Answering reader queries
With Christmas just around the corner, this reader is requesting words to a Christmas hymn. Alma hunted in the libraries for these words, but to no avail. Can anyone else help us?
Dear TEAM: I am looking for the words to a hymn. It gives the life of Jesus in it. The first part is as follows: “Christ was born in Bethlehem; Christ was born in Bethlehem; Christ was born in Bethlehem; And in a manger lay.” The other song, “I’m a shepherd of the valley, Tra la la la; With my sheep I like to wander Tra la la la.” – J.T., Fort Nelson, B.C.
Read Also
Late season rainfall creates concern about Prairie crop quality
Praying for rain is being replaced with the hope that rain can stop for harvest. Rainfall in July and early August has been much greater than normal.
Pressure cooker parts
Thanks to a reader who phoned in this address for L.A., Hilda, Alta., to get parts for her pressure canner: Don’s Appliance Repair, 5417- 50th Avenue, Red Deer, Alta., 403-346-7272.
Risk management
As a director of the Canadian Farm Business Management Council, I had an opportunity to attend the Agriculture Risk Management Conference in Hull, Que., last month.
As I see it, we must look at the total picture. We need to be informed responsible producers and consumers who are aware of the global marketplace. Each agricultural sector must encourage critical thinking, and raise the red flags when they have a concern. We have a shared responsibility to identify risks and develop management strategies to address these risks.
Conference participants explored the emerging risks related to trade policy, biotechnology, marketing, human resource management, genetic engineering, food safety and insurance, and discussed the implications for Canadian agriculture.
As a home economist, educator, producer and consumer, I found the topics discussed at this conference to be timely, relevant and of great interest, and wish to share some of them with you.
David Kohl, a professor at Virginia Tech, spoke of emerging risks and of how thinking “outside the boxes” (in new ways) can lead to prosperity in agriculture. He suggested an integrated approach in which farmers consider personal, family and business goals. Kohl stressed taking a global view, then looking at each component and then at the entire system to see how it all fits together, and how it suits you.
In this new economic environment with lower prices, high inputs, changing markets and environmental issues, we’ll need a more comprehensive, total-risk management approach. Without this, we will fall behind.
Kohl said a single poor year can hurt farm earnings, which limits cash, which in turn affects debt and borrowing. One bad year seems to have a 10-year effect. I think we can all relate to that.
A panel presentation looked at the government’s role in agriculture in the past, present and future, from the perspective of a policymaker, a processor, a producer, a scientist, a communicator and a consumer.
Robert Prchal, of the United States Department of Agriculture, spoke from a policymaker’s perspective. He encouraged participants to be more actively involved in managing their risks. This means concerning themselves with financial risk, access to capital and credit, legal risks, contract provisions, environmental obligations, human resource risk (injury, death, divorce), and interpersonal relationships that take place in decision-making on farm operations.
He said farming is in transition from using production as a building block to expanding into value-added commodities. Farmers need to be responsive to consumers and recognize growing demand for specialized better products.
Jack Wilkinson, of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, spoke about the development of agricultural policy, what other countries are doing, what producers can do, and what governments can do. There must be a partnership between government and other agricultural areas. He emphasized the need to maintain a system that encourages stability. When mid-sized farms are lost at an abnormal rate, that is the first indication of absolute failure of farm policy across provincial and federal levels.
Laurie Curry, of the Food and Consumer Product Manufacturers of Canada, said the food and beverage manufacturing sector employs 210,000 Canadians in a $57 billion industry (second-largest manufacturing industry.) It also uses most of the output from Canadian farms.
In order to succeed, the food industry must do several things:
- Invest at or above replacement rates (growth attracts new capital).
- Drive lower costs by moving toward North American packaging and labeling regulations.
- Have uniform environmental standards.
- Build exports.
- Invest higher quality jobs.
- Buy more Canadian agricultural products.
Christian Toupin, of the Food, Research and Development Centre, spoke about risk management from a scientific perspective. Toupin described potential risk (scientific factually known risk) and speculative risk (based on unknown elements.) Speculative risk can have a dangerous impact if we ban new technology because we can never show, beyond a shadow of a doubt, risk-free food research.
To respond to public concerns about food safety and the environment, the scientific community must work to bring proper solutions forward, clarify the mechanisms and implement strict standards on quality. The government must see to the regulatory systems to ensure safety. It is important that these inspections are independently governed. They must be stringent, open/transparent and accountable. Researchers must be proactive to address public fears.
Chris Mitchler of Consumers’ Association of Canada spoke about never underestimating the power of the media or the impact of consumer perception. The CAC contends that information must be timely and accessible where consumers shop. It needs to be relevant, use simple language, be evidence-based and credible. There is little understanding of “gate to plate” regulatory safeguards, the food recall system, industry best practices, standards and HACCP (Hazardous Analysis Critical Control Points). Consumers have a responsibility to ensure their food handling and preparation is done safely.
John Oliver of Maple Leaf Bio-Concepts said four global factors will dominate the future of agriculture:
- Industrialization of Asia and the resulting demand for animal protein by Asian consumers.
- Aging of the baby boomers.
- Use of genetically altered plants as alternative manufacturing sources for industrial products.
- Sustainability of the environment will limit livestock operations.
Valuing the family
The first years truly last forever. As a mother feeds her child, she gazes lovingly into his eyes. A father talks gently to his newborn daughter as he changes her diaper. A caregiver sings a child to sleep.
These everyday moments, these simple, loving encounters, provide essential nourishment. Just as their bodies need food to grow, science now says the positive emotional, physical and intellectual experiences that a baby has in the earliest years are equally necessary for the growth of a healthy brain.
The brain allows us to feel joy or despair, to respond to others in a loving or angry way, to use reason or simply to react. These capacities don’t just magically appear. They result from the interplay between a child’s heredity and the experiences he or she has during childhood.
Research in brain development and school readiness suggests the following 10 guidelines can help parents and other caregivers raise healthy, happy children and confident, competent learners.
- Be warm, loving, and responsive.
- Respond to the child’s cues and clues.
- Talk, read and sing to your child.
- Establish routines and rituals.
- Encourage safe exploration and play.
- Make TV watching selective.
- Use discipline as an opportunity to teach.
- Recognize that each child is unique.
- Choose quality child care and stay involved.
- Take care of yourself.
The relationship between caregiver and child in the first years of life is vital. We have a wonderful opportunity to enrich the lives of our children and help them realize their full potential.
Source: The First Years Last Forever Parenting Booklet, A component of the I Am Your Child Campaign, Canadian Institute of Child Health, Ottawa, Ont., 613-224-4144 or fax 613-224-4145 or e-mail: cich@igs.net or on internet: www.cich.ca.
