Will Verboven

Looking back, looking ahead … some bad, some good

At this time of the year opinion writers like to reflect on past events and hopes for the future. For the agriculture industry 2016...

Maple syrup here and there

As noted in a previous column, there is more to the story of maple syrup production. Maple trees are native to every province in Canada...

Maple syrup cartel fails to control

If you buy maple syrup you need to thank Quebec producers for stable low prices. Although the intention of that group was price stability...

Set the Minister of Agriculture free: speak freely to farmers and ranchers at agriculture events

Here is a request to Premier Notley – could you allow your Minister of Agriculture, Oneil Carlier, to actually speak freely to farmers...

Two separate ag production worlds: Will there be a tipping point?

One notes a recent news item that stated in 2016 the net world population expansion is expected to increase by 60 million.

TB outbreak reveals lack of government concern

Almost any cattle disease outbreak is met with fearful concern by the industry considering the past nightmare with BSE.

US election brings real concerns

AHEAD OF THE HEARD -- The election of Donald Trump to the US Presidency should cause the political braintrust of Canadian national....

Wallonia, Wallonia … . what do they want?

Recently Canadians were given a geography lesson about a small area called Wallonia. It's about the size of one of Alberta's larger...

Alberta makes job creation investment in China

In the wacky world of climate change dreams and schemes, government policy seems to drive ever more creative ways to spend taxpayer...

Cattle feeders face cost onslaught

In the segmented world of cattle production there is not always a lot of empathy between the various players.

Agriculture needs exemption from carbon tax

AHEAD OF THE HEARD -- It's a well-worn catchphrase but the words "what were they thinking" comes to mind when contemplating the...

ALMA demise seemed inevitable

By the end of October the seven-year saga of the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA) will have ended.

Marketing of oranges has a long history

AHEAD OF THE HEARD -- Most consumers in Canada expect to see oranges in their grocery stores every day, but it wasn't always so.

Canadian beef herd resists expansion

There is a rule of thumb in market economics that higher prices result in more supply, and that’s usually also true with cattle marketing.

Organic livestock feed may be new scandal

To your humble writer organic food production is the gift that just keeps on giving. New scandals and fraud involving organic...

Craft distilleries multiply

AHEAD OF THE HEARD -- A visit to a farmer's market in Invermere, B.C. brought to light how far we have come with the sale of alcohol.

Canola marketing crisis averted for now

There is some bemusement in watching Prime Minister Trudeau talking about Canola during his visit to China. It's unlikely big city boy...

National organizations not always national

An announcement by the CSF that it will continue to soldier on despite losing its two largest members is a political hazard.

Zika virus control

Readers would be aware of the geographic spread of the Zika virus which causes birth defects in babies born to infected mothers.

Beef message should now be clear

Your columnist has written about it before, but now an influential major fast food marketer is making it very clear – resistance is futile.