It’s great to see farm groups take a public position. Their members want to hear from them, and increasingly, so does the public, especially when these groups are represented by real farmers.Even better yet is when a farm group’s concerns mesh with the public’s understanding of the status quo – such as border crossing into… Read More
Category: United States
Though it has not been grown in nearly a decade, wheat containing the Roundup Ready gene has been reportedly found in an Oregon, U.S., field by the USDA. The Roundup Ready wheat was field tested many years ago by Monsanto in the state from 1999 to 2005, but the crop was never approved for commercial… Read More
As we discussed last week, biq seeders and planters have stepped up to make sure that the crop gets planted on time across the United States and Canada. It has made me think about all the times we have asked the question of “how big is too big?” in the past. Here are some videos… Read More
There are good weeks and then there are poor weeks. Last week the US implemented its new rules to COOL. The Canadian and US industries feel strongly that these remedies are un-called for. Lyndsey Smith and Anne Wasko discuss the implementation of COOL in the latest edition of the CDN Beef Market Update. If you… Read More
The United States was required to come into compliance with its World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations in relation to the WTO dispute on its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) regulations today, May 23. The country has instead implemented proposed changes that many U.S. and Canadian cattle and hog industry players say makes it even worse. The Canadian… Read More
As planting season winds down, the To-Do list of little fixes starts to grow. The good news is that a little extra care and attention paid to machinery and equipment now will help speed along the set up process next spring when we get to do this all over again. The planter is such an… Read More
Editor’s note: This is Owen Roberts’ Real Talk, Real Action column. Each week, Owen will offer his insight into how farmers and the agricultural industry can participate in the rural- and ag-related discussions going on around them. Contact Owen at [email protected] or on Twitter at @TheUrbanCowboy. So you’ve done your homework, tested your feed for mold… Read More
The factors to consider when moving animals or changing feeding tactics can be overwhelming. In the case of rapid grass growth (as is evident this year), producers are advised to feed a supplement containing magnesium, especially for lactating cattle. This is all in an effort to prevent grass tetany, a metabolic condition that causes animals… Read More
I’m all for peaceful protests. Say it loud, say it proud, whatever you need to get off your chest, please do. And it’s with this spirit that I propose we have a march to promote marching against real problems in our society — children living in poverty and suffering from hunger even as a growing… Read More
According to the latest Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) flash report, in both the United States and Canada, self propelled combine sales are very strong. Both the year to date and month to month numbers are on a torrid pace for the year. In the United States combine sales were up 58.6% in April 2013… Read More
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any weirder…A new, free app for Androids and iPhones has been launched. The app, christened “Buycott,” and developed by Buycott Inc. (an overwhelming amount of creativity, I know), allows users to join a number of campaigns of their choice and make purchase decisions based on the “campaign targets.”… Read More
The USDA reported this week that estimated corn planting progress has jumped from 28 to 71% in one week. Only two and half weeks ago, the market and farmers were slightly concerned about the snow falling in parts of the Northern Mid West. Even places like Minnesota which temporarily felt like the calendar had gone back to… Read More
In this riveting edition of Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, Shaun Haney and Lyndsey Smith tackle hard-hitting news items, like the new CWB ad and whether or not it’s funny and how PETA is apparently spying on ranchers, the only way they know how — with humour and sarcasm.In this segment, you’ll find out why Shaun… Read More
There are few things I love more than the smell of fresh cut hay. The joy of that smell for some comes from the incredible value a high-producing alfalfa field creates. But while alfalfa stands can produce for several years, each winter takes its toll on the crop, and a careful evaluation of production potential… Read More
Ontario ginseng is the class of its field. The species grown here, called American ginseng (versus Asian ginseng, the other popular variety) is the apple of ginseng exporters’ eye. It now generates $130 million in export sales annually, and it’s growing every year. That’s great news for farmers who work the unique sandy soils in… Read More