Opposition MPs say they will demand that the Conservative government commit to higher farm supports in light of the stall in World Trade Organization negotiations. “I believe in light of the WTO collapse, we have to turn our agriculture policy on its head,” Liberal agriculture critic Wayne Easter said Aug. 31. “With no WTO deal […] Read more
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WTO failure prompts farm aid demand
Hog plant out of the gate
The OlyWest project is creeping toward reality, but it’s unclear whether the major hog processing plant is gaining or losing public support in Winnipeg. The backers of the project, which includes Olymel Foods of Quebec, Hytek of Manitoba and Big Sky Farms of Saskatchewan, have applied for a licence to build a plant to process […] Read more
Low income program bugs farmers, say MPs
When agriculture minister Chuck Strahl faces Parliament again Sept. 18, he will hear some criticism of his $550 million Options program for low-income farm families, and not all of it will come from the opposition. Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Conservative MP Larry Miller says the program has not been getting good reviews from Ontario farmers and has […] Read more
Anthrax discovered in more Sask. bison
New anthrax incidents in cattle have almost disappeared, but a bison herd near Wynyard, Sask., fell prey to the bacteria last week. Neither Manitoba nor Alberta had new cases of the disease last week. On a bison farm near Wynyard, 30 head died from anthrax in a herd that is estimated to be several hundred. […] Read more
Europe’s oat crop smaller than usual
The Scandinavian oat crop will be small this year, so it is unlikely any will be shipped to North America. That’s good news for Canadian growers. “There’s going to be more demand in Europe for oats,” said oat market analyst Randy Strychar, outlining the factors that will probably keep the American horse feed oats market […] Read more
Cash advance problems will be considered
Farmers unable to pay off their 2005-06 cash advance by delivering grain before the Sept. 15 default date will receive a sympathetic hearing, says a senior Canadian Wheat Board official. However, Garry Pichlyk added he doesn’t expect more than a handful of farmers to be in that situation when the deadline passes. “We would work […] Read more
Staff changes affect three farm lobby organizations
It is an autumn of upheaval in Ottawa’s agricultural lobby establishment as key executives in three of the most influential organizations move on. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture is looking for a new executive director to replace Brigid Rivoire, who is leaving for the Canadian Child Care Federation after more than five years as the […] Read more
Sask. pork plant closes again
Twelve weeks after it reopened, Moose Jaw Pork Packers Ltd. has closed its doors again. The beleaguered slaughter and processing facility in Moose Jaw, Sask., suspended hog deliveries and shut down its kill floor Aug. 31 in what was described as a suspension of operations. Company officials wouldn’t talk to reporters before the Western Producer’s […] Read more
Collector still buying and selling
WETASKIWIN, Alta. – It’s taken almost 60 years for Stan Reynolds to collect thousands of antique cars, trucks, tractors, signs, arrowheads and other bits and pieces of Alberta history. It will likely take an auction sale each month for more than a year for Reynolds to sell off the extra antiques stuffed into sheds or […] Read more
Manitoba heeds flood concerns
The Manitoba government is exploring ways to alleviate flooding on farmland downstream from a dam it controls in the western part of the province. Affected producers say flooding downstream from the Shellmouth Dam has become more frequent during the past decade. Their main concerns are delays in seeding and damage the flooding causes to their […] Read more
