May 2011 - Charolais Banner

cow/calf production to register theircalves for market. It is certified forbeef projects to meet any age relatedrequirements as well.Radio-frequency identification tagsand new Canadian CattleIdentification Agency technology willimprove age verification, animaldisease traceability and monitoring,and the Canadian Livestock TrackingSystem. New technology andregulations put forth strengthen theCanadian Cattle Identification Agency.The Canadian Cattle IdentificationAgency and the Canadian LivestockTracking System will continue to growand improve for the cattle producersof future generations.The Green Future of the FamilyFarm – Autumn Jackson, Inglis, MBSenior – $200TheodoreSchultz (1945)identified theagricultureproblem withboth “the lowearnings of mostfarm people andthe greatinstability of income from farming.”As a young agriculture enthusiast Ioften wonder: Does a farm problemstill exist today, and what does thefuture hold for young westernagriculture enthusiasts?The family farm has been thebackbone of western Canada for manyyears. The family farm has survivedfinancial and environmental stressesthat many other businesses would notbe able to withstand. But in a worldwhere large corporations are takingover, why are family farms able tosurvive? Two of the key reasonsfamily farms are still the mainproducers in agriculture are 1) theirincentive to work is high (farmfamilies gain from improving orworking harder) and 2) transactioncosts are minimized (farming hasmany stages of production so the jobsare always changing).I believe the future will not see thedisintegration of the family farm,although changes are on the horizon.The current market is demanding thatfarms increase in size to becompetitive. Economies of scalereduce long run average costs, andtherefore bigger farms have largerinfluence in selling and buying,benefit more from economic booms,and are able to survive economic lows.When a farm increases in size, it isable to achieve an absolute advantage,meaning that it is able to perform anactivity with the fewest labour hours(due to the larger equipment andnewer technology). The moretechnologically advanced a farm is, isvery likely to be directly related withthe farm profits.A healthy environment is notsomething that people in the pastexpected to pay for. A healthyenvironment can be categorized as apublic good. Public goods are oftenunder-produced in the open market.Today, and in the future, we will see achange as people are becoming moreand more willing to pay a premiumfor products produced with theenvironment in mind.In the past few years, groceryshoppers’ carts have been filled withorganic products and locallyproduced food, both believed to beproducts for the environmentallyconsciousconsumer. However, asmore scientific knowledge is beinggained about these products, they areproving to not be as environmentallyfriendlyas consumers first perceivedthem to be; in some cases, they areeven less environmental than theconventional method of farming.This is leaving an ever-expandingempty niche market waiting to bedeveloped.In the future, one could expect moreparticipation in programs such asmoral suasion; this would involveformal and informal educationalprograms that encourage farmers tochange their management practices.Farmers will hopefully become moreeager to learn environmentallyfriendlyproduction methodsbecause the market is demandingenvironmentally-friendly products.Conservation farming will be thefuture for the western agricultureindustry.Conservation farming includesideas such as minimal soildisturbance, permanent soil cover andcrop rotations. Conservation farmingis more management intense, but aimsto reduce the need for fertilizers andfuel (a large farm input), maintaincurrent production, and remaineconomically viable.To quote an old Indian Proverb,“We do not inherit the earth, weborrow it from our children.” Farmingis a way of life and a heritage thatgoes back many generations. Farmfamilies recognize the importance ofconserving the land for generations tocome, but also recognize the presentneed to put a meal on their hometable, as well as the tables of familiesaround the world. Agriculture needsto be socially, economically, andenvironmentally feasible, and thegreen family farms seem to be theway of the future for us, the youngwestern agriculture enthusiasts.Domes CharolaisDon, Barb, Michelle & StaceyBox 208, Biggar, SK S0K 0M0306.948.2036John & Monica, 306.948.5260Lee’s Charolais FarmLeroy, Martha & Corwin WiensBox 218, Dalmeney, SK S0K 1E0306.254.4255Qualman CharolaisKen & Lorraine QualmanBox 25, Dundurn, SK S0K 1K0306.492.4634Voegeli Brothers CharolaisMax, Norman, Dorothy & DarleneBox 130, Maymont, SK S0M 1T0306.389.4605Dennis & Lissa Serhienko - 306.389.2136President: Lorraine QualmanSec/Treasurer: Darlene VoegeliPast President: Dennis SerhienkoCharolais Banner • May 2011 57