The existence of groups actively trying to eliminate meat consumption is no secret. They may hide behind issues such as water preservation, climate change, public health or animal welfare, but make no mistake — the end goal for these groups is a world in which we are all vegans. It’s tempting to dismiss these organizations […] Read more
Tag Archives WP editorial
Pulse growers navigate a fork in seed road
It’s not a good idea to make sweeping generalizations based on discussions at one farm meeting. However, results of a debate at the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers annual meeting in Saskatoon last week do seem to indicate farmers are getting more comfortable with paying royalties on seed, though attendees might not interpret the meeting in quite […] Read more
Canada should look to trade barriers within
There are many reasons to be unhappy with interprovincial trade barriers, not least of which is the hypocrisy of a country that demands free trade from its international partners while not getting its own house in order. But given the current economic climate, there is another concern on the list: affordability. Just about everyone has […] Read more
Great Christmas gifts: tolerance, charity, respect
Just in time for Christmas, the Fraser Institute has released a report showing that the number of Canadians donating to charity hit a 20 year low in 2021. According to the think-tank, only 17.7 percent of tax filers donated in that tax year. As well, charitable donations fell to 0.55 percent of income in 2021 […] Read more
Now the real work begins for ag climate action
Farmers and their organizations should pay close attention to the declaration on “sustainable agriculture, resilient food systems and climate action,” signed this month by 134 countries, including Canada. The declaration released early during the COP28 climate summit in Dubai is vague and offers little explanation as to how its goal of urgently transforming agriculture will […] Read more
Climate friendly ag needs more recognition
Canadian agriculture has some of the most climate-friendly practices on the planet, yet our producers struggle to succeed under an international trade regime that doesn’t reward this success. As a relatively small nation with a heavy reliance on export trade, Canadian farmers benefit more than most from assured market access within a disciplined trading environment. […] Read more
Carbon tax controversy raises further questions
Carbon pricing in this country — what most of us call the carbon tax — continues to be a political lightning rod. It has become increasingly popular for premiers, the leader of the federal opposition and farm groups to blame a wide range of problems on the tax. A follower of current affairs could easily […] Read more
Faster product registration requires cautious approach
Canadians have a complicated relationship with government regulations, which are often a lightning rod for complaints about how Big Government gets in the way of efficiency, productivity and innovation. But then a catastrophe happens, such as a contaminated water crisis, and it suddenly becomes government’s fault for not keeping a close enough eye on the […] Read more
Ways must be found to retain immigrants
Labour shortages in the agricultural industry continue to attract considerable attention. We covered it most recently on the front page of the Nov. 9 issue, which reported on a new survey from the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council. The results were predictably grim: 28,200 jobs unfilled during peak season in 2022, resulting in a 3.7 […] Read more
Knowing what to believe or believing in nothing
A growing body of evidence links prolonged sitting to health problems such as obesity, increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and unhealthy cholesterol levels. According to the Mayo Clinic, too much sitting also increases the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer. Sitting is the new smoking, as […] Read more
