Supply management on the chopping block?

The Trudeau government has vowed to protect Canada's dairy supply management system in trade talks with the Trump administration. But is that a hill worth dying nn?

Now Is the Ideal Time for Canada to End Its Costly and Outdated Dairy Supply Management System | Epoch Times | Cory Morgan:

February 8, 2025 - "Canadians collectively breathed a sigh of relief when President Trump offered a reprieve [from] the proposed 25 percent tariff on Canadian trade goods. The trade war is not over, however. It has been put on pause for 30 days. As the deadline approaches ... the Trump administration will make new demands, and Canada’s dairy supply management system will be targeted. Canadian ministers recognize this threat, as International Trade Minister Mary Ng made it clear in a recent interview that there will be no concessions made on supply management.

"Is this a reasonable stance to take? There are several reasons why it may be time for Canada to shed its supply management system.

"Canada imposes tariffs as high as 325 percent on American dairy products such as butter. Credibility in trade negotiations is essential, and it’s difficult to call Trump’s threat of 25 percent tariffs unfair when insisting on maintaining Canadian tariffs that are 10-fold higher in this specific sector.... A major trade deal with the UK was scuttled in 2024 when Canada slapped a 245 percent tariff on UK cheese. Both Australia and New Zealand have accused Canada of dumping dairy products on the international market, threatening the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership....  

"Canada already literally dumps hundreds of millions of litres of milk down the drain every year due to supply management. Dairy farmers have quotas assigned to them, and if they produce milk beyond that quota, it is illegal to sell the products. They are forced to dump it either down the drain or in offshore sales. They can’t sell it to Canadians as it would lead to a reduction in domestic dairy prices..... In any other industry, such price-fixing would be illegal.

"The trade war has led to calls for Canada to reduce interprovincial trade barriers on products and services. Improving domestic trade within Canada would reduce reliance on foreign products. But Canada’s supply management greatly hinders interprovincial trade, as provincial dairy boards set local quotas and control the movement of products between provinces to ensure prices remain high.... Canadian households pay an extra $300 to $444 annually due to the system, and the costs continue to rise.

"Canada’s dairy supply management has decimated small family-run dairy operations as larger corporate operations have bought up and jealously held onto government-issued dairy quotas. In 1991, Canada had 60,495 dairy producers. Today, there are fewer than 10,000.... The bulk of Canada’s large dairy operators have concentrated in Quebec. While Quebec accounts for 23 percent of Canada’s population, it accounts for 37 percent of the country’s dairy production. Canadian politicians are always averse to taking policy stances that may upset Quebec. This problem is more acute now as an election looms.

"Supply management systems were implemented in other nations in the 1960s and 1970s. Since then, most countries phased out the systems as they recognized it harmed the citizens and industries it was supposed to protect. New Zealand got rid of supply management in 1984, and Australia in 2000. The dairy industries in both countries have flourished in response. The model to extricate a nation from supply management already exists. Canada can follow it....

"Canada’s dairy supply management system is costly and outdated. It isn’t a hill worth dying on in a trade war. Now is the perfect time to move on from it."

Read more: https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/cory-morgan-now-is-the-ideal-time-for-canada-to-end-its-costly-and-outdated-dairy-supply-management-system-5806544

Supply management: The argument for and against, and why Trump hates it | CBC News: The National | July 12, 2018:

USDA funding bird flu gain-of-function research

A U.S. Senator has raised the alarm over U.S.-Chinese bird flu research funded by the US Department of Agriculture that reportedly includes gain-of-fuction experiments. But the USDA and scientists involved insist there is no threat to people.   

Lawmaker raises new flap over U.S.-funded virology research that critics call risky | Science | Jon Cohen:

February 16, 2024 - "A U.S. senator has thrown a political spotlight on yet another U.S.-Chinese research collaboration that critics suggest includes dangerous experiments that could create 'superviruses' capable of sparking a pandemic. But contrary to assertions raised by Senator Joni Ernst (R–IA), none of the U.S. funding for the project goes to foreign researchers, and scientists who are part of the collaboration challenge other concerns she raised. And the U.S. funding agency she questioned this week issued a blistering response.

"Prompted by information given to her by a group that opposes animal research, the White Coat Waste Project, Ernst on 14 February sent a letter to the head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that said she was 'troubled' to learn about an avian influenza study its researchers are conducting with scientists at the United Kingdom’s Roslin Institute and China’s Institute of Microbiology. USDA approved the $1 million grant in 2020 to better understand the evolution of newly emerged avian influenza viruses.... The letter focuses on experiments in the study that repeatedly pass viruses through birds and laboratory cell cultures, which Ernst writes is a '"gain-of-function" technique that can create a pathogen that can more easily jump species.' 

"For more than a decade, debates have focused on defining what constitutes a gain-of-function study, and the question has recently heated up because of unproven assertions that researchers working with bat coronaviruses created SARS-CoV-2, the pandemic coronavirus. Ernst [who] sits on an agriculture committee that oversees USDA ... explicitly links the USDA study to U.S.-funded work with bat coronaviruses that took place at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. She notes some U.S. intelligence experts contend SARS-CoV-2 escaped, or leaked, from the facility.... 'Alarmingly,' she adds, the 'Biden USDA' grant is funding a Chinese researcher who is affiliated with WIV.

"In an email, a USDA spokesperson said, 'USDA’s funding is only being committed to the specific components carried out by our own team located in Athens, Georgia, and is not any way contributing to research taking place in the U.K. or China.' What is more, the spokesperson added, 'what Senator Ernst lays out in her letter is far off base from what’s actually transpiring, and on top of that is based on approval decisions that predate this Administration.' If the senator has concerns about USDA research, the spokesperson advised, 'she should reach out to us directly before putting misinformation in a press release or public letter.'

"The collaboration’s Chinese partner, Liu Wenjun, is with the Institute of Microbiology, and though he was part of a multi-institution project with WIV, Liu says that has ended. 'The purpose of three countries collaborating is to exchange the research data through the surveillance and transparency to combat this global infectious virus transmission,' Liu said in an email. 'We hope the public understands the purpose of our collaboration is to control global diseases.'

"Roslin virologist Paul Digard, the lead U.K. investigator in the collaboration, says there are several other misleading details in the letter. 'Not only is there no transfer of money between the countries, there’s no transfer of reagents or materials,' Digard says. As important, Digard says the collaborators are not attempting to passage viruses to make them more transmissible in birds or mammals, ... he says. 'This is very much focused on transmission from wild birds to poultry, and how the long-range dynamics of that reflects the sequences of the virus.' The researchers are also evaluating the impact of influenza vaccines on poultry.

"Ernst’s letter focused on one experiment that uses Japanese quail, an unusual avian species that has receptors for both human and bird flu viruses. The quail, the researchers note, can be an 'indicator species' of the potential a flu virus has to jump into mammalian hosts. Digard says concerns about the quail studies are misplaced as the critics confuse the dangers posed by different types of flu viruses, only some of which can cause serious disease. The quail studies only involve flu viruses with so-called low pathogenicity.

"Critics of gain-of-function research, however, say the intent of an experiment isn’t the key factor. If an experiment could create more dangerous viruses, they contend it should be subject to intensive review before being allowed to proceed."

Read more: https://www.science.org/content/article/lawmaker-raises-new-flap-over-u-s-funded-virology-research-critics-call-risky

NEW PANDEMIC, Avian Flu Could KILL 60% Of People, Lab Did GAIN OF FUNCTION To Make It Infect Mammals | Timcast | February 16, 2023: 
(note: this is a year-old video based on a different Science report):

Germany's farmers bring protest to capital

Germany's capital was gridlocked on Monday as the country's farmers brought their ongoing national protests to Berlin, with an estimated 30,000 rallying at the Brandenburg Gate.  

Germany’s farmers are revolting | Academy of Ideas, Substack | Sabine Beppler-Spahl:

January 18, 2024 - "Thousands of tractors rolled through Berlin on Monday. The city was clogged for hours as the approximately 6,000 machines made their way to the city centre. Their destination was Brandenburg Gate where a protest rally, attended by many thousands (the organisers claimed 30,000) took place. It was the climax of a week-long protest organised by German farmers all over the country. And it was a massive show of discontentment with the government and its green agenda.

"'The traffic light coalition must go', was the main demand, displayed on banners fixed to the tractors. (The traffic light stands for the party colours of the three coalition partners - SPD, Green Party and Liberals.) It was a message echoed by the participants at the demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate too. When asked why they were taking part in the rally, people replied ‘because this policy is not only destroying the farmers, but the whole country’, or ‘because we are fed up with the restrictions imposed on us’.

"The protests were triggered in December when the government announced that it would abolish tax reliefs on agricultural diesel and farm vehicles [as] part of a general budget cut which became necessary after a court ruling exposed a €17 billion gap in the original 2024 budget. The additional burden on farmers was justified with the argument that the government wanted to cancel ‘climate-damaging subsidies’. Farmers, who depend on agricultural diesel vehicles  - understandably - saw this as an outrageous disregard for their work. ‘Why should we pay for the government’s incompetence?’ asked one farmer said at the rally.

"It was stupid of the government to believe it could get away with its new tax hikes at a time of growing discontentment. Like other entrepreneurs, farmers are suffering from the high energy prices in Germany. And because parts of the chemical industry have ceased production, fertiliser prices have also rocketed. In January, before the protests hit the streets, the government tried to appease the angry farmers by taking back the tax on vehicle fuel. It also said that the diesel tax would be phased out over a period of two years, rather than all at once. But the farmers who had geared up for the fight were not willing to be put off by such half-hearted compromises....

"For years, discontentment at ever harsher environmental regulations and time-consuming bureaucracy has been building up amongst farmers. In 2019, farmers blocked Berlin’s streets after the Merkel government demanded a 20 per cent reduction in the use of fertilisers, as part of its agricultural reform package. Since then, matters have become even worse. Keen to meet the EU’s strict nitrate laws, the current government announced further directives on nitrates, pesticides and animal-husbandry last summer. As part of the EU’s green new deal, farmland is now being identified for ‘renaturalisation’. Many farmers have already had to reduce their animal stock as a result.... 

"The determination of the farmers and the size of the protests have caught the government unprepared. On Monday, many protesters said they were fighting for nothing less than the survival of their industry. Without the freedom to make informed decisions, farming would have no future in Germany, they said. But what has made these latest protests special is that they have found such widespread support. Hauliers, craftsmen, restaurant owners and hunters were amongst those standing in front of Brandenburg Gate. Lorry drivers have announced that they will continue the protests this week. And as the tractors rolled through Berlin, countless people could be seen waving at them, and showing the thumbs up sign. A survey carried out by one of Berlin’s leading newspapers found that 65 per cent of those questioned said they stood on the side of the farmers....

"Regrettably, the government has reacted very helplessly. It has said that it would hold on to the cuts, but would reduce bureaucracy for farmers. When Scholz finally commented on the protests last week, he accused the farmers of being too radical: ‘If legitimate protests turn into anger or disregard for democratic processes and institutions, then we all lose’, he said. Such warnings say more about the chancellor and his fear than about the actual protests. The participants on Monday reacted with derision when asked about reports of far-right groups infiltrating the protests. ‘Do you see any right-wingers here?’ asked one. ‘Such talk is all about unsettling people’, said another.

"There were some flags showing the colours of the right-populist AfD, but very few, and only on the periphery. Indeed, the AfD has not been particularly popular with farmers so far. In the last general election in 2021, only eight per cent of farmers voted for the party.... It won't help the government to lump the farmers and their supporters into the corner of right-wing extremists. It will only make people think that for this government, anyone who opposes its green agenda is right-wing. The great solidarity with the farmers shows how exposed this agenda stands."

Read more: https://clairefox.substack.com/p/germanys-farmers-are-revolting

FARMERS REVOLT: Protests sweep across Germany against 'unfair' tax changes | Sky News Australia | January 18, 2022:

Guilbeault's plan to reduce danger from cow burps

Justin Trudeau's climate change minister, Steven Guilbeault, celebrated food and agricultue day at the COP28 summit on climate change by unveiling the Canadian government's plan to reduce the environmental threat posed by cow burps.

Guilbeault moves to cap methane emissions from cows | Western Standard | Shaun Polczer:

December 11, 2023 - "First it was the oil and gas industry. Now Envrionment Minister Steven Guilbeault is taking aim at another major sector of Alberta’ economy by targeting flatulent cattle.... [A]at the COP28 summit in Dubai ... Guilbeault announced the proposed ‘Reducing Enteric Methane Emissions from Beef Cattle’ (REME) protocol to 'incentivize” farmers to implement changes that would be eligible for methane offset credits that can be bought or sold'....

"It’s the fourth such schedule to be included in Canada’s greenhouse gas offset system and the third policy measure announced by Guilbeault’s office at the COP28 summit including limits on industrial methane and a cap on oil and gas.... Environment and Climate Change Canada said the draft REME protocol was 'informed' by Alberta’s offset protocol on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fed cattle. At this point it only covers burping emissions from beef cattle — more than half of which are found in Alberta — and not dairy cows that are concentrated in the Lower Mainland and Quebec.

"According to Environment Canada, agriculture was responsible for 31% of Canada’s total methane emissions in 2021, the majority of which are produced by beef and dairy cattle. Methane is generated during the natural digestive process of cows and is released into the air when cows burp. 

"The offset credit system is among several measures Canada is taking to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 40% to 45% below 2005 levels under the Liberals’ 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan."

Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/agriculture/guilbeault-moves-to-cap-methane-emissions-from-cows/50938

Ottawa's plan to cut methane emissions 'unconstitutional,' Alberta premier says | Power and Politics, CBC News | December 11, 2023:

Ottawa comes down hard on methane-burping cows. Are humans next? | Calgary Herald | Don Braid:

December 12, 2023 - ""Methane eructated and flatulated by cattle is a secondary but substantial cause of climate change. So, too, is gas from moose, elk, deer and many other creatures less susceptible to regulation. But the worst offenders by far are humans, each and every one of us expert at using our built-in emission technologies. As a species we are so gaseous and numerous that our methane production far exceeds those of any cud-chewing creatures. Much is written on all this, although one has to wonder about the accuracy of facts and figures. Who can measure the totality of human flatulence? And how? Regardless, Ottawa is on the case.... 

"As usual, Ottawa presents a climate measure as advantageous both scientifically and economically. 'Each credit represents one tonne of emission reductions. Credits can be sold to facilities that will use them to meet emissions reduction obligations, or to other businesses to meet their low-carbon economy commitments. This means fewer methane emissions, and more financial opportunities for Canadian farmers'....

"There are ways to reduce methane emissions from cattle — feeding them a certain kind of seaweed, for instance. This is apparently very effective, although not so practical on the Prairies. Cattle can also be bred with low-emission genetic traits. If the entire dairy herd were bred this way, according to one company, emissions in the national dairy herd could drop 20 to 30 per cent by 2050.

"Kyle Larkin, executive director of the Grain Growers of Canada, says farmers and ranchers already face pressure from federal demands to cut fertilizer emissions. 'It’s fine to put targets out there,' he says, 'but we need a plan to be able to get to those targets, and if the government was serious about reaching the 30 per cent fertilizer emissions reduction target, or the methane reduction target, there need to be dollars put into best management practices and helping farmers to adapt.' But Ottawa continues to drop measures on one sector after another. The Liberals are so zealous, in fact, that they might even announce low-emission targets for humans."

Read more: https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/braid-ottawa-comes-down-hard-on-methane-burping-cows-are-humans-next

Irish farmers concerned over plans to cull livestock

Irish farmers are concerned by a proposed government plan to cull almost 200,000 cattle over three years to fight climate change.

Irish farmers revolt over plan for cattle cull to meet green target | The Telegraph - Jessica Abrahams:

June 3, 2023 - "Irish farmers are rebelling against a proposal to cull tens of thousands of cattle a year to help Ireland meet its climate change targets. 

"The Irish government wants to reduce emissions from farming by a quarter by 2030. Media reports last week suggested that one option being considered was to reduce the national dairy herd by 10 per cent – meaning a cull of 65,000 cows a year for three years, at a cost of €200 million (£170 million) annually. 

"One Irish politician described the plan as 'absolute madness' and there are warnings that some farmers will refuse, and others will leave the sector, if an order is introduced. 

"The Irish government says that no final policy decision has been taken and that any cull would be voluntary as part of a 'retirement exit scheme' for farmers. But some farmers fear it will not be possible to meet the targets with only a voluntary cull. 

"Tim Cullinan, president of the Irish Farmers’ Association, warned that beef and dairy production would simply shift to other countries ... undermining the attempted emissions savings. 'Reports like this only serve to further fuel the view that the government is working behind the scenes to undermine our dairy and livestock sectors,' he said. 'While there may well be some farmers who wish to exit the sector, we should all be focusing on providing a pathway for the next generation to get into farming'.

"Pat McCormack, president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, said it was “frustrating” that the industry was being targeted. 'We’re the one industry with a significant roadmap, and, to be quite honest with you, our herd isn’t any larger than it was 25 to 30 years ago,' he said.... If there is to be a cull, he said, 'it needs to be a voluntary scheme. That’s absolutely critical'.

Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/06/03/ireland-farmers-revolt-cattle-cull-plan-climate-change-targ/

Ireland's farmers' fears over climate plans | Euronews | December 5, 2019:

Dutch farmers' party wins most seats in Senate

A Dutch party formed just four years ago, in opposition to government plans to close farms and cut livestock levels to fight climate change, has won the largest number of seats in the Netherlands Senate. 

Farmers' protest party win shock Dutch vote victory | BBCNews - Anna Holligan & Paul Kirby:

March 16, 2023 - "A farmers' party has stunned Dutch politics, and is set to be the biggest party in the upper house of parliament after provincial elections. The Farmer-citizen movement (BBB) was only set up in 2019 in the wake of widespread farmers' protests. But with most votes counted they are due to win 15 of the Senate's seats with almost 20% of the vote.... The BBB aims to fight government plans to slash nitrogen emissions harmful to biodiversity by dramatically reducing livestock numbers and buying out thousands of farms. But its appeal has spread rapidly beyond its rural heartland, on a populist platform that represents traditional, conservative Dutch social and moral values....

"A left-wing Green-Labour alliance is also on course to win 15 Senate seats, while Prime Minister Mark Rutte's four-party coalition is poised to fall back to 24 - down eight seats."
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64967513

Dutch farmers’ party secures landslide victory | Unherd - Senay Boztas:

March 16, 2023 - "With the highest turnout in 30 years, Dutch voters gave an extraordinary signal to their four-party Government on Wednesday: the Farmer Citizen Movement (BoerBurgerBeweging, or BBB) is set to come first in regional elections, which decide the make-up of the Dutch Senate. In a long voting day, with locations from repurposed drive-through testing centres to ancient churches, an estimated 61% of Dutch people turned out. The result was astonishing, even though the party has been creeping up the polls, feeding on anti-establishment feeling after unpopular Covid lockdowns.

"Some analysts saw the election as a fight between two ‘moods’ in the Netherlands: a mood of (Right-wing) discontent, echoed also across other countries, versus the traditional consensus-driven Dutch mood. With 18 parties in parliament, politicians have typically found a way to muddle along, but this election was different thanks to the thorny issue of nitrogen compound pollution, which is tying the country in knots before a bill has even passed through parliament.

"EU rules, Dutch laws, and court verdicts mean the country must reduce emissions of ammonia, nitrogen oxides and nitrous oxide from farming, transport and building machines. The question is who takes the hit — and whether 30% of productive farms should be shut, forcibly if necessary. The Netherlands, which feeds the world with its intensive farming and livestock-heavy agriculture, is at the sharp end of the international climate debate.

"According to initial results, the BBB, headed by sole MP Caroline van der Plas, will be the largest party in the Senate — polling at more than 30% in some regions. Meanwhile, support for the Government has been slashed. The result is a direct challenge to Dutch PM Mark Rutte, who has been embroiled in a number of scandals, such as gas mining in Groningen at the expense of citizen safety, punishing innocent (often dual-national) citizens for childcare benefit fraud and ongoing Dutch farmer protests about nitrogen emissions. Small wonder, then, that 46% of voters said they were specifically voting against the current national administration.

"The strength of green feeling here, both for and against, is a bellwether for the struggle to come in other countries and farming economies. But BBB should not be dismissed as ‘anti-green’; rather farmers are more of a lime green versus the dark green of the eco activists, both of whom claim they want to protect the land. 

"The reality of climate change mitigation or adaptation is playing out in the Netherlands right now, where these new provincial assemblies will need to come up with detailed plans to reduce nitrogen pollution by July. Meanwhile, there is a national housing crisis and this is one of the top personal issues for people in the Netherlands. Nitrogen rules are getting in the way. Still, the success of the BBB serves as a warning shot to Mark Rutte and his government.“This is a landslide we haven’t seen for years,” said CDA leader Wopke Hoekstra, a Government party whose traditional farmer support has evaporated. “It is an extraordinarily bitter pill.” 
Read more: https://unherd.com/thepost/dutch-farmers-party-secures-landslide-victory/

"Dutch farmes shock the world! Bad news for Trudeau," True North, March 19, 2023:

European farmers' protests spread to Belgium

Belgian farmers paralyzed Brussels on Friday with a Netherlands-style farmers' Freedom Convoy, to protest the government's planned emission cuts to fight climate change.

Aggro-culture: Farmers’ protest brings Brussels’ EU Quarter to a standstill | Politico.au - Susannah Svage:

March 3, 2023 - "Convoys of tractors brought traffic in Brussels to a standstill Friday, as thousands of Belgian farmers protested the Flemish regional government’s plans to limit nitrogen emissions from agriculture. Some 2,700 tractors rolled into Brussels from the Flanders region, according to police estimates, filling the streets with a cacophony of honks as farmers vented their anger over the planned cuts, which they say threaten to put many of them out of business.

"'“It’s an economic and social catastrophe,” said Nele Kempeneers, a spokesperson for Belgian farmers' association Boerenbond, one of the unions that organized the protest. “A lot of farms will have to limit the amount of animals that they keep, or simply close down.'

"Some protestors plastered signs to the front of their tractors, voicing their opposition. 'No farmers, no food,' read one. 'Don’t forget who takes care of your food,' read another. Others started a fire and set off firecrackers on Rue de la Loi, in the heart of the European quarter. But this was a different group capitalizing on the protest — not farmers, a member of Boerenbond told POLITICO. 

"Last year, the Flemish government put forward a package of measures to cut nitrate pollution. An initial agreement unraveled following a public consultation period over the summer. The parties making up the ruling coalition returned to the negotiating table this week but were unable to strike a deal.  

"The planned cuts unfairly place a heavier burden on agriculture than industry, claim farming unions, who have the support of the Flemish Christian Democrats. 'There’s no future for us, we cannot go on like this,' Ruben Bauwens, a 30-year-old dairy farmer, told POLITICO. 

"Similar protests took place last year in the Netherlands after the Dutch government approved an agreement that aimed to slash nitrogen emissions by up to 70 percent in some regions. Intensive livestock farming and the use of fertilizers in both the Netherlands and Belgium have contributed to levels of nitrogen ... in the soil and water that exceed thresholds on emissions set by the EU [European Union]."

Read more: https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-farmer-protests-brussels-nitrogen-emissions/

Dutch farmers protest gov't confiscation plans

The Dutch government's plans to fight climate change by slashing the country's livestock population continues to  meet with resistance from Netherlands farners,

Rebel Farmers Are Pushing Back on Climate Action. This is Why | Bloomberg - ByApril Roach, Tracy Withers, Jen Skerritt, Agnieszka de Sousa:

December 8, 2022 - "Bart Kooijman raises 120 cows on 50 hectares in western Holland. If authorities push ahead with plans to halve nitrogen emissions from agriculture by 2030, his could be among thousands of farms that will have to shrink or close. In an attempt to quell a summer of fury, which saw farmers setting hay bales ablaze and dumping manure on motorways, the government said in November it would buy out as many as 3,000 of the biggest emitters in a voluntary one-time offer, setting aside €24.3 billion ($25.6 billion) to fund the transition. Those who refuse will be forced out of business. 'We don’t want to make fires or block roads but if we do nothing, it’s over,' says Kooijman, a father of two. 'We’ll just get kicked off the land'.... 

"[A]griculture is ... a major climate offender. From farm to fork, the food system generates about 31% of global greenhouse gas emissions.... Agricultural emissions rose 14% between 2000 and 2018, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. If action isn’t taken fast, researchers estimate that food-related emissions alone would push the Earth past 1.5C of warming that world leaders set as a target in the 2015 Paris Agreement. So after focusing for years on fossil fuels, policymakers are beginning to target farming too....

"Politically, however, agriculture could prove trickier to tackle than sectors like mining, energy or cars, which are dominated by a small number of big, corporate players. Farmers are a force of millions, some with small holdings that have been in families for generations, giving them an attachment to land — and occupation — that runs deeper than profit. 

"Soaring food, fuel and fertilizer prices are already spurring public discontent. Polish and Greek farmers drove tractors to their capitals to voice grievances earlier this year and protests in solidarity with Dutch farmers erupted across Europe. Farmer protests have surged around the globe — in Europe they’re up 30% from 2021 — and are expected to gain momentum in the coming months and years, driven by inflation, drought and tightening environmental regulation, according to a tracker produced by political risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft.

"Agriculture is a major export sector for many countries, but food is also a basic human need, and what we eat is often engrained in our heritage and sense of identity. It’s a more politically charged issue than many. That’s why the Dutch standoff has struck an international cord, catapulting farmers to the center of a global culture war that’s seen them demonized by activists advocating vegan lifestyles and lionized by right-wing groups opposed to government regulations on everything from Covid to climate.... 

"On Twitter, activists using the hashtag #NoFarmersNoFood have tapped a primordial fear — that imposing environmental safeguards means the world won’t produce enough food for a growing population. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already exacerbated worries over food insecurity by pushing up the price of grains and fertilizers. Farmers have picked up the refrain, warning that climate-related regulation will mean not only less food but higher prices in the supermarket for consumers already grappling with the worst inflation in decades.

"The debate has exacerbated the disconnect between rural and urban dwellers, stretching an old political divide into a cultural chasm.... Farmers are 'ordinary people but they feel treated like criminals. Everything farmers do is bad; poison sprayers, environmental polluters, mistreatment of animals,' says Caroline van der Plas, leader of the populist Farmer-Citizen Movement, which stormed onto the Dutch political scene in 2019. 'They feel undervalued and have no space to expand or develop their business and are very worried about their future.'"

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-12-09/netherlands-plan-to-cut-emissions-from-cows-sparks-farmers-revolt?leadSource=uverify%20wall

NZ farmers' convoys protest 'burp tax' on livestock

Farmers convoys are gathering in New Zealand cities and towns to protest a planned methane emissions tax on livestock.

New Zealand farmers protest world’s first livestock ‘burp tax’ | Al Jazeera - Dean Purcell/New Zealand Herald via AP:

October 20, 2022 - "Travelling in convoys of tractors and pickup trucks, farmers in New Zealand have gathered in cities and towns across the country to protest against the government’s plan to be the first country in the world to tax emissions from farm animals. Lines of tractors and other farmyard vehicles disrupted traffic in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and other cities on Thursday, with the protesting farmers demanding that the country’s centre-left government back away from the so-called 'burp and fart' tax.

"Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unveiled plans last week for the world’s first levy on agricultural gases and biogenic methane, which mainly comes from burps produced by New Zealand’s estimated six million cows and 26 million sheep. Ardern has argued that the tax is needed to slow global warming and could even benefit farmers if they can command a higher price for more climate-friendly meat. However, New Zealand’s farmers are up in arms, with thousands of agricultural workers joining Thursday’s protest.... 

"Bryce McKenzie, cofounder of Groundswell New Zealand, which organised the protest, said the tax threatened the viability of local farmers. 'The government’s ideological commitment to punitive and counterproductive emissions taxes on food production is an existential threat to rural communities,' McKenzie said. While the government hopes the tax will reduce livestock emissions by 20 percent, McKenzie argues that any 'reductions will be replaced by less efficient foreign farmers'.

"Methane is less abundant and does not linger as long in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, but it is a much more potent warming agent. Scientists believe methane is responsible for roughly 30 percent of the global rise in temperatures despite being a fraction of the greenhouse gas mix.

"Local farmer Mark Chandler told state broadcaster Radio New Zealand (RNZ) that the level of compliance related to the proposed livestock emissions levy was punitive. 'There’s a whole raft of things that are coming in that are just making life impossible,' he told RNZ. 'For a small-to-medium farmer you’re going to have to do weeks and weeks of administration and compliance, and it just doesn’t work'....

"A counterprotest was also held in Wellington on Thursday by locals who said the agricultural sector needed to do its part to address climate change."

Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/20/new-zealand-farmers-protest-worlds-first-livestock-burp-tax

Federal inspectors trespassing, says SK premier

Saskatchewan warns that federal employees testing farmers’ dugouts for nitrogen levels could be arrested for trespassing | Todaysville - Duane Rolheiser:

August 22, 2022 - "An escalating battle between Western Premiers and the federal government over restricting the use of nitrogen fertilizer has reached a new level of tension. Premier Scott Moe is demanding to know why federal employees of Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault are 'trespassing' on private land in Saskatchewan.  

"Moe signed a strongly worded letter ... from Jeremy Cockrill, the Minister in charge of Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency. The letter dated Sunday, August 21st states farmers from at least 3 different communities in southern Saskatchewan have reported Government of Canada employees in marked vehicles have been trespassing on their private land.  When confronted, the agents have admitted to testing dugouts for nitrogen levels.

"On his official Facebook page Moe says 'We are demanding an explanation from federal Minister Guilbeault on why his department is trespassing on private land without the owners’ permission to take water samples from dugouts'....

"'We have received reports of this occurring in several places throughout our province. We have advised the federal government that this should cease immediately and if it does not, it will be considered a violation of the province’s Trespass Act. Violating this Act is serious, including a maximum penalty of $25,000 for repeat offenders, up to six months imprisonment following a conviction for a first or subsequent trespass offence, and a $200,000 maximum penalty for any corporation that counsels and/or aids in the commission of that offence'....

"The letter from Saskatchewan comes on the heals of another strongly worded letter from Manitoba’s Agriculture Minister Heather Stefanson. In Stephanson’s letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, she says this is no time to cut food supply and raise the price of groceries."

Read more: https://www.todayville.com/saskatchewan-warns-that-federal-employees-testing-farmers-dugouts-for-nitrogen-levels-could-be-arrested-for-trespassing/

Nitrogen cuts may be disastrous, warn SK farmers

Saskatchewan farmers, Conservative MPs decry fertilizer emissions proposal | Global News - Connor O’Donovan:

August 5, 2022 - "Saskatchewan agricultural stakeholders joined several Conservative MPs to discuss Ottawa’s proposal to reduce fertilizer emissions Thursday, telling reporters the policy is destined to reduce farm yields, threaten farm sustainability and hurt consumers in the process. 'It’s going to have a devastating impact to Canadian farm families and their ability to produce food. There will be a massive reduction in yield,'  said Foothills MP John Barlow....

"'That will make farming economically unsustainable in Canada. That is going to increase food costs as a result of lower yield,' Barlow said. 'Farmers across Canada have done everything they can to be as efficient and environmentally sustainable as possible. But reducing fertilizer use will force them to go back to tilling, using other chemicals and do more passes on their land which increases emissions.'

"The fertilizer emissions proposal is part of Canada’s larger plan to curb human-caused carbon emissions 40 to 45 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has stated to keep global warming below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, net human caused emissions of CO2 will need to fall 45 per cent below 2010 levels by 2030 and reach net-zero around 2050 around the globe.

"Noting nitrous oxide has a 'global warming potential' 265 to 298 times greater than carbon dioxide, the federal government has stated goals of reducing emissions from synthetic fertilizers by approximately 4Mt of CO2e by the end of the decade  — equal to approximately half a per cent of Canada’s overall CO2 emissions according to government figures.

"Canadian Federation of Agriculture second vice-president Todd Lewis said while more communication is needed about exactly how the government wants farmers to measure and implement its strategy, the idea of having to reduce fertilizer use is concerning. He said reducing fertilizer while getting the same yield is 'a great goal' but was skeptical it could be achieved within the proposed timeline.... He agreed that Saskatchewan farms could suffer as a result of the plan.... 'When you hear straight out fertilizer reductions, that starts to hurt yields and if it hurts yields it’s gonna hurt our bottom line and make it more difficult to be sustainable in our industry'....

"Representatives from groups like SaskCanola, SaskWheat, SaskBarley, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture were joined by Barlow as well as Regina-Lewvan MP Warren Steinley and Regina-Qu’Appelle [MP and former Opposition Leader] Andrew Scheer] at the meeting."

Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/9038295/sask-farmers-conservative-mps-fertilizer-emissions-proposal/

Dutch farmers vow 'hardest demonstrations ever'

Angry Dutch farmers vow to cause more protest chaos than ever | The Telegraph - Joe Barnes: 

August 6, 2022 - "Dutch farmers have vowed to cause chaos in the country with their 'hardest demonstrations ever' The Dutch government sparked fury with its proposals to curb livestock numbers by a third in order to slash nitrogen emissions. In recent months, the country has been brought to its knees, with farmers blocking roads, airports, supermarket distribution centres, as well as manure sprayed at police officers and hay bales torched in dirty protests.

"The mass disruption led the Dutch government to appoint a mediator in the hope of brokering a pact with the farmers to curb future protests. But the militant Farmers Defence Force, which represents eight agricultural organisations, some 95 per cent of the industry, was locked out of the first round of negotiations earlier this week with Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

"Following the talks on Friday, the group said it was extremely disappointed with their outcome, as ministers refused to budge from their targets. FDF foreman Mark van den Oever on Saturday said: 'If I have a taste of the mood, I think you can prepare for the toughest demonstrations that FDF has ever conducted'....

"The first signs of backlash following the talks appeared early Saturday when farmers smashed down a fence in order to light a fire next to a busy highway in Putten, close to Amsterdam. Escaping in their tractors, the protesters then drove the wrong way on the road as they fled the police....

"The Netherlands’ vast industrial farming system has turned it into an agricultural powerhouse, only second in global exports behind the United States. However, the government’s assault on the €105 billion-a-year agriculture business has triggered an outpouring of public support for farmers.

"Mr Rutte’s ruling coalition is in dire straits, according to pollsters, who blame the emission cuts for the slump. The studies suggest the 55-year-old prime minister, the country’s longest serving leader, could lose 13 of his 34 seats in Parliament. Meanwhile the newly-formed Farmer-Citizen Movement is now polling in second place behind Me Rutte’s VVD party, expected to secure 18 seats at the next election, scheduled for March 2025."

Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/08/06/angry-dutch-farmers-vow-cause-protest-chaos-ever/ 

Trudeau gov't wants Dutch-style nitrogen cuts

Trudeau pushes ahead on fertilizer reduction as provinces and farmers cry foul | Toronto Sun - Brian Lilley:

July 22, 2022 - "Provincial agriculture ministers are expressing frustration with the Trudeau government over plans to effectively reduce fertilizer use by Canada’s farmers in the name of fighting climate change. A meeting of federal and provincial ministers wrapped up in Saskatoon on Friday with several provinces saying they are disappointed.

"The federal government is looking to impose a requirement to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizers saying it is a greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. While the Trudeau government says they want a 30% reduction in emissions, not fertilizer, farm producer groups say that at this point, reducing nitrous oxide emissions can’t be done without reducing fertilizer use....

"Several provincial governments, and organizations representing farmers have asked for emissions reductions from fertilizer to be measured via intensity – how much food is produced compared to the amount of fertilizer used. The Trudeau government is demanding an absolute reduction in emissions, which farmers say will result in less food being produced at a time when the world can ill afford it.

“'The world is looking for Canada to increase production and be a solution to global food shortages. The Federal government needs to display that they understand this,' Alberta minister Nate Horner said. 'We’re really concerned with this arbitrary goal,' Saskatchewan’s David Marit said.

"Federal minister Marie-Claude Bibeau called the government’s target ambitious but claims it’s one that farmers will embrace.... Farm groups, like the Western Canadian Wheat Growers, have said the federal plan will reduce crop output, reduce income for farm families and increase food prices in Canadian grocery stores.... Similar plans to reduce fertilizer use have resulted in mass protests in Europe, in particular the Netherlands."

Read more: https://torontosun.com/news/national/trudeau-pushes-ahead-on-fertilizer-reduction-as-provinces-and-farmers-cry-foul/wcm/ff3ea821-58fa-4789-aca7-cecc360638c8/amp/

Canadians protest in solidarity with Dutch farmers

Farmer protest taking place across Canada this weekend | Orillia Today - Rob Paul: 

Jul 22, 2022 -"This Saturday, across Canada, protests are being held in solidarity with Dutch farmers. Among the locations for the demonstrations are Vaughan, Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Vancouver. The vast majority of the demonstrations have been organized by Freedom Fighters Canada; a group associated with the Ottawa trucker convoy. As part of the protest, the farmers will be creating a convoy and 'slow rolling' through towns and cities across Canada. Towns and cities expected to see the farmer convoy in the GTA are Innisfil, Newmarket, Barrie, Orangeville, Oshawa, Bowmanville, Ajax, Milton, Cambridge, Uxbridge, Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga, and Toronto before a planned gathering at Vaughan Mills....

"The protests stem from a proposed climate policy that aims to cut down to 50 per cent nitrogen and ammonia emissions by 2030, which is projected to force at least 30 per cent of farmers out of business.... The goals to reduce emissions has led to protests across Europe, and in June 40,000 farmers gathered in the Netherlands to protest the government's plans. Given the potential impact this will have on Canada, the Canadian demonstrators hope to draw attention to the situation on Saturday."

Read more: https://www.orilliamatters.com/local-news/farmer-protest-taking-place-across-canada-this-weekend-5610784

One person arrested during protest in support of Dutch farmers in downtown Ottawa | CTV News - Josh Pringle:

July 23, 2022 - "Vehicles and pedestrians carrying Canadian and Dutch flags converged on the streets of downtown Ottawa Saturday afternoon, expressing solidarity with farmers protesting new government environmental regulations in the Netherlands. Freedom Fighters Canada organized the 'We Move as One' demonstration in cities across the country, including a 'slow roll' convoy into Ottawa and a demonstration outside the Embassy of the Netherlands blocks from Parliament Hill.

"Ottawa police say one person was arrested on Obstruct and Public Mischief charges.... Ottawa Bylaw says 103 parking tickets were issued inside the temporary no-stopping zone, and 12 vehicles were towed.

"Dozens of vehicles participated in the 'slow roll' convoy along Hwy. 417 to the downtown core, where hundreds of people demonstrated outside the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands on Albert Street. Farmers in the Netherlands have been holding a series of demonstrations to protest new environmental targets by the Dutch government.

"'The government is trying to put all these family farms out of business,' Jerry said. 'I read about one farmer who has to cull 95 per cent of his dairy heard just cuz he lives next door to a forest.' 'When we had our truck rally, they supported us,' said a woman taking part in the demonstration.... Signs at the rally included 'Freedom', 'Hold the Line' and 'Stand With Farmers or Eat Crickets.'

"'We want freedom of conscience, ability to live, ability to farm, to buy as many animals as you want, to farm as much as you want,' [a protester named] Stephanie said. 'The freedom to sell what you produce ... not have it bought up by government agencies and destroyed'.... 

"Convoys were scheduled to travel from Brockville, Kemptville, Renfrew and Arnprior to Ottawa's west end ahead of the downtown rally. Freedom Fighters Canada outlined etiquette for the protest, including 'no blockading on any roads, exits, bridges or highways' during the event and 'ensure flags are properly secured'....

"'There is zero tolerance for vehicle-based demonstrations or events within the city's designated zone in the downtown core,' police said on Twitter.... Police say vehicle-based demonstrations or events are prohibited within an area stretching from Bronson Avenue in the west to Waller Street in the east, and Wellington Street/Rideau Street to the north to Laurier Avenue in the south, along with Booth Street, Sussex Drive and Mackenzie Avenue.... 'The downtown core remains open and accessible. The only exception are vehicles wishing to do a vehicle-based demonstration,' [Ottawa Police Services] says."

Read more: https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/slow-roll-protest-arrives-in-ottawa-to-support-dutch-farmers-1.5999413

Farmers' protests spread throughout Europe

Why farmers' protests that kicked off in The Netherlands are spreading across Europe | Firstpost:

July 18, 2022 - "A farmers protest that began in The Netherlands over proposals to slash emissions has spread to other parts of Europe with cultivators in Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland taking to the streets in solidarity with their counterparts.

"It all kicked off in June as Dutch farmers protested over their government’s proposals to slash emissions of damaging pollutants, a plan that will likely force cultivators to cut their livestock herds or stop work altogether.... Some 40,000 farmers gathered in June in the central Netherlands' agricultural heartland to protest the government's plans. Many arrived by tractor, snarling traffic around the country.... Days later, farmers again took their protests to crowded highways, driving slowly along the roads or stopping altogether. Some have dumped hay bales on roads, and small groups demonstrated at town and city halls, in some cases starting bonfires outside the buildings. Some farmers set hay bales ablaze alongside highways, while others gathered in towns and cities, including The Hague.

"The Dutch government was forced to act after a series of court rulings that blocked infrastructure and construction projects because of fears they would cause emissions that breach environmental rules.... The government says emissions of nitrogen oxide and ammonia, which livestock produce, must be drastically reduced close to nature areas that are part of a network of protected habitats for endangered plants and wildlife stretching across the 27-nation European Union. Dutch farmers say that they are being unfairly targeted as polluters while other industries, such as aviation, construction and transport, also are contributing to emissions and face less far-reaching rules.... As per The Scottish Farmer, supermarkets are running out of food as the protests continue to intensify. This, as fishermen have been blocking ports and several ships honking their horns to express their discontent over inflation.

"German farmers blockaded roads on the border with the Netherlands and gathered in large numbers to protest near the city of Heerenburg. As per The Deep Dive, German farmer groups are themselves upset over a recent renewable energy Act amendment by parliament, claiming it does not provide enough support for biogas production. 'It is completely incomprehensible that in the middle of this far-reaching energy crisis, a sustainable domestic energy source such as biogas is being curbed in the production of electricity, heat, and biomethane,' Bernhard Krüsken, secretary-general of the German Farmers’ Association, told the website.

"As per the website, Polish farmers also rose up in protest over the cost of fertiliser and cheap food imports being allowed and thus increasing local production costs. The farmers took to the streets of Warsaw shouting: “Enough is enough! We won’t let ourselves be robbed!” and “We workers cannot pay for the crisis created by politicians!”

"In Spain, farmers blocked highways in the southern region of Andalusia to protest against high fuel prices and the rising costs of essential products, as per The Scottish Farmer. In Milan, Italian farmers in a convoy of tractors blocked city traffic, as per Morning Star Online. This comes in the backdrop of Italian farmers facing a severe drought that has put a third of agricultural produce at risk. Farmers say they have lost around €3 billion as a result of the emergency and are being hit hard by rising fuel prices with costs rocketing as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, as per the report....

"The ruling coalition wants to cut emissions of pollutants, predominantly nitrogen oxide and ammonia, by 50 per cent nationwide by 2030.... They warn that farmers will have to adapt or face the prospect of shuttering their businesses. 'The honest message ... is that not all farmers can continue their business,' and those who do will likely have to farm differently, the government said in a statement this month as it unveiled emission reduction targets. Livestock produce ammonia in their urine and faeces.... The problem is compounded in the Netherlands, which is known for its intensive farming practices, with large numbers of livestock kept on small areas of land.... 

"Agriculture — from dairy farming to growing crops in fields and greenhouses — is a significant part of the Dutch economy. According to a national farming lobby group, LTO, there are nearly 54,000 agricultural businesses in the Netherlands with exports totalling 94.5 billion euros in 2019."

Read more: https://www.firstpost.com/world/explained-why-farmers-protests-that-kicked-off-in-the-netherlands-are-spreading-across-europe-10925091.html

Behind the chaos in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Why is the country in an economic crisis? | BBC News - Ayeshea Perera:

July 15, 2022 - "Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has told the country's military to do 'whatever is necessary to restore order', after protesters stormed his office. A state of emergency was declared after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country, following months of mass protests over the island's economic crisis.... People have been struggling with daily power cuts and shortages of basics such as fuel, food and medicines.... The country doesn't have enough fuel for essential services like buses, trains and medical vehicles, and officials say it doesn't have enough foreign currency to import more....

"In late June, the government banned the sale of petrol and diesel for non-essential vehicles for two weeks. Sales of fuel remain severely restricted. Schools have closed, and people have been asked to work from home to help conserve supplies. Sri Lanka is unable to buy the goods it needs from abroad. And in May it failed to make an interest payment on its foreign debt for the first time in its history.... The country owes more than $51bn (£39bn) to foreign lenders, including $6.5bn to China, which has begun discussions about restructuring its loans....

"What led to the economic crisis? The government blamed the Covid pandemic, which badly affected Sri Lanka's tourist trade - one of its biggest foreign currency earners. It also says tourists were frightened off by a series of deadly bomb attacks in 2019. However, many experts blame President Rajapaksa's poor economic mismanagement.... Sri Lanka now imports $3bn (£2.3bn) more than it exports every year, and that is why it has run out of foreign currency.... 

"When Sri Lanka's foreign currency shortages became a serious problem in early 2021, the government tried to limit them by banning imports of chemical fertiliser. It told farmers to use locally sourced organic fertilisers instead. This led to widespread crop failure. Sri Lanka had to supplement its food stocks from abroad, which made its foreign currency shortage even worse."
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-610281

How to Alleviate the Looming Global Hunger Crisis | American Institute for Economic Research - Bjorn Lomborg:

June 6, 2022 - ""The catastrophe unfolding in Sri Lanka provides a sobering lesson. The government last year enforced a full transition to organic farming, appointing organics gurus as agricultural advisers, including some who claimed dubious links between agricultural chemicals and health problems. Despite extravagant claims that organic methods could produce comparable yields to conventional farming, within months the policy produced nothing but misery, with some food prices quintupling.

"Sri Lanka had been self-sufficient in rice production for decades, but tragically has now been forced to import $450 million worth of rice. Tea, the nation’s primary export crop and source of foreign exchange, was devastated, with economic losses estimated at $425 million. Before the country spiraled downward toward brutal violence and political resignations, the government was forced to offer $200 million in compensation to farmers and come up with $149 million in subsidies.

"Sri Lanka’s organic experiment failed fundamentally because of one simple fact: it does not have enough land to replace synthetic nitrogen fertilizer with animal manure. To shift to organics and keep production, it would need five to seven times more manure than its total manure today."

"Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, mostly made with natural gas, are a modern miracle, crucial for feeding the world. Largely thanks to this fertilizer, agricultural outputs were tripled in the last half-century, as the human population doubled. Artificial fertilizer and modern farming inputs are the reason the number of people working on farms has been slashed in every rich country, freeing people for other productive occupations.... Without those inputs, if a country — or the world — were to go entirely organic, nitrogen scarcity quickly becomes disastrous, just like we saw in Sri Lanka. That is why research shows going organic globally can only feed about half the current world population. Organic farming will lead to more expensive, scarcer food for fewer people, while gobbling up more nature."

[This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License]
Read more: https://www.aier.org/article/how-to-alleviate-the-looming-global-hunger-crisis/

Canadian taxpayers subsidizing world's largest cricket farm

If Canadians wanted to eat crickets, we wouldn’t be forced to subsidize the cricket farm | Western Standard - Karen Selick:

July 3, 2022 - "I know a Canadian man who lives in Thailand. He teaches English as his primary occupation, but he and his wife also have a 'hobby farm' raising crickets.... When the insects are ready for harvesting, his wife — a Thai native — fries them up with popular Thai seasonings. The crickets are then sold as snacks.... For Thais, eating insects isn’t novel. Take a look at some of the other mouth-watering delicacies they eat: bamboo worms, silkworms, grasshoppers and giant water bugs....

Takoradee, Deep-fried insects for sale in Bangkok, Thailand, 2006. CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.

"Thais aren’t the only people in the world who eat insects.... Recently, however, it has been announced that Canada, of all places - where I’ve lived all my life and have never known anyone to eat crickets - will become home to the world's largest cricket farm, newly built in London, Ontario by Aspire Food Group. The company’s CEO, Mohammed Ashour, predicts that North Americans will soon join two billion other people on the planet who, he claims, already eat insects.

"Note, though, that the world’s insect-eaters are almost all in third-world countries.... The Thai restaurants I’ve been to in North America offer beef, pork, shrimp and chicken on the menu, but I’ve never seen one offer worms, grasshoppers or crickets. People eat bugs primarily when they can’t afford more appetizing forms of protein. I checked with a friend in the nearby but much wealthier country of Singapore. He ... told me that, no, he has never seen anyone selling crickets. Singapore’s per capita GDP is seven times that of Thailand. Even Malaysians, who live right next door to Thailand but have a GDP per capita that’s 54% higher, don’t eat crickets, although there are apparently insect agriculture start-ups gearing up right now, just as in Canada. I wonder why.

"Aspire’s enormous spanking-new plant has been subsidized by a million-dollar award (the Hult Prize) received from the United Nations. As well, the company appears to have received $16.8 million from Canadian taxpayers through something called NGen (Next Generation Manufacturing Canada). It looks as though that’s just the first instalment, however; the project total for the 'insect protein supply chain in Canada' is shown on NGen’s website as $73 million.

"Aspire’s website acknowledges that it also received a third government grant, namely $10 million from SDTC (Sustainable Development Technology Canada) in June 2020.  SDTC describes itself as 'a foundation created by the Government of Canada in 2001 to invest in clean technologies that address climate change, air quality, clean water and clean soil'....

"A search for 'crickets' in this database of Canadian Government Grants and Contributions revealed 24 separate grants totaling $13.8 million for food-related purposes, including another $8.5 million for Aspire Food Group under something called the AgriInnovate Program. As a taxpayer, I object strenuously to this use of my money for the manipulation of people’s eating habits.  If people wanted to eat crickets, they’d buy them without any need for subsidies. If they don’t want to, they shouldn’t be continually pushed into doing so, with their own tax dollars doing the pushing.

"As far as the environment is concerned, there are other, non-coercive ways of making agriculture more productive while improving the environment. Farmer Joel Salatin of the famous Polyface Farm has lectured and written about this for decades. His method of regenerative agriculture restores land fertility while producing five times as much per acre as the neighbouring farms in his county. Regenerative Salatin-style farms are popping up all over the place in Canada. I’ve been buying all my meat, eggs, honey and flour from such farms for at least five years. These farmers work hard, improve their land, feed their customers, but if they make a profit at it — whoosh! It’s syphoned off to subsidize their cricket-rearing competitors. Pardon the pun, but it’s just not cricket."

Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/opinion/selick-if-canadians-wanted-to-eat-crickets-we-wouldn-t-be-forced-to-subsidize-the/article_5c9fc48a-fa17-11ec-b9dc-531a22aa8391.html

Dutch farmers protest climate-change emissions cuts

Dutch farmers block food distribution centers over new environmental rules | Deutsche Welle:

July 4, 2022 - "Farmers in the Netherlands reacted angrily to a proposal by lawmakers, including a plan to shut down some cattle farms to tackle harmful nitrogen emissions. Dutch farmers angry at government plans to slash emissions used tractors and trucks to blockade supermarket distribution centers on Monday. Fishermen also blocked some ports in a show of support for farmers.

"Their actions were part of ongoing protests against a government proposal to slash emissions of pollutants like nitrogen oxide and ammonia by 50% by 2030. Provincial governments were given a year to draw up ways of making the cuts, which were expected to include buying out some farms with livestock that produce large amounts of ammonia. Nitrogen oxides play a significant role in air pollution, and nitrous oxide contributes more to the greenhouse gas effect than CO2.... 

"While other sectors, including construction, have also been hit, measures to curb the ammonia generated by livestock farming constitute a significant part of the Netherlands' plans. According to the government's own figures the plan to cut nitrogen emissions by more than 70% in areas close to nature conservation areas could lead to the shutting down of around 30% of livestock farms.

"Farmers were calling for 'the entire country to be paralysed,' and vowed to continue protesting.... Prime Minister Mark Rutte has ruled out negotiating with farmers responsible for radical protests."

Read more: https://www.dw.com/en/dutch-farmers-block-food-distribution-centers-over-new-environmental-rules/a-62356217

Dutch farmers 'desperately' fighting back against government's 'green' agenda | Sky News Australia, July 5, 2002:

Dutch farmers' protests over emission cuts resume after police fire shots | Deutsche Welle:

July 6, 2022 - "Farmers protesting nitrogen emission cuts in the Netherlands gathered again after police fired what they said were warning shots, with no end in sight to the unrest. Dutch authorities on Wednesday said an official investigation has been opened into the events of a heated night of farmers' protests in the north of the Netherlands. Farmers have been demonstrating against a government proposal to slash emissions of pollutants. The protests turned into unrest as they blocked roads and supermarket distribution centers for several days. 

"Police say they fired warning shots late on Tuesday and arrested several people after protesting farmers started driving their tractors toward officers at a highway entry lane in Friesland. But the protesters contest the police's statement, claiming they posed no threat to the officers. According to local media reports, the Dutch farmers' interest group LTO called for an investigation, while the police union ACP insisted it was an incidental event that would not contribute to further escalation.... 

"Hours later, on Wednesday morning, protesting farmers were gathering outside the Groningen airport in the north of the country. The protesters were seeking to block the Groningen airport with their tractors. Medical flights were not affected, according to an official as quoted by the Volkskrant newspaper. 

"Protesters are angry about new environmental law proposals that seek to curtail emissions of nitrogen oxide and ammonia by 50% by 2030. According to estimates by the government itself, some 30% of livestock farmers will have to shut down their businesses.

"Farmers say they are being unfairly targeted.... The government has appointed an intermediary to lead talks between farmers' organizations and officials drawing up pollution reduction measures. But Prime Minister Mark Rutte has ruled out negotiating with farmers responsible for the unrest, which includes violence outside the private home of Environment Minister Christianne van der Wal, as well as blockades at food distribution centers across the country."

Read more: https://www.dw.com/en/dutch-farmers-protests-over-emission-cuts-resume-after-police-fire-shots/a-62381532

Denmark halts mass killing of 17 million mink

Denmark drops plans for mass mink cull after Covid mutation fears | The Guardian - Sophie Kevany & Tom Carstensen:

November 9, 2020 - "Last Wednesday the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said all the country’s mink would be culled due to fears that a Covid-19 mutation moving from mink to humans could jeopardise future vaccines. 

"But opposition to the move swiftly emerged. 'Massive doubts over whether this cull is properly scientifically based [have] come to light now,' said Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, the leader of Denmark’s largest opposition party, Venstre. 'At the same time the government is taking away the livelihood of a large number of people without actually having the legal rights to do so.' Frederik Waage, law professor at the University of Southern Denmark, told Danish national paper Berlingske the cull order was 'illegal'.

"Opposition to the cull focuses on the fact that Denmark’s’ public health agency, the Statens Serum Institut (SSI), had not found evidence of the mutated strain for more than a month, while a number of Danish and international experts questioned whether the mutation was dangerous.

"In neighbouring Sweden, 10 mink farms have been identified as having Covid-19 outbreaks. .. but Benny Andersson, CEO of Swedish animal rights organisation, Djurens Rätt,... is not expecting any cull in Sweden. 'That’s mainly because the ongoing pelting season means most animals, other than breeding stock, are already being killed,' he said.... Poland and Finland are reported to be free of Covid-19 on mink farms, while in the Netherlands fur farming will effectively end this year. In Ireland, a tiny player in the mink sector, testing at the country’s three farms is reported to have begun....

"In the US, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presentation last week said 11 mink farms had Covid-19 outbreaks.... US veterinary NGO the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association said the apparent rapid mutation of the virus in mink, and the lack of a cull, was both a public health and a welfare risk.... Joanna Swabe, a policy adviser for Humane Society International, agreed.... Swabe said that not carrying out culls on farms where Covid-19 has been detected in the mink meant the continued existence of 'a pool of non-essential animals that ​could pose a risk to public health'."

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/09/denmark-drops-plans-for-mass-mink-cull-after-covid-mutation-fears 

Farmers turn to market to fix supply-chain damage

Pennsylvania Dairy Farmer Decides to Bottle His Own Milk Rather than Dump It. Sells Out in Hours | Return to Now - Sara Burrows:
May 4, 2020 - "When Ben Brown’s dairy processor told him they could no longer buy his milk, he got to work bottling it himself.

"Brown’s Whoa Nellie Dairy farm has been providing high-quality, cream-line milk since the 1700s. He sells some of it at his on-site farm store, but a large portion of it used to be sold to a dairy processor who pasteurized and bottled it for local restaurants and markets.

"When he realized he would have to dump hundreds of gallons of milk each week until his 70 milking cows dried up, ... he got to work, literally around the clock, pasteurizing it in small batches in his 30-gallon vat and bottling it up. He posted on Facebook that they’d open up the farm store for additional hours to sell the milk directly to consumers, and the response was overwhelming:

"The line to get in the store was at least 20 customers deep for several hours, the local news reported.... They sold out within hours and have sold out almost every day since. On days they don’t sell out, they donate their fresh, non-homogenized milk to local charities."
Read more: https://returntonow.net/2020/05/04/pennsylvania-dairy-farmer-decides-to-bottle-his-own-milk-rather-than-dump-it-sells-out-in-hours/

Florida Farmers are Selling Directly to Consumers to Avoid Produce Dumps | Return to Now - Sara Burrows:
May 1, 2020 - "Last month, Florida farmers let countless tons of produce rot in their fields after the restaurants, theme parks and cruise lines they normally serve this time of year were suddenly closed due to nationwide quarantines. This month, they are changing their business model, selling directly to the consumers who are doing a whole lot more home-cooking these days....

"Florida farmers are getting help from the state department of agriculture, which has created a website to connect them to local buyers. Floridians can search the website for farms and co-ops near them and a list of what each farm offers.

"While some farms grow primarily mono-crops – such as tomatoes for ketchup – some are bio-diverse, organic farms with a wide variety of specialty produce that used to be sold in high-end local restaurants.... Some farms are even offering milkshakes, poultry, seafood and shell fish."
Read more: https://returntonow.net/2020/05/01/florida-farmers-sell-directly-to-consumers-to-avoid-produce-dumps/