Where are the Bees?  

Posted by Wyatt

Of the many concerning developments in food and agriculture over recent years, one stands out as being particularly perplexing and disturbing. It is the widespread disappearance of honey bee colonies throughout the North America that has come to be known as Colony Collapse Disorder. Some beekeepers began to report unusually high losses of 30-90 percent of their hives. As many as 50 percent of all affected colonies demonstrated symptoms inconsistent with any known causes of honeybee death: sudden loss of a colony’s worker bee population with very few dead bees found near the colony. The queen and brood (young) remained, and the colonies had relatively abundant honey and pollen reserves. But hives cannot sustain themselves without worker bees and would eventually die. This combination of events resulting in the loss of a bee colony has been called Colony Collapse Disorder. Certain pesticides are harmful to bees. That’s why we require instructions for protecting bees on the labels of pesticides that are known to be particularly harmful to bees. This is one of many reasons why everyone must read and follow pesticide label instructions.

It has not been said that is is directly related to pesticides however, it shows us how delicate our ecosystems are and knowing how important bees are to our crops we must do everything we can to prevent the spread of CCD. 

We are Free of It.  

Posted by Wyatt

It has ruined livestock farmers and unleashed famines that in turn have fuelled turbulence and war.


Stamping it out, a quest that can be traced back to 1920, brought together the World Organisation for Animal Health, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization and national veterinary agencies. Their prime weapons have been vaccines as well as routine surveillance, in which outbreaks are swiftly spotted by veterinarians and then circumscribed.


What is this you are probably thinking, well its rinderpest, also called cattle plague.  Highly contagious and often fatal among bovine species but not infectious for humans, the rinderpest virus has a destructive history going back two thousand years. 


Ann Tutwiler, said  "We have a tremendous success that we can count today. It's a success that's born of cooperation, collaboration and partnership and most particularly knowledge,"  

We can make sure this doesn't happen again. 
If we can control the spread and end a disease of this magnitude it really speaks for the worlds farmers and how important quarantines are when it come to preventing the spread of diseases.    

Robotics In Our Industry  

Posted by Wyatt

What would it be like if you could only combine grain that is dry enough (and leave the rest to dry out) or to select and harvest fruits and vegetables that meet a size criteria. As these criteria often attract quality premiums, increased economic returns could justify the additional sensing. With robotics this is not far away, we have seen the uses in the dairy industry, in china with the rice crops.
 




Better yet what would it be like if you did not have to weed trees around the yard.  Or could control the amount of spray you apply to the crops, instead of spraying the entire crop you could target only the weeds, saving money on herbicides and reduce the environmental impact.


With robotics we can advance our ability to obtain higher  profits, reduce environmental impact and reduce the amount of waste.  

Farmers may use animal by-products in feed again,  

Posted by Wyatt

The European Union is keen to reintroduce practices banned on farms since the 'mad cow' scandal broke.


Member of the European Parliament will vote this week on whether to lift the ban on feeding animal by-products to pigs, chickens and farmed fish. They have been urged to back the move by an influential EU committee, which called in a recent draft report for the feed ban to be revised.


Cattle feed may be protected because cows are vegetarians
Cattle feed may be protected because cows are vegetarians
The document, from the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, stops short of altering the status quo on cattle feed, pointing out that because cows are vegetarian they should not be fed so-called "processed animal proteins" 


The potential U-turn comes as concerns escalate about how the world will continue to feed itself against a backdrop of rapidly inflating food prices and a soaring population. 


This is interesting, will North America follow suit or will shake our heads. Food scarcity is a problem and I see that people will look for alternatives when they are needed. 

Philanthropy Vs Government Handouts.  

Posted by Wyatt

Mr. Gates’ first major address was on agriculture, to high-level members of the Obama administration. Over the past five years, the philanthropic foundation named for Mr. Gates and his wife, Melinda, have spent $1.7-billion in pursuit of food security by helping small farmers in struggling nations.  


The Conservative government’s 2010 budget outlined $1.8-billion in cuts to planned foreign assistance by 2014-15. Official assistance to Africa, the continent most in need of agriculture-related development assistance to combat malnutrition and hunger, has also been scaled back in recent years as Canada shifted its list of priority recipients to more Caribbean and Latin American nations.


The citizens have a voice, I believe that when it comes down to charity and governments giving money they must be very careful, after all a country would not be rich if they did not have the citizens backing them.  Community involvement is very important to me and I feel that we must give back, to feel good about ourselves and to help people in need, but I think it is a bit scary that a few leaders can decide were the money we have given government goes. That high fuel price that is full of tax and the GST, not to mention income taxes. If any one needs help it is the people here, like the people of Slave Lake who have no house left or the farmers in Manitoba that have lost their farm land due to a flood. If people feel that it is important that people in Africa get school then they should individually donate, but that do not mean our government should decide what charities outside of canada need our tax money we work hard for. 

A Bit of History Behind a Lovely Day Off.  

Posted by Wyatt

Queen Victoria was born on May 24, 1819. Following the death of three uncles and her father, she became Queen of the United Kingdom on June 20, 1837 and reigned until her death on January 22, 1901. Victoria is still the longest-reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. During Victoria's life, the British Empire expanded considerably. However, her powers as Queen of the United Kingdom were reduced as the House of Commons became more important and powerful in British politics.
The monarch's birthday has been celebrated in Canada since before the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign. After her death, in 1901, May 25 became known as Empire Day. The sovereign's official birthday was still celebrated, often on the King's or Queen's actual birthday. In 1952, Empire Day was moved to the Monday before May 25 and since 1953, the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II has been celebrated on this date in Canada. In 1958, Empire Day became known as Commonwealth Day, which was moved to the second Monday in March. The Monday before May 25 then became known as Victoria Day, which is a Canadian statutory holiday.

Please take some time to enjoy the day with your family and friends, and perhaps get ready for a delightful summer.

Rain Rain.  

Posted by Wyatt

Yesterday I was out in the rain, working on my show cattle getting them ready for the Summer Synergy Show and I was thinking how nice it is to have rain, it always make things brighter, greener and cleaner. It is very important that our fields get the water they need to grass feeders over the summer, our farms primary source of income. It was only a few years back when most of Alberta was in a drought, making things hard, financially, emotionally and literally. I ask dad how much rain do we need and he, like someone who has lived through a few droughts, always replies, "we could always use more".  That said maybe in other places and times of the year rain can be more of a affliction then a blessing I am all for the rain. 

Farm Safety  

Posted by Wyatt

In Canada, an average of 115 people are killed and 1,500 hospitalized because of farm-related accidents each year. By taking precautions to make your operation safer, you could save money, time and lives. Now with seeding and farmers working the field as well as finishing up calving more then ever we are hurrying to get everything done. It is still very important to stand back and make sure that we are still being safe. I am not a a person who will not lift a object over 50 LBS but I just do not want to know one of those 115 people who are killed because of an avoidable accident. I hope you to take a extra minute to be safe because it is worth it.     

Who is Protecting Our Livestock  

Posted by Wyatt

http://topnews.us/images/imagecache/main_image/sites/default/files/cfia.jpg
After yesterdays post on Equine herpes virus, I have had a few emails regarding who is looking to make sure the problem doesn't spread to Canada. Canadian Food Inspection Agency are to people for the job.



The CFIA is an integral part of the federal government's capacity to respond rapidly and effectively in the event of a food safety emergency or a threat to agricultural or forest biosecurity. Agency surveillance and inspection programs are designed to detect the presence of hazards in food, animals and plants and their products, and provide an early warning for problems whether they are accidental or intentional.
In addition, stringent border controls, enhanced surveillance and early detection activities, and increased laboratory capacity enable the CFIA to rapidly identify disease agents or substances associated with agro-terrorism, tampering and vandalism.
CFIA works closely with federal and provincial governments to share expertise, and collaborate with the international community for intelligence sharing, to identify risks posed by foreign plant and animal diseases and pests.

Horse Sickness  

Posted by Wyatt

http://blogs.usask.ca/wcvm_news/P1000879_2.jpgEquine herpes virus is a contagious disease and may spread quickly among horse populations although EHV-1 is not transmissible to humans. Horse-to-horse contact, aerosol transmission, and contaminated hands, equipment, tack and feed all play a role in disease spread. Treatment may include intravenous fluids, anti-inflammatory drugs and other appropriate supportive treatment. Immediate separation and isolation of horses suspected to be sick are key elements for disease control. Equine herpes virus that was been transmitted to some California horses at the National Cutting Horse Association's Western National Championships in Ogden, Utah April 30 through May 8.


The California Department of Food and Agriculture has contacted all exhibitors from California who participated in the  event and asked them to isolate and monitor their horses for clinical signs of EHV-1. A rectal temperature in excess of 102 degrees Fahrenheit commonly precedes other clinical signs, including nasal discharge, lack of coordination, hind end weakness, depression or lethargy, urine dribbling, and decreased tail tone, all neurological impacts.  Therefore, horse owners with potentially exposed horses are urged to take temperatures on each individual horse twice a day.


If they find that horses not at the show are getting sick, then the strain "is not acting as we know it to act, and we probably are working with an emerging disease," said Bruce King, Utah's state veterinarian. 


The sickness is located in the western states, but it is important to always be aware of your livestock and now especially with this disease out brake. 

Cattle, in Everything!  

Posted by Wyatt


Cows are usually thought of as a source of food or a fabulous clothing accessory. Some of the most supple leathers in the world come from cows and are used by the likes of Gucci, Prada, and Coach. Such food products that generally come from cows are hamburger, steak, and milk. What most consumers do not know is that all parts of the cow are utilized for other products from the ears to the hoofs. When a cow is slaughtered, most of its meat is used for human consumption. However, if you were to try to reconstruct a cow piece by piece, you would have to look in places like your garden, medicine cabinet, and parts of your car to find parts of the beast. When you go in your bathroom and glance around at your toothpaste, shaving cream, shampoo, lotion and soap. These all contain cow parts in some way, shape or form. When a woman puts her makeup on in the morning she is possibly applying cow parts along with her eyeshadow and lipstick. Zits may not be the worst of a teenager’s problem when he treats himself with his zit cream at night. He also could be rubbing peaces of a cow into his face. Herapin is a frequently prescribed anticoagulant drug. Thousands of people take it everyday. This, is made from the lungs and bovine mucosa of the cow. The adrenal gland is used to make steroid drugs and the pancreas is used to make insulin, a drug that millions of diabetics take on a daily basis. The dura matter of a cow is also used as an implant in brain surgery. It is important that we are utilizing every part to reduce waste.  Ultimately, every last scrap of cow gets used somewhere, somehow. The blood of a cow and its cells are in many industrial and household products. Plywood glues and adhesives have these cells in them because it helps bind the molecules that make the adhesives stick. Fertilizer for flowers also contains cells from the blood of cows. Many gardeners do not even realize that they are sprinkling their gardens with bovine serum from the blood of cows. Fatty acids are also utilized in many products such as tires for cars and lawnmowers and candles. The fatty acids used include oleic acid, azelaic acid, and stearic acid. Crayons also have fatty acids from cows in them.  Fishing line, face wash, chewing gum, food packaging, sweetener, antifreeze, synthentic oil, toothpaste, and sugar. These are everyday items that all of us use. If one realized the mass amounts of products they themselves were using with cow parts, they might think twice about saying what a waste it is to eat cattle. All parts of a cow truly are used to make our everyday lives more convenient and productive.

A Different Type of Organic.  

Posted by Wyatt

   



Today I am going to talk to you about a different organic, by definition denoting a relation between elements of something such that they fit together harmoniously as necessary parts of a whole. I bet most people would not consider how well farmers have integrated green technology. In order to maintain dugouts or ponds farmers and ranchers will fence off the area and pump the water from the dugout to the water trough. To preserve the water system it requires the usage of power, now if you are close to electricity it not a problem, however most of the time the farmer is in the middle of the field with absolutely no electricity near by. Therefore systems have been designed using solar, wind and water power. On our ranch we tend to use solar panels, with a few batteries attached the system can charge when the cattle are grazing and use the electricity when they are drinking.  Farmers are always looking for new and innovative ideas to make life easier and more environmentally friendly.

Rules to Live By.  

Posted by Wyatt

A friend shared this note with me and it really hit home. 


Business will continue to go where invited and remain where appreciated

Reputations will continue to be made by many acts and lost by one

People will go right on preferring to do business with friends

Go-givers will become the best go-getters

The extra mile of personal effort will be free of traffic jams

Performance will continue to out-sell promises

Enthusiasm will be as contagious as ever

Know-how will out-perform guess-how

Trust, not tricks, will keep customers loyal

Quality will be prized as a precious possession



Jonathan Fox, Jr. of Lloydminster


We Waste Ton of Food each Year  

Posted by Wyatt

The United Nations says one-third of all the food produced around the world each year is wasted.  In rich developed countries an average consumer throws away 100 Kg of perfectly edible fruits and vegetables. However in poorer countries food is lost by lack of refrigeration, in transport and the lack of infrastructure. Some people are bringing awareness to this issue by using ingredients that would have otherwise been thrown away. Like blood, brain, cauliflower root and leaf that would have been otherwise tossed in the trash.  Not to mention the the UN has 1.3 billion tonnes of food waste. When people are talking of world food production needing to be raised to 70% by 2050 perhaps if we addressed the ways food was stored and could reduces the waste we might only have to increase by 50%.  People are blaming the low cost of food for the large amount of waste. "We're just coming to a point now in our history I think where the cheap food era is finished. Farmers are going to have to get paid more for it. " said John Chudleigh. I think that it is important to in times were uncertainty is about to look at our past. The indigenous people of Canada used all of the buffalo or seal with that in mind perhaps we are going to be eating cauliflower root with a sautéed in cow blood in a few years.

Spring has Sprung!  

Posted by Wyatt

   


Yesterday was a beautiful day, I was out and I seen farmers in the field getting the crops in order. Our grass has really grown, I bet if you watched it closely you could have seen it grow. Moms flowers have proven that even the cold long winter wasn't a problem, as may of the tulips are almost ready to bloom. The calves seem to be playing in the field running and jumping. It is days like these were farmers realize that ranching and working the land is more then just a job but a life style. It is important to stay optimistic even when the weather is cold, prices are down, and things are not going our way.  In these situations I think that it is important to remember the time that were bad and worked out just fine. This morning I woke up to the birds chirping and I know that this year is going to be the best one yet.

Sustainable Agriculture  

Posted by Wyatt



While I was eating a homemade hamburger I saw the stock market report on the TV. I looked down at my hamburger and I thought how much of this uses oil to be produced. I have broken it down for you to see.  
First off we have the bread, some farmer around the world would have to plant the cereal,  This would be put in using a diesel run tractor. First the farmer would have to plow the fields, harrow the fields , finally we can plant the seeds using the drill. After that we have to worry about applying chemicals like pesticides which are composed of petroleum based products. And chemical fertilizers derived from natural gas. Once the cereal is ready it needs to be harvested. Then it is shipped off using big trucks using even more diesel. It then is processed in a large automated building that is powered by oil and natural gas. 
Then we have the beef that requires even more energy.  Cattle are feed on grain, requiring vehicles to feed them and move them. 
Lastly we have salad that was either shipped in, flown in or grown in green houses.

All in all you can easily see the farmers and the worlds food supply is dependent on fossil fuels. It is important to realize that we cannot continue to depend on fossil fuels because of the increase in price and the decrease in availability.  Until the farmer can control the price of oil or the price of product he sells it will be hard for him make a decent profit. 






  

Artificial Insemination  

Posted by Wyatt

Artificial insemination has the potential to increase calf crop uniformity and weaning weight, reduce birth weight and calving difficulty, shorten the calving season and even produce calves of a known sex. On Saturday I bread my heifers using  artificial insemination, the neat part about this method is, you have the ability to use cattle from all over the world. I think that science has made our industry a better place, and has given us the opportunity to advance our herds very quickly. Sometimes you may not have access to a bull or you have too many cows for one bull to breed and in these cases it would be more practical to use artificial insemination. For example when the border was closed, it offered US ranchers the ability to get Canadian genetics even though cattle were not actually moving. 

And I think you will like this picture from toonpool.com

Organic Agriculture, is it Worth it?  

Posted by Wyatt

According to public perception, organic food is the healthy option. Sales of organic produce have rocketed over the past few years with the organics industry sending out messages of safer, healthier food created by farming practices which are better for the environment. But is it really as good as we think? Critics argue that organic farming leads to the risk of contamination with potentially dangerous bacteria and mould toxins, and increased levels of 'natural pesticide' found in organic produce could even be as dangerous as synthetic chemicals.  I think that it is important to reduces the chemicals and other nonessential farming practices that could be harmful to our environment. For example we have implemented some things of our own we  pioneered "swath-grazing" in 1961. Since then, we have eliminated 70 per cent of fertilizer costs with their swath-grazing practice and do not have to harvest grain, I say it is a win win. It is important to use technology to protect food but also to protect the environment. 

Mothers Day  

Posted by Wyatt

Anna Jervis founded Mother’s Day more than 100 years ago, she envisioned a day to honour mothers and motherhood, I think that it would be a perfect time to buy local.  For example instead of buying flowers from your local super centre check out a local green house. This is a great way to give back and give to your mother at the same time. I guess we have to thank Bessy in the field too.   .   

Climate Change is Good! ... Well for Canadian Farmers.  

Posted by Wyatt

Stanford researchers believe that climate change has already begun to slow harvest growth rates almost everywhere in the world — except in the United States and Canada.

"In some sense, Canada has gained relative to a lot of other countries because Canada has not seen significant trends so far and other countries have, on average, been hurt by climate change which has driven up prices," Lobell said.

Weather or not, climate change is a factor or possibly just a drought in Europe and an earthquake in Japan that result in the prices to rise and the good weather in North America causing increased yields. I guess the most important thing people should take from this is how different the agriculture industry is compared to other industries because we have so many factors that dictate whether we receive a profit. This is why it is important to be versatile when it comes to agriculture because it is truly a industry where only the strong survive.       

Our Purebred Journey.  

Posted by Wyatt



As most of you all will know after reading my blog about the bell L brand, our cattle made us who we are and have helped us develop our future. In 1943 my great grand parents bought our first purebred Hereford herd, this came with their homestead at Symons Valley just north of Calgary.  Since then we have made great leaps forward, We were the first people to export Hereford semen to Australia in 1973. In 1976 we were on the leading edge of embryo transplanting and flushing. It was important to my Grandparents to start our own annual production sale in 1972 selling our hereford bulls. We continued on with our purebred Herefords until 2001 were we sold them to Adams Hirsche Herefords. At this time my father took over the cattle and purchased commercial cattle, a herd made up of Hereford and Angus cows. We use the strong Angus characteristics like strong udders and combined them with the hardiness of the Hereford breed. For 7 years we grew our hereford influence herd to over 500 head. Then we sold our herd and now we are custom grassing cattle. The interesting part is that now, I have purchased two purebred Hereford heifers from Hirsche Herefords last fall. One contains almost all of the Hanson genetics and the other contains only a bit of our genetics. I also have a small commercial herd of my own containing Hereford influence genetics.         

The Cowboy Loan  

Posted by Wyatt

A Cowboy entered a bank in New York City and asked for the loan officer. He told the loan officer that he was going to Paris for an international rodeo for two weeks and needed to borrow $5,000 and that he was not a depositor of  the bank. The bank officer told him that the bank would need some form of security for the loan, so the Cowboy handed over the keys to a new Ferrari. The car was parked on the street in front of the bank. The Cowboy produced the title and everything checked out. The loan officer agreed to hold the car as collateral for the loan and apologized for having to charge 12% interest.

Later, the bank's president and its officers all enjoyed a good laugh at the Cowboy from Montana for using a $250,000 Ferrari as collateral for a $5,000 loan. An employee of the bank then drove the Ferrari into the bank's private underground garage and parked it.
Two weeks later, the Cowboy returned, repaid the $5,000 and the interest of $23.07. The loan officer said, "Sir, we are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, checked you out on Dunn & Bradstreet and found that you are a highly sophisticated investor and multimillionaire with real estate and financial interests all over the world. Your investments include a large number of wind turbines around Big Timber, Montana . What puzzles us is - why would you bother to borrow $5,000?"
The good ol' Montana boy replied, "Where else in New York City can I park my car for two weeks for only $23.07 and expect it to be there when I return?"        

What Does Majority Mean For Farmers  

Posted by Wyatt

Like all Ag people I am eagerly awaiting what the Conservative Majority has is mind for farming in canada. 


The party's agriculture platform included a promise to remove barley from the CWB's authority.





The Conservatives have also pledged to place a continued emphasis on market access and trade. During the campaign, Stephen Harper also spoke about completing the Canada-EU Free Trade Agreement by 2012 and the Canada-India Free Trade Agreement in 2013. The Conservatives have also promised to continue to stand up for supply management in all international forums and bilateral negotiations.



Noting that I think that the Conservative minority made small steps towards making farming more practical, we now may really see some large strides forward.

This means more individualism, allowing farmers to market barley outside of the province, and more money in Farmers pocket. Also free trade with Canada's second largest overall trading partner. 

I think that the less government involvement will directly reduce the bureaucracy and let individuals see a higher profit.

Pricey Earrings!  

Posted by Wyatt

With calving season in high gear, I am sure the cost of the RFID tags has crossed the Supper table more then once this season. After doing some research of my own I have begun questioning the cost of these little chips. 


First off lets look at just how they work. Passive RFID tags rely entirely on the reader as their power source. These tags are read up to 20 feet away, and they have lower production costs than battery powered active and semi-active tags. Most passive RFID tags cost between 7 and 20 cents each [source:RFID Journal]. 

What I am trying to understand is how a chip that cost 20 cents max can be costing farmers $3.00 to $3.50 for a little more plastic and large numbers. Don't get me wrong I think that a strong identifying system is key especially when it comes to tracking diseases and other hazards to the industry, but I think that the price has been inflated due to the farmers dependence on the tag to sell livestock. let me know what you think of the price and the reason why they are so expensive.   



BMO Thinks the Future is Bright!  

Posted by Wyatt





The Bank of Montreal on Thursday forecast that Canada’s agricultural sector will grow by between 3.5 and 4.0 percent this year barring major flooding that may hurt crop yields.


The experts think that the crop segment is expected to grow faster than its livestock counterpart, where activity will be limited by smaller breeding herds and high feeding costs. Canadian farmers are likely to continue to experience solid financial performance this year, with crop and livestock prices expected to remain buoyant and output rising on stronger demand and improved yields.


I think that this is very good news!  However, I am still very concerned that the corporate agricultural business will take most of it, if not all of the increase in the market, leaving the farmers once again without an increase in profit.  

Who to Vote for when it comes to Agriculture...Just in time for the election  

Posted by Wyatt

 Conservatives

The Conservative platform focuses more on agriculture and farmers than food, although it does mention the creation of a national farm and food strategy to guide federal policy.

New export markets beat out local food initiatives.

In the last budget, the Conservatives tabled a proposal to inject $50-million over two years into agricultural innovation. Their platform promises creation of an “Agriculture Innovation Initiative, to support local farm-based research and development projects.”

Ag, not food

“Whatever it is that drives the best return to a farmer,” said former agriculture minister Gerry Ritz.




Green

Of the federal food platforms, the Green Party has the only policy that mentions the link between agriculture and climate change.
Reward farmers for switching to organic production methods; strengthen Canadian organic standards; implement strict monitoring of pesticides.
Expand domestic food production and procurement with “200-kilometre diet” promotion; expand farmers' markets and culinary tourism, rooftop gardens, urban agriculture and seed banks.
Reform agricultural regulations “to challenge corporate concentration;” reform farm income supports; encourage grocery retailers to make shelf space for local foods.
Establishment of greenhouse gas emission targets in collaboration with industry.




Liberals

Announced with much fanfare last April by Leader Michael Ignatieff, the Liberal food platform aims to be Canada's first national food policy. It is the brainchild of Carolyn Bennett, Liberal candidate for the west Toronto riding of St. Paul's.
Promotion of healthier living with education programs for children; improved food labelling; tough new restrictions on trans fats and sodium.
$50-million injection to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to ramp up inspections on imported food; full review of federal agencies responsible for food safety.
A mass review of Canada's entire agriculture file, from subsidies to research and innovation.
Rewards for farmers who set aside land for wildlife habitats or carbon sequestering; quadruple clean-energy production.
Expand export markets for Canadian food and beverage producers.






NDP

The NDP food platform is the thickest of those of the federal parties, and is the most focused on the development of regional food systems. Belief that access to and sustained production of healthy food is critical to Canada's future. New labelling laws will help consumers identify healthy foods and genetically modified ingredients.
Educate students on how to produce and prepare nutritious foods.
Boost support to Canadian producers and local food networks by supporting farmers' markets, agriculture co-operatives and alternative regulation for small-scale operators.
Review the impact of trade agreements to assess threats to domestic food security.
Improve young farmers' access to arable land and training.

I am very exited to vote and I think that I am going to vote Conservative because their platform is focused on helping farmers and the industry rather than food and the environment. I hope that this post will help you make a decision with your food supply in mind.