FARMING ISN’T A GAME, BUT THERE IS A GAME ABOUT FARMING
Just say nope to dope for your pets, says vet association
You can now feed cows and grow crops in a virtual online world » PG 2
Pet owners wondering if edible cannabis products are suitable for dogs or cats » PG 3
CHECK OUT OUR ANNUAL
WESTERN CANADA’S ALL BREEDS BULL SALE SOURCE IN THIS ISSUESEE PAGE 45 Publications Mail Agreement # 40069240
V o l u m e 1 5 , n u m b e r 2 j a n u a r y 1 5 , 2 0 1 8
Meat tax unlikely but alternatives gaining ground Consumers are being offered more plant-based proteins and adding more of them to their diets, says expert BY ALEXIS KIENLEN AF STAFF
SUPERCLUSTERS: Creating a Silicon Valley for agriculture and food
Two proposals from Western Canada are vying for backing in Ottawa’s bid to put Canada at the front of the new economy
A
tax on meat was the story d’jour at the start of the new year, and although the prospects of such a tax seem slim, the livestock industry risks losing market share to plant-based products, says an expert. The call for a tax came from Jeremy Coller, founder of one of the world’s largest private equity
SEE MEAT TAX } page 7
BY JENNIFER BLAIR AND GLENN CHEATER AF staff
S
o what would you rather have — new lucrative ‘plant protein’ markets or a way to turn Big Data into bigger profits? Those are the goals of the two agriculture and agri-food proposals vying for a slice of $950 million of federal cash that Ottawa will spend on ‘superclusters’ — business-led collaborations that aim to turn innovative ideas into powerful engines of the Canadian economy. “Canada needs to continue to be competitive on the world stage,” said Ron Styles, acting president of an organization backing a supercluster proposal to boost both production and processing of pulses and other crops in Western Canada. “The whole idea is to increase economic growth. That is at the heart of it.” Similarly, the Smart Agri-Food supercluster aims to greatly accelerate an existing trend — in this case, the use of Big Data — to make Canada a world leader. “Farmers and ranchers have
SEE SUPERCLUSTERS } page 6
Two agriculture and food initiatives are contenders for Ottawa’s billion-dollar plan to kick-start the nation’s new economy — but will it pick Big Data or plant-based proteins? PHOTO: thinkstock T:10.25”
T:3”
SAVE UPTO $2/ACRE
Early book 1,000 acres of Bayer Cereal Herbicides by March 16, 2018 to qualify. ASK YOUR RETAILER FOR DETAILS
cropscience.bayer.ca/BayerValue
1 888-283-6847
@Bayer4CropsCA
Always read and follow label directions. Bayer CropScience Inc. is a member of CropLife Canada.
#AskBayerCrop