Reading Time: 2 minutes Strengths Russia is blessed with many advantages that strengthen its position as a wheat exporter: Russian wheat production is in close proximity to Egypt and Turkey — two of the world’s largest wheat importing markets. There is ample arable land — Russia possesses almost 10 per cent of the world’s arable land (122 m ha). […] Read more
Russia’s (grain) strengths… and weaknesses
The other glyphosate ‘resistance’
Who are the Canadian activists who are pushing for a glyphosate ban, and why are they so convinced they’re right?
Reading Time: 8 minutes In the September issue of Country Guide I wrote about the Avaaz movement’s effort to ban glyphosate in “The Target is Glyphosate“. As I reported then, if you haven’t heard of Avaaz, you should go to its website today. The prestigious Guardian newspaper says Avaaz (whose name means “voice” in several European languages) is the […] Read more
We’ve been misinformed
Put this eight-page debunking handbook on the top of your reading list, and let’s stop making consumer misinformation worse
Reading Time: 6 minutes The good news is that farmers are finally recognizing the damage that misinformation is doing to our industry, and we are responding to it. The bad news is that the way we respond may actually be increasing consumer opposition rather than alleviating it. We’ve been misinformed about fighting misinformation. Agriculture is not the only industry […] Read more
The target is glyphosate
It’s time to worry. The real goal of today’s anti-GMO movement is to kill the weed killer at the core of modern agriculture
Reading Time: 6 minutes As farmers, we have a question to ask ourselves. Are we getting played? Are we getting taken in, just like an audience at a magic show that gets fooled into watching the distraction instead of what’s really happening? Is agriculture reacting to the GMO debate when we should be focusing on protecting glyphosate? These are […] Read more
Out-competed by Ukraine
Massive Ukrainian farms are producing grain and getting it into export position for $100/t less than in Canada
Reading Time: 6 minutes In the last issue of Country Guide, I wrote of my travels in China, and of how that trip made me question the true competitiveness of Canadian agriculture. Unfortunately, a new Australian study validates many of my concerns. “Ukraine: An emerging challenge for Australian wheat exports” is the third study from the Australian Export Grains […] Read more
A Canadian farmer in China
Unfortunately for our markets, what I saw convinced me that China’s plan to feed itself has a real chance of succeeding
Reading Time: 7 minutes Every decision we make is influenced by our perception of the world around us. This is especially true in farming. Whether it’s which crops to plant or when to sell, many of our management decisions are based more on our personal perceptions than on hard facts. But what if our perceptions are wrong? This question […] Read more
Compare and consider income replacement insurance
During their careers, one in three Canadians will be sidelined for 90 days or more by injury or disease. Are you prepared?
Reading Time: 8 minutes Most farmers insure their buildings, vehicles, equipment and other farm assets. Many insure their crops and livestock. Increasingly, farmers also use risk management strategies to insure a price they will receive for the commodities they sell. However, few farmers insure what may be the biggest risk to the farm; the inability for the farmer to […] Read more
Hopes grow for gene editing
This safe new technology promises to take us far beyond GMOs. But will consumers let us use it?
Reading Time: 5 minutes A new technology called gene editing promises to pick up where GMOs have fallen short. In other words, with gene editing, farmers and consumers may benefit as much as chemical and seed companies. But for that to happen, farmers must become familiar with this new technology, they must understand what it can offer agriculture and […] Read more
Farming in a troubled economy
It looks like a weak dollar isn’t so good for agriculture after all
Reading Time: 5 minutes Farmers almost universally accept the premise that a drop in the Canadian dollar is bullish for our agriculture because our commodities are priced off the U.S. This increases our prices domestically and also makes us more competitive both in the U.S. and in regions where commodity transactions are made in American dollars. But is this […] Read more
Selling our consumers
While farmers strive to educate consumers, marketers bend the rules
Reading Time: 5 minutes On January 7, the New York Times covered the news that Campbell Soup would become the first major U.S. food company to come out in support of mandatory GMO labelling. It was the same day that Campbell’s CEO Denise Morrison sent a letter to her employees, saying the policy change came from the company’s focus […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
