THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013
VOL. 91 | NO. 11 | $4.25
New durum = new markets | P36
SERVING WESTERN CANADIAN FARM FAMILIES SINCE 1923
TRADE | FOOD LABELLING
|
WWW.PRODUCER.COM
I’M READY FOR MY CLOSEUP
U.S. label plan irks Canada Onerous labels | The U.S.’s attempts to change COOL may widen rift with Canada BY BARBARA DUCKWORTH CALGARY BUREAU
SEE U.S. LABEL PLAN, PAGE 3
A bull looks through the fence as the Boyz and Bulls Bash prepares to kick off bull riding season in Manitoba. The fifth annual event, held March 8-9 in Brandon, attracted 25 riders from across North America who competed for the top prize of $2,500. | SANDY BLACK PHOTO
WEATHER | RUNOFF FORECAST
Sask. sounds flood alert ‘Don’t want to alarm anybody’ | Above average runoff conditions are expected for the agricultural area and very high runoff in pockets BY KAREN BRIERE REGINA BUREAU
Saskatchewan water officials are predicting high potential for flooding this spring and urge residents to prepare. However, they say the flooding
BULK UP NOW. EARN UP TO
potential is less than it was in the record flood of 2011, when late spring rain overwhelmed already saturated soil and devastated parts of southeastern Saskatchewan. “We don’t want to alarm anybody at this time but we want everyone to take the precautions necessary,” said
Ken Cheveldayoff, minister responsible for the Water Security Agency. The agency’s forecast released March 11 suggests above average runoff conditions across the agricultural area. SEE FLOOD ALERT, PAGE 2
$1.00/ACRE MORE.
High-performance cereal herbicides. Convenient BULK UP savings. Even more Grower Dividends. Calculate your Dividends at dowagrodividends.ca today. Deadline March 20, 2013 ® TM
Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. 01/13-19758-02
TandemTM, SimplicityTM, Liquid AchieveTM, AttainTM XC, OcTTainTM XL, FrontlineTM XL, PrestigeTM XC, StellarTM
REWARDING HIGHER PERFORMANCE
u|xhHEEJBy00001pzYv,:, MARCH 14, 2013 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4 The Western Producer is published in Saskatoon by Western Producer Publications, which is owned by GVIC Communications Corp. Publisher: Shaun Jessome Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240; Registration No. 10676
Changes proposed by the United States to its country-of-origin labelling law could widen its rift with Canada and Mexico. The U. S. Department of Agriculture published on March 11 the 44 page rule to amend the legislation. It would require more specific labelling at retail outlets to identify originating countries for cattle and hogs, where t he a n i ma l s w e re raised and where they were processed. “These changes are not going to reduce the likelihood of retaliation or of being found out of compliance (with World Trade Organization rules),” said Martin Rice, manager of the Canadian Pork Council “It is certainly what the pro-COOL forces were looking for.” The Canadian government, the pork council and Canadian Cattlemen’s Association have fought a legal challenge to end what they say is discrimination against foreign livestock entering the U.S. They say the latest proposed amendment is more strict than what now exists. The W TO ruled last year that COOL discriminated against Canadian and Mexican cattle and hogs f e d o r p ro c e s s e d i n t h e U. S. It ordered the law to be changed by May 23. If changes prove unsatisfactory, Canada and Mexico may take trade action.