Agriculture
Farmers Rock for AG at Farm Forum Event in Saskatoon
Ag Rocks For Charity is a cool initiative.
Nick Saik puts his massive skills to good work in this video showcasing some harmonica riffls along with a fine pitch for donating to his charity of choice Agriculture In The Classroom. Nick is our partner in Todayville Agriculture and we are cheering him on in his quest to raise $5 grand. Or as he puts it, “…Teaching Kids by Beating My Dad…”.
It’s part of the AG Rocks For Charity initiative, a fun component of the Farm Forum Event, a 3 day conference in Saskatoon, SK (Dec. 3rd to 5th). The video tells you all about how passionate Nick is about laying a fiscal beating on his pa.
AG ROCKS FOR CHARITY is a highlight of the weekend. Here’s how it works. Some very talented volunteers compete to raise the most money and profile for their charity of choice. Click here for the entire talent line up, other important links, and more information.
We’re excited about all of the performances, but in particular, we’re pushing our own hometown hero Nick Saik.
CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT NICK AND DONATE RIGHT NOW TO AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM.
Nick Saik, President of Know Ideas Media, filmmaker, media entrepreneur, musician, dad
As noted, Nick’s charity of choice is Agriculture In The Classroom. In Nick’s words, “…helping kids get excited about food production is critical for the long term public trust of agriculture, and nobody is better at giving kids good information than Ag In The Classroom…”
We’ve heard Nick perform before, and recently caught him strumming his guitar and brushing up on some Garth and The Band. From what we’re hearing, his interpretations of Friends in Low Places and The Weight are certainly worthy of the price of admission right there.
Nick’s also a talented filmmaker. If you want to see some of his handiwork, check out this story featuring a brilliant short video he produced called “Nut Milking Exposed”, now viewed well north of 50 million times.
The Farm Forum Event is a three-day conference that brings together progressive farmers, agricultural professionals and academics to learn about where game-changing innovation and the latest AG research connects with practical on-farm operations.
Here’s a short promotional video for Ag Rocks for Charity (also produced by Nick – like I said, he’s a talented guy. Help him out please!
Please consider donating – Agriculture in the Classroom is a great initiative. Or maybe you need a vacation. Check out this cool travel story on Todayville Red Deer.
“India? Are you nuts?” Join Gerry for Part 1 of his series on India.
Agriculture
Bill C-282, now in the Senate, risks holding back other economic sectors and further burdening consumers
From the Frontier Centre for Public Policy
Bill C-282 currently sits in the Canadian Senate and stands on the precipice of becoming law in a matter of weeks. Essentially, this bill seeks to bestow immunity upon supply management from any potential future trade negotiations without offering increased market access to potential trade partners.
In simpler terms, it risks holding all other economic sectors hostage solely to safeguard the interests of a small, privileged group of farmers. This is far from an optimal scenario, and the implications of this bill spell bad news for Canadians.
Supply management, which governs poultry, egg, and dairy production in Canada, has traditionally enabled us to fulfill our domestic needs. Under this system, farmers are allocated government-sanctioned quotas to produce food for the nation. At the same time, high tariffs are imposed on imports of items such as chicken, butter, yogurt, cheese, milk, and eggs. This model has been in place for over five decades, ostensibly to shield family farms from economic volatility.
However, despite the implementation of supply management, Canada has witnessed a comparable decline in the number of farms as the United States, where a national supply management scheme does not exist. Supply management has failed to preserve much of anything beyond enriching select agricultural sectors.
For instance, dairy farmers now possess quotas valued at over $25 billion while concurrently burdening dairy processors with the highest-priced industrial milk in the Western world. Recent data indicates a significant surge in prices at the grocery store, with yogurt prices alone soaring by over 30 percent since December 2023. This escalation is increasingly straining the budgets of many consumers.
It’s evident to those knowledgeable about the situation that the emergence of Bill C-282 should come as no surprise. Proponents of supply management exert considerable influence over politicians across party lines, compelling them to support this bill to safeguard the interests of less than one percent of our economy, much to the ignorance of most Canadians. In the last federal budget, the dairy industry alone received over $300 million in research funds, funds that arguably exceed their actual needs.
While Canada’s agricultural sector accounts for approximately seven percent of our GDP, supply-managed industries represent only a small fraction of that figure. Supply-managed farms represent about five percent of all farms in Canada. Forging trade agreements with key partners such as India, China, and the United Kingdom is imperative not only for sectors like automotive, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology but for the vast majority of farms in livestock and grains to thrive and contribute to global welfare and prosperity. It is essential to recognize that Canada has much more to offer than merely self-sufficiency in food production.
Over time, the marketing boards overseeing quotas for farmers have amassed significant power and have proven themselves politically aggressive. They vehemently oppose any challenges to the existing system, targeting politicians, academics, and groups advocating for reform or abolition. Despite occasional resistance from MPs and Senators, no major political party has dared to question the disproportionate protection afforded to one sector over others. Strengthening our supply-managed sectors necessitates embracing competition, which can only serve to enhance their resilience and competitiveness.
A recent example of the consequences of protectionism is the United Kingdom’s decision to walk away from trade negotiations with Canada due to disagreements over access to our dairy market. Not only do many Canadians appreciate the quality of British cheese, but increased competition in the dairy section would also help drive prices down, a welcome relief given current economic challenges.
In the past decade, Canada has ratified trade agreements such as CUSMA, CETA, and CPTPP, all of which entailed breaches in our supply management regime. Despite initial concerns from farmers, particularly regarding the impact on poultry, eggs, and dairy, these sectors have fared well. A dairy farm in Ontario recently sold for a staggering $21.5 million in Oxford County. Claims of losses resulting from increased market access are often unfounded, as farmer boards simply adjust quotas when producers exit the industry.
In essence, Bill C-282 represents a misguided initiative driven by farmer boards capitalizing on the ignorance of urban residents and politicians regarding rural realities. Embracing further protectionism will not only harm consumers yearning for more competition at the grocery store but also impede the growth opportunities of various agricultural sectors striving to compete globally and stifle the expansion prospects of non-agricultural sectors seeking increased market access.
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.
From StosselTV
Activists have a new goal: “DEgrowth.”
They say “growth is killing us.” They couldn’t be MORE wrong.
“Growth is not killing us. It’s saving us!” says author Johan Norberg. He explains why growth is essential to human progress, especially for poor people. “In poor countries, if you manage to grow by 4% annually over 20 years,” he points out, “that reduces poverty in that country on average by 80%.
But DEgrowth activists insist that growth means “climate chaos.” They say a smaller economy would be “sweeter.” They say “We must urgently dismantle capitalism!” It’s destructive nonsense. This video explains why.
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After 40+ years of reporting, I now understand the importance of limited government and personal freedom.
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Libertarian journalist John Stossel created Stossel TV to explain liberty and free markets to young people.
Prior to Stossel TV he hosted a show on Fox Business and co-anchored ABC’s primetime newsmagazine show, 20/20. Stossel’s economic programs have been adapted into teaching kits by a non-profit organization, “Stossel in the Classroom.” High school teachers in American public schools now use the videos to help educate their students on economics and economic freedom. They are seen by more than 12 million students every year.
Stossel has received 19 Emmy Awards and has been honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the National Press Club.
Other honors include the George Polk Award for Outstanding Local Reporting and the George Foster Peabody Award.
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