Farmers’ mood edges up

 

The Ag Economy Barometer has found farmers were in a slightly better mood in October than September.

The monitor is a survey Purdue University conducts monthly of 400 farmers and measures their opinions about current and future financial conditions and investment plans.

This month’s report said there continues to be a big disparity between the views of crop and livestock farmers.

Overall, U.S. farmers expect weaker financial performance on their farms this year than last year, but crop producers expect weaker financial outcomes than a year ago, while livestock producers look for performance near a year earlier. 

Although the percentage of producers who expect the U.S. tariff policy to strengthen the agricultural economy in the long run rose in October, the percentage who think the outcome is uncertain has doubled since spring. 

Despite the uncertainty about tariff policy, more than 70 per cent of U.S. producers still say the U.S. is headed in the right direction.

In previous barometer surveys, producers overwhelmingly said they expect the government to provide compensation for weak commodity prices, similar to the 2019 Market Facilitation Program. 

This month’s barometer survey asked producers how they plan to use a forthcoming subsidy and 53 per cent said they would pay down debt, 25 per cent said they would use it to strengthen their farm’s working capital, 12 per cent said they would buy farm machinery and 11 per cent would use it to cover family living expenses.

Province wants to pick data centre sites

 

The Ontario government has posted a proposal to allow it to pick sites for data centres.

It said the centres are forecast to take up to 13 per cent of the province’s electricity supply.

 Under the proposal, data centers would need approval from the Minister of Energy and Mines to connect to the electricity grid.

The proposal effectively over-rules municipal desires to attract data centres which provide jobs and tax revenue.

OECD report urges Canada to reform supply management

 

Canada should gradually reduce its reliance on supply management for dairy and poultry farmers said a new report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Its advice is contained in a report on agriculture policies of OECD members around the world.

It said Canada’s supply management system is hindering market responsiveness and discouraging innovation.

The report said production quotas should be gradually increased and price supports (i.e. tariffs) reduced.

It said Canada’s support for agriculture is heavily weighted to dairy and poultry and is the key reason why Canada’s overall agriculture tariffs are 14 per cent compared with an average of two per cent for OECD members.

Tariffs for dairy and poultry imports to Canada average about 250 per cent.

The report is also critical of Canadian agriculture’s role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pointed to exemptions such as carbon taxes on fuel used on farms.

Organic growers need U.S. market

 

Canada’s organic industry has been cautioned to keep quiet about North American trade issues during the upcoming review of the trade deal among Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Matt Holmes, executive vice-president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said the current trade deal has done a good job of shielding it from United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

He was speaking in Saskatoon just before the Organic Connections Conference and Trade Show.

He told the organic industry leaders that they can quietly work away at things they want to improve in the trade deal, but should refrain from making noise in the media.

Gene editing may control BVD

British scientists believe they can use gene editing to counter bovine diarrhea virus (BVD),

Their optimism arises from success in using gene editing to control a similar virus, classical swine fever.

The research is being done by the University of Edinburgh ,

Classical swine fever, also called hog cholera, is not in Canada, said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

But BVD is common in western Canadian beef herds and in feedlots, according to a factsheet published by the  University of Calgary.

It can infect calves before birth, can prompt abortions, still births and weak calves. Other BVD symptoms include diarrhea, fever and impair the immune system so other diseases more readily infect calves.

There are effective BVD vaccines.

Kosher chicken appeal cancelled

 

A tribunal hearing over an appeal filed by Premier Kosher Inc. against the Chicken Farmers of Ontario marketing board has been cancelled.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness Appeal Tribunal has had the appeal on its docket for Nov. 7.

Wheat exports start off strong

 

The Canadian Grain Commission reported record-high wheat exports for the first three months of this crop year.

They totalled 5.1 million tonnes compared with 4.5 million for the same period a year ago.