At some point we might have to accept that this new trade reality is actually real. And we’ll have to react to that reality by changing the way we farm, act and interact with the rest of the world. That’s something quite a few Canadians are grappling with in light of the ongoing and no-end-in-sight […] Read more
Tag Archives Hedge Row — page 5
Market access loss may force risk management overhaul
I heard two things recently that made me think Canada’s farm risk management programs have a gaping hole. “It’s like we’re continually targeted. How do we deal with this?” Bill Campbell, president of Keystone Agricultural Producers, said to me during the Manitoba Protein Summit. “As a primary producer, am I going to be taking risk […] Read more
Plant-based protein craze is not an overnight sensation
Yup, this plant protein explosion shows how a new market can come out of nowhere and become an overnight success. That’s what tens of millions of consumers, food processors and providers everywhere are probably thinking right now as everybody rushes to fill their shelves, menus and fridges with plant protein sources. It’s the biggest thing […] Read more
Canola crisis exposes weakness of farm safety nets
American and European farmers have the world’s best risk management system: political support from sympathetic governments. When a crisis appears, these governments scramble to find a way to prop up their producers. Western Canadian farmers will never have that kind of a safety net to fall into. Partly by the design of confederation (the sparsely […] Read more
Cash advance expansion will act as stress reliever
Will the big boost to cash advances solve the China problem? Nope. Will it compensate farmers fully for their losses from the spat between Beijing and Ottawa? No. Will it remove canola-marketing worries from farmers throughout 2019-20? No way. But as a temporary stopgap, it’s a good stress reliever, a shield against some bad choices […] Read more
What farmers must know when facing anti-trade future
American farmers can get away with risk-taking that is likely to devistate reckless Canadian farmers. European farmers can also roll the dice on gambles that are likely to destroy Canadians. Each of those giant players has enormous domestic markets and a government committed to protecting producers. When foreign markets are shut off for them, it’s […] Read more
Timing is tough when marketing around a trade dispute
A farmer who gets the timing right on the end of the China-Canada canola dispute could make a lot of money. After all, any resolution of the lingering and worsening crisis could see canola prices pop dozens of dollars per tonne, rising a couple of bucks a bushel. When China began shutting off its market […] Read more
Canada must act like African swine fever is already here
The reality of African swine fever is so obvious that Canada should already be acting like it’s here. There’s lots of talk about getting ready to act if ASF hits, but that’s not good enough. To protect Canadian farmers against the worst of the multibillion-dollar impact that any ASF outbreak will have, Canada needs to […] Read more
Canada needs to find like-minded nations on trade field
Canada is avoiding being a naive boy scout, resisting the temptation to play bully, and trying to find a way to be a canny survivor. For Canadian farmers, exporting has suddenly become vexatious. Figuring out how to move forward without being a sucker or a fool is one of the keys to future Canadian farm […] Read more
Canola growers face rough ride as challenges mount
I’m predicting a dour mood this week in Montreal, as canola growers and those who live off their crop production efforts gather for the Canola Council of Canada annual convention. Problems have piled up for what’s become most farmers’ favourite crop. The spread of clubroot and the worsening of blackleg have thrown a pall into […] Read more
