Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Are You Aware of Walmart's Power To Control Farm Production Practices?

Walmart wants Iowans to
farm by its principles


Never mind the government regulators. When it
comes to influencing the way farmers grow their
crops, the real power someday may be Walmart, the
nation's largest food retailer.

Walmart pledges to double sales of locally grown
food by 2015 and also is taking steps to ensure that
all the food it sells is produced in sustainable ways.
Walmart wants to measure and set farm-to-fork
standards for the energy and natural resource
impacts of food production.

The company hasn't been specific yet about what
these initiatives will mean for farmers in Iowa. Work
on the sustainability standards for domestically
produced foods has just started.

But Walmart says it is interested in improving soil
quality and conserving water and fossil fuels. In the
run-up to announcing the plan last month, top
Walmart executives flew into Iowa at least twice and
toured three Iowa farms that either follow organic
methods or are known for innovative environmental
practices.

"They seemed to get it," said Ron Rosmann, an
organic farmer near Atlantic. He said the Walmart
executives talked knowledgeably about hot-button i
ssues such as antibiotic usage in livestock and the
environmental benefits of organic practices. "They
were saying this is what we need more of," he said.

Farm groups are watching Walmart's plans
cautiously, given that the company has the market
power to force them to change practices without
compensating them for the higher production costs
that could result.

"I'm not under any illusion that farmers are going to
get premiums for these practices," said Russell
Williams, who is following the Walmart initiative for
the American Farm Bureau Federation. "It's going to
be a cost of doing business. If that's the case, we're
going to have to focus on how not to destroy farm
income."

I saw this article in the Des Moines Register and thought it is relevant here in Ontario as well.

Here is the link to the whole article: 

 

 

 

 

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20101107/BUSINESS01/110703...

 

 

 

Views: 62

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by OntAG Admin on November 8, 2010 at 4:15am
Interesting article from New York state on consumer preferences influencing farming practices.

Farmers React to Changing Marketplace to Survive http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20101031/NEWS09/310310003

Also in the article::

Wegmans Food Markets Inc. requires its suppliers to provide documentation that they follow Good Agricultural Practices, or GAPs, a national program that Cornell University runs in New York that monitors risk-reducing procedures surrounding worker hygiene, water quality, manure and other factors. For years, Wegmans has recommended that local growers get GAP-certified; this was the first year it was required.
Permalink Reply by Bristow on November 8, 2010 at 6:37am
When do Monsato come into the picture. It will be soon than you think from production to the table. With the trend of government take over of some commersial enterprizes. As with the oil industry with opec countries holding lion shares in banks, car production and of course the shipping and production. It is only a matter of time before the producer of seed, chemicals for production will move into the transport, and distrubution of its production as it will be the only one produced. A push by Walmart to sell a organic product cuts into profits of large scale gm food production. But I guess they would have some cosely deal we don;t know. As for shares in these companys, I am quiet sure, your franked shares will be worth something one day, like the money producted out nothing but debt.

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Canadian Grain and Pork Sectors Join Others in Sound Alarm Over AAFC Research Cuts

Three major Canadian agriculture groups are calling for urgent clarity after AAFC announced staffing cuts and research facility closures.

Agriculture and Baking Groups Push Back After Florida Flags Glyphosate in Bread

In response to release of Florida glyphosate break information, national wheat, milling, and baking groups emphasized that U.S. bread remains safe and urged regulators to rely on consistent, science-based national standards rather than isolated testing.

Now Hiring: Agronomy Manager

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) is a development board for the dynamic and growing pulse crop industry. Accountable to and funded by the over 15,000 pulse growers in the province, we provide leadership and work to create opportunities for profitable growth of the Saskatchewan pulse industry by investing in research, market development, communications, and agronomy extension. At SPG, we see diversity as an asset and strive to make our work and our organization inclusive. We are committed to ensuring equal opportunities and an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can bring their whole self to work. We are currently seeking someone to complement our existing Agronomy Manager position through providing expertise and leadership on pulse crop agronomy with specific focus on chickpeas, dry beans, and lentils and by leading the development, execution, and extension of the on-farm trial program as well as the surveillance and monitoring programs. Agronomy Manager This dynamic ful

North Shore submarine cable now in service: TELUS strengthens communications service resilience east of Baie-Comeau

TELUS today announced the successful deployment and commissioning of its nearly 125-kilometre submarine fibre optic cable connecting Sept-Îles to Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. This critical infrastructure, which was deployed and buried in the seabed of the St. Lawrence River in November and December 2025, provides essential redundancy to the telecommunications network serving communities east of Baie-Comeau. This major project was made possible through a joint investment of more than $20 million from TELUS and the Government of Canada. "The completion of this state-of-the-art submarine infrastructure marks a historic moment for citizens along the North Shore – a region that has long faced connectivity challenges due to its remote location and vast, rugged landscape. Moreover, this important initiative demonstrates our TELUS team's unwavering commitment to enhancing the resilience of our digital infrastructure in communities across the country," said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO, TELUS

TELUS achieves its 100% renewable and low-emitting electricity target

TELUS Corporation is the first Canadian telecom to achieve its target of sourcing 100% of electricity for their global operations from renewable or low-emitting sources as of December 31, 2025. Building on this milestone, TELUS unveiled its new Climate Transition Framework, a comprehensive roadmap to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2040 while helping to enable Canada's own transition to a low-carbon economy. "At TELUS, we believe that business success and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. Our achievement of our 2025 target to source 100% of electricity from renewable or low-emitting sources is a reflection of our team's unparalleled commitment to improving the health of the planet in combination with enabling a more robust economy," said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO of TELUS. "As a further demonstration of our global leadership and continued focus on creating a more sustainable world, TELUS is investing in nature-accretive solutions that support ecosys

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service