The World Bank recently released a report called Recipe for a Livable Planet: Achieving Net Zero Emissions in the AgriFood System. It concluded with this: “The food system must be fixed because it is making the planet ill and is a big slice of the climate change pie.” Unfortunately, that was likely to be the […] Read more
Tag Archives WP editorial — page 7
A little bit of rain, and new hope descends on Prairies
The agriculture industry is a busy place these days, providing this space with plenty on which to editorialize. A recent report out of the federal auditor-general’s office and another from Deloitte Canada are questioning the federal government’s efforts to help the agriculture sector do its part to mitigate climate change. The auditor’s office says Agriculture […] Read more
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
Images of soil blowing off southern Alberta fields, shared on social media last week, are not a good look for the industry. The blackened skies with near-zero visibility resembled Western Canada’s ecological dark age when farming practices caused irreparable damage to Prairie soils, including through the Dirty Thirties. Soil degradation at this scale threatens the […] Read more
Federal budget disappoints,as it always seems to do
As sure as spring follows winter, last week’s federal budget was met with a chorus of raspberries from the nation’s producers. Disappointment seems to be the inevitable response from farming country after Ottawa outlines its annual spending plan. Last week was no exception. “Budget 2024 falls short of providing critical investments for grain farmers,” was […] Read more
Public-driven pork policy brings related headaches
Direct democracy may be a great idea but it can create unintended headaches. Consider California’s Proposition 12, which establishes minimum space requirements for egg-laying hens, breeding pigs and veal calves. Its effects extend far beyond the state’s borders and therein lies one of the problems. Under the new regime, pork sold in the state must […] Read more
Changing farm landscapes raise numerous questions
Our story last week about a mega farmer using bulldozers to convert thousands of Manitoba acres of pasture into cropland touched on a lot of hot button issues. It generated some healthy discussion across online forums. Some wondered why this was a story. On the face of it, a piece about a farmer clearing land […] Read more
Healthy canola oil could use further image boost
At the risk of preaching to the choir, note this: canola oil is a nutritious food ingredient, far preferable to many other options on the market. It has just seven per cent saturated fat, the least among common cooking oils, and has the most plant-based omega-3 fat levels. It is a source of omega-6 fat […] Read more
Rural revitalization starts with real desire for change
Rural depopulation has been an inevitable consequence of farm consolidation as smaller farms get bigger, and bigger farms get bigger still. The decades-long move in this direction may have allowed existing farm operators to capitalize on economies of scale, but it has also wreaked havoc with prairie towns and villages. Fewer farm families mean fewer […] Read more
Product of USA labelling may need marketing focus
The labelling rule announced by the United States March 11 to define how the “Product of USA” label can be used is being viewed with suspicion and even alarm north of the border. Exports are critical to Canada’s livestock industry. Farm Credit Canada figures show that at nearly $5 billion per year, this country is […] Read more
Have the conversation to keep safe on the farm
Readers with experience in the oil industry know that safety meetings are a major part of that business — not just once a day but often several times a day. Anyone who drives trucks for a living knows all about pre-trip safety checks. Those in the manufacturing business talk about weekly safety meetings and daily […] Read more
