The administrator of British Columbia’s Agricultural Land Reserve will review its fee structure and methods of handling exemptions as a result of proposed legislation tabled Nov. 14. The Agricultural Land Commission administers matters involving the 11.6 million acres designated in B.C. primarily for agricultural use. Applications for non-agricultural use of the land come under its […] Read more
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ALR changes include funding increase
Adopting renewable energy can start with small steps
As a renewable energy specialist, I often hear the comment, “I’d like to do something with renewable energy. I just don’t know what makes the most sense.” The first answer must be: “If you want to make the most economical sense, work to conserve energy rather than creating it.” That means doing things as simple […] Read more
Bouncing back from inevitable setbacks and discouragement
John Picard’s early entrepreneurial career wasn’t exactly a bowl of cherries. Rather, it was one disheartening setback after another. Picard’s father, Jim, was a Canadian peanut pioneer when he began growing them on his corn and soybean farm near La Salette, Ont., in 1979 with the idea of selling to big processors. The Picards eventually […] Read more
Conservatives fatten contingency fund
A government decision to more than triple the amount of money allowed in the Canadian Wheat Board’s contingency fund has opened another front in the CWB war. Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz issued a directive in mid-November that all CWB profits from non-pool market transactions, including hedging, producer payment options and currency transactions, must go into […] Read more
Realistic GM tolerance needed for EU deal, says grain sector
A Canada-European Union free trade deal will be acceptable to Canadian grain and oilseed producers only if Europe agrees to tolerate unintended low-level GMO presence in non-GMO shipments. It was a clear message from Grain Growers of Canada representatives last week when they appeared before the House of Commons international trade committee on the EU […] Read more
New 2,4-D tolerant crop system fights problem weeds
Over the last several years, weed scientists have repeatedly said that new chemistries will be needed in the near future to combat the burgeoning challenge of herbicide resistance. While the industry searches for the next silver bullet, a few agro-chemical companies are looking to the past to solve the present day riddle of resistance, says […] Read more
Producers see roles change with expansion
ITUNA, Sask. — Aaron and Adrienne Ivey are bullish on beef. In fact, they see a bright future for the entire agriculture industry. That’s why the couple, both in their 30s, have set deep roots on the family farm about 80 kilometres west of Yorkton. Along with Aaron’s parents, Bob and Karen Ivey, Adrienne and […] Read more
Candidates seek stronger presence in national group
Simmering tension between past leaders of a provincial pulse grower group, a high profile breeder and the national association is coming to a boil. A slate of three candidates running to fill three empty board of director positions at Saskatchewan Pulse Growers are pushing for dramatic changes at Pulse Canada. “This is the most important […] Read more
Safety net improvements fail to get collective OK
Farmers who hoped the next five-year framework for farm programs would include improvements in farm safety net programs will be disappointed, MPs have heard. Blame the provinces. Ontario Conservative Ben Lobb had some pointed questions last week when assistant deputy agriculture minister Greg Meredith appeared before the House of Commons agriculture committee to outline the […] Read more
Seed of the Year announced
Fleet meadow bromegrass is the 2011-12 Seed of the Year West. The high yielding, high quality seed was produced by the late Bob Knowles, who bred new varieties of perennial grasses for Western Canada at Agriculture Canada’s research centre in Saskatoon. Many of the most popular dryland grass varieties in Western Canada came from his […] Read more
