THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016
VOL. 94 | NO. 51 | $4.25
GIVING MILK MORE SEX APPEAL | P 18 SERVING WESTERN CANADIAN FARM FAMILIES SINCE 1923
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MAXIMIZING PROFIT
Precision ag potential has room to grow Technology isn’t living up to full potential: official BY SEAN PRATT SASKATOON NEWSROOM
CHICAGO, Ill. — Mark von Pentz focused his presentation around three numbers — 40, 90 and 50. The president of Deere & Co. Ag & Turf for Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Asia and Africa, said those three numbers illustrate the staggering potential of precision farming. “A combine is only using 60 percent of its installed capacity today, only 60 percent,” he told delegates attending the 2016 DTN Ag Summit. “The same iron could run 40 percent more.” Von Pentz said 100 percent utilization is impossible, but Deere is working on boosting capacity utilization to 70 or 80 percent, which would contribute an extra $25 per acre to the bottom line. SEE PRECISION AG, PAGE 5
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Ian Gardner chops a hole through the ice so bulls in the field in the background have access to water on the Sentinel Ranch south of Longview, Alta., Dec. 13. | MIKE STURK PHOTO
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TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS PROGRAM
Ottawa plans to eliminate controversial 4 and 4 rule Regulation forced temporary foreign workers to leave the country for four years after working four years BY ROBERT ARNASON BRANDON BUREAU
Kevin Nixon is feeling relieved. For about five years, honey producers like him have been asking the federal government to change a rule that made it difficult for beekeepers to retain foreign workers. On Dec. 13 the government relented by abandoning a controversial rule that allowed foreigners to work in Canada for only four years. “In order to prevent unnecessary hardship and instability for both workers and employers, the fouryear cumulative duration rule will
no longer apply to temporary foreign workers in Canada, effective immediately,” the government said in a news release. The regulation, known as the four and four rule, was put in place in 2011. Under the rule, temporary foreign workers could have a job in Canada for four years and then would be ineligible to work in Canada for the next four years. The former Conservative government passed the regulation to encourage businesses to hire Canadians or push foreign workers to become permanent residents of Canada.
Beekeepers said the rule was ridiculous because jobs in the industry are seasonal, and many foreign workers prefer to return home to countries such as the Philippines, Guatemala or Nicaragua during the winter. As well, it can take years to train a foreign worker or for that person to become competent in English. Forcing someone to leave after they’ve become a skilled employee made no sense to them. “A lot of our beekeepers have staff of 10, 30 or 40 foreign workers,” Rod Scarlett, Canadian Honey Council executive director, said earlier this year.
“They (the employees) develop an expertise that makes the operation successful.” Nixon, who chairs the honey council, said the federal government’s reversal is a “big deal” for beekeepers. “It (the decision) caught me by surprise. We were hopeful this was coming but you … never know,” said Nixon, who operates Nixon Honey Farm near Red Deer. “It’s been a few years of worry and trying to discuss this with government, so it’s nice to see a positive outcome.” SEE PRODUCERS WELCOME, PAGE 4
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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
DECEMBER 22, 2016 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Stn. Main, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4