Behind the Lines - August/September 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
Farmers and journalists alike have looked to the rising tide of animal welfare concerns in Europe for decades and predicted they would wash ashore in North America sometime in the future. With food retailers vowing to their customers that suppliers will do away with controversial practices such as laying-hen cages and stalls for gestating sows in the coming years, and also pressures on the international trade front, that future is clearly now. This month's cover story focuses on the cutting edge of new technologies dealing with these concerns and the producers who are adopting them.
A huge volume of information on animal welfare was amassed for this story. Writers Mary Baxter and Susan Mann have looked at the latest technology in loose housing for sows, caging systems for laying hens, comfort for dairy cows, along with drier barns for poultry. These technologies are about setting a higher standard in housing livestock in Ontario and Canada.
In a related article, well-known veterinarian Tim Blackwell argues that we need a new beginning when it comes to the dialogue surrounding animal welfare. Once you've read his arguments, you may begin to challenge your own beliefs.
Every beginning has an end, and we are saying goodbye to a writer who has been with us since the start of this magazine. From our very first issue in 1999, it's been a pleasure working with climatologist Henry Hengeveld, who has been writing our weather column. Sadly, this will be his last. We wish Henry well in his retirement. It was only when we began the search for a new weather columnist that we learned of the high regard Henry's colleagues at Environment Canada had for his integrity and his commitment to climatology.
In fact, he loved his work so much that even after he retired as chief climatologist for Environment Canada, Henry continued in an emeritus role without pay. We are going to miss him. His farewell column is on page 80.
Beginning with our October issue, we will feature a weather column presented from the perspective of a meteorologist. How will our new writer, schooled in another scientific discipline, tackle these issues? That's something to look forward to in the fall.
In our crops section, columnist Pat Lynch has more advice for landlords and Keith Reid's Seedbed feature offers sound tips on strip till.
In our June issue, Susan Mann wrote about concerns over the stringent definition of "local" foods as applied by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Toronto restaurants couldn't label as "local" products grown as close to the city as the Holland Marsh because they were just outside the 50-km limit. Since that writing, the CFIA has redefined local to make the policy "workable." BF
ROBERT IRWIN & DON STONEMAN