Concerns raised over crop insurance premiums
Saskatchewan Crop Insurance has made a substantive change in how it calculates premiums for its multi-peril program. As producers see their coverage and premium information, there are many questions and some glaring inequities. The previous system of premium discounts and surcharges is gone. Apparently, premiums weren’t responding quickly enough to account for the true insurance …
How to address food inflation
As farmers, we’ve escaped the brunt of public scrutiny over rising food prices. Most of the finger pointing has been at the big grocers for what some call greedflation. In truth, rising food prices are caused by many factors and this includes what farmers are paid. The record high grain prices of the past couple …
Deficit cutting could have tax implications for ag
If you wade through published statistics on farm income levels, it’s clear that farm families no longer take a backseat to the general population. Not long ago, even with adding off-farm income to farming income, the total lagged the family income levels of the general population. Not so any more. On average, farm families are …
Farming isn’t forever
“How are you doing?” old acquaintances will ask. My standard reply has become, “Old, grey, fat, lazy. Did I mention old? Can’t remember.” “Still farming?” they ask. When I confirm that indeed I still am, their next question, whether verbalized or not is often about when retirement will occur. I don’t feel that old, but …
Woke wave washes over world agriculture
As the woke wave continues to gain momentum, some worry it will have a tsunami impact on agriculture. The fears have merit. The most blatant example is European farm policy mandating less fertilizer, fewer crop protection products and more organic production. The measures are particularly severe in the Netherlands where agriculture is in a downward …
Several Ag Canada acreage projections off-base
In it’s January 20th Outlook for Principal Field Crops, the market analysis group of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada includes seeded acreage projections for the growing season ahead. Many of the projections seem plausible, with some notable exceptions. All wheat, excluding durum, is expected to see a 4 per cent acreage increase, which seems reasonable given …
