THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
VOL. 91 | NO. 14 | $4.25
APRIL 2013
IN THIS ISSUE TECHS & SPECS
The power of precision seeding EQUIPMENT The world’s largest air seeder carts | P. 4
DISC DRILL PROTOTYPE Morris disc drill in world wide testing | P. 18
SERVING WESTERN CANADIAN FARM FAMILIES SINCE 1923
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PLANTERS: NOT JUST FOR CORN
Singulation, the attraction of the one | P. 20
PLUS: Air seeders and drills Techs & Specs
| P. 8 - 16
CROPS | CONTROVERSY
Farmers plan GM alfalfa protest day Roundup Ready alfalfa contested | Federal agriculture minister’s Sask. office one of the sites targeted for protests April 9 BY BARB GLEN LETHBRIDGE BUREAU
A day of action against the release of genetically modified alfalfa is scheduled April 9 with lunch hour protests outside MPs’ constituency offices. The Ontario branch of the National Farmers Union has initiated the protest, which is supported by the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network. As of April 1, protests had been con-
firmed in 27 locations, 14 of them in Ontario and 10 in Western Canada. The NFU contends that Roundup Ready alfalfa, if registered for use in Canada, will inevitably cross-pollinate with non-GM varieties, eliminating organic alfalfa and destroying export markets that demand nonGM product. Glenn Tait of the NFU’s Saskatchewan branch is organizing a protest outside federal agriculture minister
Gerry Ritz’s office in North Battleford, Sask. “Very few if any farmers really want this,” Tait said. “There doesn’t seem to be a big demand for it. There is a great deal of objection to it, however.” Tait said there is no way to contain GM alfalfa genetics because pollen is spread by bees, other insects and wind. He said all alfalfa will eventually
carry the GM trait, eliminating domestic and international organic alfalfa markets and eliminating international sales of organic honey. “This is another in a long list of tragedies that have befallen agriculture since the Conservatives have gained power,” Tait said. Forage Genetics International has the rights to commercialize Roundup Ready alfalfa in Canada, but a
company official said last month a decision to do so had not yet been made. Eastern Canada and Atlantic Canada are expected to be the initial targets if the variety is commercialized. Mike Peterson, global traits lead for FGI, said in late February that the company doesn’t want to rush the product to market. SEE FARMERS PLAN PROTEST, P 2
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Distinct urban, rural ridings weaken ag voice: Tory MPs
DINING BY MOONLIGHT
Six Saskatchewan Conservative MPs oppose a proposal to create six new rural ridings in their province | Page 14
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Northern pintails searching for dinner in a pea field near High River, Alta., cross in front of a full moon March 25. |
MIKE STURK PHOTO
FARMER SURVIVES ICY PLUNGE P 22 | AGE VERIFICATION CRITICAL P 96
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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
APRIL 4, 2013 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4