dargis told Manitoba farmers at Keystone Agricultural Producers’ annual meeting Jan. 27. “You want that place to be focusing on the family,” said Dargis, an Alberta farm kid, Nuffield scholar and survivor of family […] Read more
Share cropping: is it farm or rental income?
Share cropping is not as common as it used to be, but it is still a popular arrangement between landowners and renters. Much depends on the landlord’s involvement in the production process when paying tax on the proceeds from this type of rental agreement. This helps determine if the revenue should be taxed as rent […] Read more
PotashCorp’s gloomy forecast
(Reuters) — PotashCorp is expecting its bleakest year in a decade and has slashed its dividend because of tanking fertilizer prices. Potash prices have fallen under pressure from bloated capacity, soft grain prices and weak currencies in consumers such as India and Brazil. The company suspended operations at its New Brunswick mine last month. The […] Read more
Researcher says pulling out of pulse funding will hurt growers
A decision by Alberta Pulse Growers to pull its research funding from Canada’s main pulse breeding program in Canada is “short sighted,” says the head of the program. “Maybe Alberta Pulse Growers want a free ride because most of the pea varieties grown in Alberta, and lentils, are from here,” said Kofi Agblor, managing director […] Read more
KAP delegates complain about lack of farm advisers, specialist in Man. ag department
Manitoba farmers are wondering if their provincial government’s agriculture department is becoming too short-staffed to adequately advise them. “There is no livestock specialist in the southwestern part of the province,” Bill Campbell of Minto, Man., said during a debate of the issue at Keystone Agricultural Producers’ annual convention Jan 28. “They’re in Portage. If you’re […] Read more
Monsanto convinced prairie corn goals possible
Many farmers and industry experts say eight to 10 million acres of corn in Western Canada by 2025 is overly ambitious
Monsanto isn’t backing away from its goal of eight to 10 million acres of corn in Western Canada. In January, a company representative said it is making excellent progress on the corn expansion project, and 2025 remains the target for millions of acres on the Prairies. “All of our research that we’ve done, it’s in […] Read moreTumble in crude oil price shelves palm oil biodiesel plan
SINGAPORE (Reuters) — The world’s top palm oil producers may have to curb their biodiesel plans as tumbling crude oil prices render the edible oil twice as expensive as fossil fuels. Indonesia expects to raise the minimum palm oil content of fuel in the country to 20 percent this year, while Malaysia has said it […] Read more
Off-highway vehicle users defend their activities
There are 118,000 off-highway vehicles registered in Alberta, making up a $2 billion industry in equipment, camping accessories and related spinoffs, said Gary Clark. It’s one reason why he doesn’t believe the provincial government will grant a request from Alberta conservation groups to ban the vehicles on Alberta’s eastern slopes. But Clark, president of the […] Read more
Lower Canadian dollar helps farmers, but only so much
WINNIPEG — The slumping price of oil continues to weigh on the Canadian dollar while at the same time providing a boost to Canadian grain prices. Out-of-country buyers tend to be more attracted to Canadian grain and wheat when the loonie is low because they can get more product for their money. However, Mike Jubinville […] Read more
