Under attack
For years, farmers have enjoyed the right to save, reuse and sell their own seed. Now that decades-old right is under attack, under the name of the Canadian Seed Sector Review.
Proposed changes to Canada’s seed laws, increased use of contracts restricting seed use and proliferation of gene patents are taking away farmers’ rights to save, reuse and exchange seeds. These changes criminalize the age-old customary practices of farmers.
Part of the review is a proposal for new laws that would force farmers to pay royalties whenever they saved and reused their own seeds on their own farms. The review also recommends tightening up Canada’s plant breeders’ legislation to give seed companies additional years of royalty payments, a profit windfall for the companies but a costly blow to farmers.
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The report says “royalties could be collected through elevators or seed processors or through CWB contract programs.” Royalties would go to seed companies, not to farmer seed growers.
The report lists ways to “encourage” farmers to buy more certified seed. These include a suggestion to “link crop insurance premiums with the use of certified seed,” requiring higher premiums from farmers who reuse their seed. …
In the early 1980s, the public sector did 95 percent of plant breeding in Canada and 100 percent of breeding for cereal crops and oilseeds. Recently, however, transnationals have moved in to capture the profits from the seed “industry.”
To do so, these companies needed vast regulatory regimes. First came Plant Breeder Rights, then gene patenting and global agreements to protect patents. Current seed company proposals are part of an attempt to construct a financial base for a high-cost inefficient, unproductive model of private plant breeding and research.
Instead of this corporate-controlled, profit-maximizing, farmer-restricting system, Canada needs a publicly controlled plant breeding system to inexpensively and efficiently develop the seeds needed by Canadian farmers and the Canadian economy….
Not only is the livelihood of many farmers at stake, but so are thousands of jobs at research stations all across Canada.
– Joyce Neufeld,
Waldeck, Sask.
Selling water
Out of fear that any other Canadian could possibly have the same defeatist, myopic and naive opinions as the reader from Dawson Creek regarding the sale of our water to the Americans, (Open Forum, Dec. 2) I feel I must respond.
In the first place, as to the healthiness of our children for which he credits the year-round availability of American fruits and veggies, might not our children fare as well with Mexican, Central and South American or even Israeli produce? Better yet, why not follow the example set by the Scandinavian countries, who have become practically self-sufficient in these products through the intelligent application of greenhouse horticulture?…
I, too, would wish to maintain good relations with our southern neighbours. I’m not, however, under any circumstances interested in selling them a resource that is a large part of our future….
Some three decades ago, a W5 documentary on the subject quoted a California lawmaker who referred to B.C. rivers as “continental waters.” More recently, Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota was heard musing that perhaps the U.S. should consider re-aiming its Minuteman missiles northward to stifle our protests over protectionist U.S. duties against our softwood lumber and wheat exports to them.
These duties have been proven by World Trade Organization and North American Free Trade Agreement rulings to be evidence of their intolerance for competition, far more than of any “dumping” on our part.
The natural God-given trump cards on our side of the border, such as the vastness of our forests and the abundance of fresh water, are looked on as unfair, countervailable advantages or as a saleable commodity.
Mr. Halliday, it seems, would eagerly fritter away our benefits without even a proper assessment of our own present or future needs. And he has the temerity to describe our own parliamentarians as “stupid” and “brain dead” for being slow to negotiate the sale of our water. …
The proper stance, in my view, is that our water must not be for sale … quite simply because it is not ours to sell. It belongs to our children and to their children and so on. You can be sure the Americans would take this position if the situation were reversed.
– Ted Legault,
Gravelbourg, Sask.
Wishful thinking
Wheat lesson (Open Forum, Dec. 9) refers to $8 Vancouver world and $5.63 Vancouver farmer prices, a difference of $2.37. Mr. Fischbuch does not seem to realize both prices relate to the same bushel of wheat, in store Vancouver?
It really doesn’t matter how it got there but I think they charge for this. Farmers don’t get these prices. And no, Mr. Fischbuch, elevator managers will not notify some lucky farmers when world prices hit $10. This is just more wishful thinking on your part.
– Louis K. Berg,
Sedalia, Alta.
Who’s numb?
This letter is in response to the Dec. 13 letter titled “Brain numb” by Clint Hutton of Hanna, Alta. In this letter, Mr. Hutton does a poor job of attempting to discredit the BSE documentary by Dr. David Suzuki. The two part Nature of Things episode “Apocalypse Cow” aired on CBC Nov. 13 and 25.
I saw the program, along with numerous other Canadians, and I give David Suzuki much credit for at least coming up with a possible explanation for the 100 plus people who have died from eating “tainted” beef. There has been a drastic reduction in the number of human deaths associated with eating beef products.
Therefore, it seems that the evidence presented on this documentary could be valid.
What would Dr. David Suzuki gain by airing such a program, other than a public better educated on the potential risks?
Yes, Mr. Hutton, the CBC is a publicly funded organization and if you have a better explanation to the BSE crisis, then perhaps you should contact the CBC and produce a documentary outlining your ideas.
Perhaps your theory of phosmet chemical being applied onto the backs of cattle does hold water, in which case we should be directing our agricultural research groups to focus on these types of products. …
– Denis Sauvageau,
Falher, Alta.
Safe conditions
The recent mention of the tragic death of a young Hutterite man to hydrogen sulfide gas poisoning in a recent letter in your newspaper served to remind us once again of the need to remain vigilant in embracing safe practices on the farm.
This was a tragic loss to the family and friends of Mr. Gross and our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his family and the entire colony at Elm Creek, Man.
However, contrary to the sentiment expressed in the letter that the hog industry is “under regulated,” Manitoba’s hog industry is tightly regulated. Hog barns are covered under the same provincial workplace safety and health regulations as any other industry and provincial inspectors can and do visit hog barns regularly.
Like all farm membership groups in the province, Manitoba Pork Council takes workplace safety and health issues very seriously. In fact, the council was the first agricultural commodity organization in Canada to develop a workplace safety and health manual. This manual is now in its second edition and has been used as a template for similar manuals in a number of other provinces.
Council’s manual also spawned the well respected “THINK! about barn safety” campaign that has received plaudits from the provincial government.
Additionally, Manitoba Pork Council works closely with representatives of Manitoba Labour and Immigration’s workplace safety and health division, with the provincial farm safety co-ordinator, Assiniboine Community College and with industry representatives on our Workplace Safety and Health Committee.
With specific reference to hydrogen sulfide gas, Manitoba Pork Council in conjunction with Assiniboine Community College regularly offers specialized training around the province in safely dealing with this gas. The training is also an integral part of the Pork Production Technician Apprenticeship program. …
Regardless of the type or location of a workplace, it is important that all employers and employees do their part to ensure safe working conditions. Manitoba Pork Council, on behalf of its 1,400 producer members, is committed to providing information, resources and training to all those working in hog barns. I would encourage all those interested in this training to seek it out.
– Karl Kynoch,
Chair, Manitoba Pork Council,
Winnipeg, Man.
Morals question
In your Oct. 28 issue, Peter Griffiths wrote an article “Saying no to children.” A parent (was) asking for advice on how to deal with her 10-year-old daughter…
At the end of the article Peter writes, “counteracting this unhealthy culture can be challenging.”
In the same issue of your paper is an article, “Women bare all to raise bucks.” Ontario Women’s Institute members are posing in the nude for calendars to raise money for a CT scan machine. The model for May said, “the project demonstrates that Ontario’s rural women are modern, progressive and even a little daring.”
Is it being progressive when grandmothers are posing in the nude? The woman in the photo is well on in years. Is this a good example for children?
Is it any wonder that it is very difficult to raise well-adjusted children in our culture? J. Edgar Hoover, who died in 1972, said that the morals of America were in decline. The morals of our society are in a fast downward slide. What will become of our children when there are so many influences out to destroy them?
– Lillian Heichman,
Saskatoon, Sask.
Colour coding
Regarding your editorial on birth data for calves, Dec. 16, 2004, here is a very simple solution. Colour tagging.
The new electronic tag on front with year of birth stamped on it, for example blue for January, yellow for February, etc. Could it be any more simple?
And for safety, all cattle should be double tagged, because tags can fall out. For good measure farmers should keep records of all births.
– Andrew Stewart,
Cupar, Sask.
Board area
I would like to inform Mr. von Tettenborn (Open Forum, Dec. 16) that there has always been a dual market system in Canada and free market of U.S. corn into Canada. Part of B.C. is CWB and part is free market. Ontario has the same. It’s only Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta that are under the so-called CWB …
I can write a book on what is going on. The whole free trade stinks. There have been a lot of false promises but nothing has happened. What is more important is to keep an eye as to what is going on that is not promised.
– John Pokorney,
Tilley, Alta.
Yes to tariffs
It has been the intention of the plutocratic elite to champion the concept of free trade. Laissez faire “free” trade is what it says it is, a hands-off approach to government, banking, production, shipment and sales – what we populists refer to as the global plantation. Abraham Lincoln said “give me a tariff and I will give you the greatest nation on earth.”
Let me now list reasons why tariffs are good:
- Tariffs put your nation first.
- Tariffs mitigate banking.
- Tariffs mitigate the ham-fisted policies of the elite.
- Tariffs supply revenue for federal governments. To gain a deal all players must be satisfied.
- Tariffs help you build a domestic tax base.
- Tariffs bring other countries’ leaders to the bargaining table when there is undue infringement.
- Tariffs get rid of integrated economic activities that do not lead to peace and prosperity but to frustration, trouble and war. A study of history proves this fact.
- It mitigates the yawning gulf between the rich and the poor. Karl Marx understood this process and said, “free trade hastens the social (communist) revolution.” It is for this reason Karl Marx also said, “Gentlemen, I am in favour of free trade.” In response I say, gentlemen, let’s get rid of free trade.
– Ralph Dawson,
Elmworth, Alta.
Goodbye co-op
It is with profound sadness and regret that I heard that Saskatchewan Wheat Pool’s board of directors was giving up its co-operative status, the final act in farmers losing control of a successful company that they built and operated for almost 80 years.
Even though delegates and Class B shareholders still have to vote on the process, there are many who feel this is just a formality, even though this result was predicted by many when members’ equity conversion to publicly traded shares was initiated.
Directors and most delegates did not listen to the warnings back then. The fact that it may only have taken eight years for farmers to lose complete control of the Pool is amazing. Ponder this question: with independent financial directors on the board of directors providing “expert advice” and a CEO with a $2.3 million compensation package, is it not somewhat amazing that another financial restructuring is required?
One might think there is also a control aspect at play …
If Saskatchewan Wheat Pool delegates do not vote this proposal down, then perhaps the Pool will have to be rebuilt by farmers. If the proposal is voted down, then a major restructuring of people and direction will have to be undertaken. You cannot continue to anger and alienate farmers and expect them to patronize your business.
– Roy Atkinson,
Saskatoon, Sask.
