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Que. farmers urge public for support

Que. farmers urge public for support

About 5,000 farmers marched through Montreal over the weekend

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Farmers from rural Quebec made their way to downtown Montreal yesterday to call on the public and federal government to support local producers.

About 5,000 farmers, with about six driving tractors, participated in the hour-long march organized by the Union des producteurs agricoles.

Several of the attendees included dairy farmers, who voiced their concerns with Canada’s dairy concessions in the USMCA. Under the agreement, the U.S. will receive access to almost 4 per cent of the Canadian dairy market.

Educating the public about how these concessions will impact producers is important, said Johan Van Hyfte, a dairy producer from Henryville, Que., who attended the march.

“I’m upset that we’ve been used as a trade mark,” he told Farms.com. “Why is it that we as farmers take all the risk but are always the ones to lose out? I want people to know that (supply management) isn’t a perfect system, but it’s one of the best in the world. I also want them to know that the price of milk probably isn’t going to go down, so they should continue to support Canadian dairy farmers.”

Another topic discussed at the march was paying temporary employees.

Quebec pays its seasonal workers a higher wage than those in the U.S. and Mexico, yet the local prices for some products aren’t competitive, Van Hyfte said.

“It’s about being fair,” he said. “Strawberries come up from Mexico and the U.S., where the workers are paid low wages, but the strawberries are cheaper than our local ones. We pay our workers well, which is why the prices might be a little higher. And you can’t tell me their quality is as good as ours.”

Participating in the event also included advocating for the next generation of farmers.

Families are having succession planning discussions. Making sure there’s a viable farm available for young farmers is important,” Van Hyfte said.

“Eventually, some of our kids are going to take over our farms,” he said. “I want to make sure that what they take over from me is still something they can live on.”

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The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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