A New Vision for Saskatchewan Agriculture is Needed...
The Editor:
Saskatchewan farmers and ranchers faced years of depressed grains prices, drought, canola products rejected by world markets because of its genetically engineered characteristics, grasshopper plagues, Chronic Wasting Disease in elk and deer herds, and recent rejection of Canadian beef and lamb products because of BSE.
Farmers have diversified their operations and products only to find promised rewards snatched away.Smaller cattle and hog producers see their tax dollars supporting mega-livestock operations that produce cheaper, but inferior, animals, while putting them out of business.
“Solutions” created by governments and agri-industry have not been sustainable. Many undermined the stability of the agricultural economy, the quality of our agricultural products and of our environment.
Genetically Engineered crops, reliance on chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides to counter the effects of large-scale mono-culture cropping practices, the regular use of hormones and sub-therapeutic doses of antibiotics to keep over-crowded animals alive and safe from devastating disease conditions have not been real solutions. The consumer increasingly rejects the contaminated meats that are produced in this manner. These “solutions” enter our soils, leach into our watersheds , underground aquifers and municipal water systems.
Diseased and rendered animal parts are fed to plant-eating animals and we get BSE infections and the horrific impact on our international trade and reputation. Monsanto “solutions” barr Canola products from world market places. The imminent release of GE wheat designed for more Monsanto profits, now threatens our wheat markets as well.
We need a “Green” vision and leadership to bring our rural and urban society together to create sustainable standards and practices that value the health of our food, land, water and air, focussed to producing top quality, world class products by methods that earn recognition from environmentally conscious people around the world who will come to know that “Saskatchewan” means “Quality”.
Gerald Regnitter, New Green Alliance Candidate for Saskatchewan Rivers Constituency
Box 289 Christopher Lake, Sask. S0J 0N0 (306) 982-3614 email: friendlyforest@inet2000.comA letter to the Editor by Gerald Regnitter, August 16, 2022
