37 per cent of Canadians want to end the supply management system and compensate farmers in order to secure a trade deal with the U.S., suggests one of the latest Angus Reid Institute (ARI) polls. On the flip side, 34 per cent of people surveyed say they stand firm on the system and trade-related restrictions… Read more »
Category: Poll
Poll: What is your go-to field scouting footwear?
Scouting season is in full force no matter the crop conditions. We could talk about your potential yields or we could talk about your footwear. Are you the kind of crop scout that wants to protect your toes, let your feet breathe, or make sure you are ready to walk 10 miles in a day?… Read more »
Poll: How do you price grain when production risk is high?
In a perfect world, you’d price grain several times a year, locking in a percentage of production at a profit, as determined by a complete cost of production figure. But farming isn’t perfect, and only the truly disciplined (and lovers of all things marketing) have annual pricing plans and stick with them. In reality, bills… Read more »
Poll: Is it positive for the GMO debate for Bayer to retire the name Monsanto?
The name Monsanto is headed for retirement. Bayer has confirmed it will no longer use the name after it closes its US$63 billion acquisition of Monsanto. Monsanto has been the target of anti-GMO activists for years, serving as a corporate lightning rod for critics of genetic modification and crop protection technology in general. Whether referenced… Read more »
Do you tell StatsCan the truth?
“Hello, I’m calling on behalf of Statistics Canada. Would you have time…” It’s a familiar phone call for most Canadian farmers when StatsCan conducts its surveys for estimating crop and livestock production statistics across the country. The inconvenience of having to spend the time on the phone, combined with not wanting to share information about what’s… Read more »
Farm data, privacy, and the #DeleteFacebook movement
In this piece: A brief background on the Cambridge Analytica situation | Personal data – do we know what we’re signing up for? | Mental health – how does using social media make us feel? | Will you #deletefacebook? We’ve known for a while that social media is a complicated beast, especially as it relates… Read more »
What is the right amount of on-farm grain storage?
Can you have too much grain storage on farm? Is on-farm grain storage a trap to procrastinate in marketing your crop? Depending on where you farm, what’s the ideal amount of grain storage relative to your annual crop production? On-farm grain storage has always been a necessity on the prairies, but capacity is growing in… Read more »
Poll: Do you consider country-of-origin on equipment purchases?
Earlier this month, Morris Industries saw a change of ownership, with Calgary-based Avrio Capital and Lamont Brown Group acquiring a majority stake in the business. In the press releases and the media coverage of the investment, there was considerable emphasis on the fact that the company remains Canadian. In a conversation with Kelvin Heppner and… Read more »
Poll: Is McDonald’s really a restaurant?
When someone suggests going to a restaurant to eat, does the well-known ________ chain with the golden arches come to mind? McDonald’s has certainly tried to enhance its image well beyond being a source for quick, cheap (and delicious) calories in recent years, upgrading its buildings with TVs, lounge areas, and other aesthetics to improve… Read more »
Should politicians talk agriculture on the urban campaign trail?
City dwellers may not have much connection to the farm these days but there’s growing evidence that they value the agri-food industry’s ability to produce high-quality, safe food and create jobs. That’s the conclusion of an opinion poll commissioned by Grassroots Public Affairs. The survey of 676 residents in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) indicates… Read more »
Poll: Do You Use Deferred Cash Tickets To Manage Taxes?
The federal government is proposing the elimination of deferred cash purchase tickets for grain sales — a tool used by farmers to manage cash flow for tax purposes from one year to the next. When delivering a listed grain (such as wheat, oats, barley, rye, flaxseed, or canola), producers have long had the option of asking… Read more »
The Canola Acre Cage Match: Liberty Link vs Roundup Ready vs Clearfield
In Western Canada, we have few acre battles that get much attention, but one that intrigues our editorial staff every year is the battle of the canola herbicide tolerance trait race. It really is a three-way cage match that has swings in advantage every year. All three systems have unique characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. So here… Read more »
Do Farmers Benefit When Grain Companies and Railways Have Friction with Each Other?
This week on RealAg Radio, Shaun and Kelvin debated whether farmers were benefitting from the spat between the railways and the Western Grain Elevators Association, and more specifically executive director Wade Sobokowich. See More: Railways Offering “Pretty Good” Performance, Amid PR Effort and Finger-Pointing What do you think? Is this finger pointing by the railways… Read more »
Who Should Canadian Farmers Be Cheering For In The U.S. Election?
Tuesday is the big day…finally… The entire world is going to take a giant breath of relief that the U.S. election is coming to a close. The storyline is well documented, circus-like in nature — a real life made-for-TV event like no other in our popular culture and political history. For Canadians involved in agriculture,… Read more »
Which Agribusiness Mega Deal Concerns You the Most?
Slumping corn prices have enabled an environment for mega agribusiness mergers and acquisitions. In the last twelve months, there’s been a steady stream of headlines about the latest and greatest combination of billion dollar companies that will purportedly deliver better products, savings to the farmer, more innovation, synergies, alliances, etc. In this economic environment for agriculture,… Read more »