WHEN IS the last time you heard someone say publicly that they are opposed to the family farm? Family farming rates up there with positives like motherhood and apple pie. Who would dare to say outright that these things should be wiped out? In fact, surveys continue to show that farmers are among the most […] Read more
Opinion
True family farm support requires focus – The Moral Economy
Letters to the editor
Held captive; Problem dog; Bankable?; Outcry unjustified; Less class Held captive Dear holders of my key: I am a captive western Canadian farmer, mother of a third generation farmer, and a hostage all of my life to date, like my father before me, of the Canadian Wheat Board marketing jurisdiction imposed as a war measures […] Read more
Grim Grimes
As he said to me this morning, and as I put in my last post, Glenn Grimes has a grim outlook for pig producers for the next year. “I’m not looking forward to the next 30 minutes or so,” said Grimes at the beginning of his presentation at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines. […] Read more
Depressing words from the dean of pork
I was just chatting with legendary pork market and pork industry analyst Glenn Grimes here at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. It’s a beautiful, blue sky day, and there was rain two days ago, so there are lots of producers here milling about this giant hog industry event. But Grimes was pretty […] Read more
Monday June 1, 2009
Bonjour. Comment ca va? C’est tres bien. My mother-in-law enjoyed herself so much she wanted to stay a week! I think she loved having all her seven children and their spouses around her for two days. She was sure she’d packed her own suitcase! The Alsace and the wedding were wonderful. So were the wines […] Read more
Open and invisible markets
“It’s a little eerie coming up here now,” said a senior Minneapolis Grain Exchange official to me as we came out yesterday onto the viewing balcony above the exchange’s trading floor. The prices that hard red spring wheat and all the other ag commodities at other exchanges are trading for were flickering and changing as […] Read more
May 29, 2009
Tonight is the beginning of the Pentecost long weekend. It’s also the beginning of long traffic jams in front of the Gotthard tunnel. The tunnel is the main connection to southern Switzerland with its Italian villages tucked between high mountains and narrow lakes. One of the wonders of Switzerland is its diversity of cultures, languages […] Read more
Rally, rally, what to do?
Farmers who don’t like making tough decisions are lucky that they’re completely tied up with seeding and the business of growing a crop right now, because the markets are offering tantalizing prices. It’s quite incredible how strong the rally in most crops has been recently, even if you factor in the depressing factor of the […] Read more
Switzerland – May 25, 2009
It feels like Zambia. Yesterday the temperatures reached the highest point (32C) for that date since 1906. Did they have global warming then already? But I doubt western Canadians believe in global warming, not after last week’s snow! The farmers around here are busy making hay and silage. On my walk this morning I strode […] Read more
Does your estate plan need a checkup? – Taking care of business
Planning for death may not be the most uplifting activity, but it is important, especially for farmers who own assets such as land with extremely high value. In estate planning, it is important to consider the following factors: If you do not have a will, provincial law determines how your assets are distributed. A will […] Read more
