Behind the Lines - April 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
So much depends upon getting seed into the ground in the spring. But making that happen in what seems to be a narrowing "window" of good weather and soil conditions can be frustrating. We asked a handful of top producers what they do to make planting smooth and fast. This story, by Mary Baxter, starts on page 14.
Selling crops and livestock products in an increasingly global marketplace is just as daunting. "Product of . . ." labels remain a contentious issue of food labelling and form a thread in this month's issue.
On page 28, Mary Baxter writes about the "product of Ontario" label as defined by Foodland Ontario, a well-recognized classification which has become a sort of brand for food locally produced in Ontario. As it turns out, the current definitions aren't nearly as clear as some consumers would like to see. An observer might think producers would benefit from a higher standard, but the organizations that represent growers of crops and raisers of livestock say that, given the nature of modern agriculture and food processing, a higher standard would not work.
Ottawa correspondent Barry Wilson agrees in this month's The Hill column, which he dedicates to food labelling standards. Wilson describes the federal government's 98 per cent "product of Canada" rule as a wrong-headed and impractical policy that benefits neither producer nor processor. He also notes that no one who took part in public consultations requested the high level of Canadian content that ended up in the regulations.
Food labelling is an issue that isn't going away, but it's not the only one. In our January issue, Wilson wrote about the shortcomings of the 2008 tobacco buyout, which was supposed to help producers get out of growing that crop and either retire or take up other crop growing. Wilson describes the federal initiative as "hastily conceived, poorly executed" and perhaps most important of all "open to abuse."
Wilson wasn't alone in noting this. The federal auditor general did as well, and now the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is lampooning Ottawa for it. You can read about that in Short Takes on page 10.
What's that iPad doing in your tractor cab? Well, it might be there to help you pull extra data from your planter monitor. A new app allows you to see things, in real time, and then use the data in the office or for field scouting. Mike Mulhern's story in our Crops section begins on page 46.
And in our Power at Work section, you'll find Mike has dug up some interesting information about operating farm equipment off the farm. Did you know, for example, that in an average year there are more than 220 "reportable" collisions involving farm equipment on public roads in Ontario? Mike's story, beginning on page 62, outlines the most common causes of these accidents, as well as prevention strategies. BF
ROBERT IRWIN & DON STONEMAN