We regularly see caution flags or those bright orange cones along the roads that we travel. We have also bounced through a deep pothole or deep cut-out in the pavement where work is only partly done but the paving gang hasn’t arrived yet and neither flags nor cones were out to warn us. Maybe there was confusion as to who was . . .
in charge of the warning flags or cones and as a result none were placed and as a result, our cars may need a tire, a rim, or a steering alignment.
During the second week of November 2020, there was lots of press about the U.S. presidential election and although a couple big flags went out, most of us missed them. Just like a missing warning on the road; there may some big bumps ahead.
It’s old news now but some major companies and or head offices have moved from North America to China. It was no surprise to me that General Motors was one since China is and will be the largest market for automobiles in the world. Wages are also a large part of automobile cost. Wages are much less in China than in most countries, provinces or states in North America.
The big flag that I noticed was the announcement that G.M. truck production was starting again in Canada. No mention was made of moving any G.M. manufacturing to the U.S. Could the fact that the former U.S. president regularly referred to the COVID-19 virus as the China virus have had anything to do with the decision? Interesting that the medical team in China has had more success in controlling the virus than the U.S. team of experts.
A large majority of the electric cars now in production are made in China. The leader in electric car production, Tesla, has also moved their electric car division to China. Canada may have noticed the flag when it was announced last spring that an investment in electric vehicle technology was planned for G.M. in Canada.
The largest flag that went up last week was the announcement of the world’s largest trading group being formed. India, Japan, China and most of the other Asian countries formed the group. It has been known for many years that the grains for human consumption in those countries was mostly old style natural grains accessed from India, N.Z. and even Russia. Several flags went up when several boatloads of grain from North America were rejected and returned when some GMO kernels were discovered in the ship load.
Another flag was raised when China purchased a major pharmaceutical company a few years ago, but not the one that manufactures and sells the spray that is in the news for paying the largest financial compensation in history to victims who tied cancer to working with this spray.
Ads have recently appeared in several places announcing an increased market for grains used for human consumption. This is the time of the year that seed dealers storm the grain growing farms to sign up farmers seed needs for next spring. One of the most important decisions for grain farmers is to know where next year’s crop will be sold and lock in some crop sales for next year at a guaranteed price.
Our politicians have to see the flags and analyze possible future developments. Politicians cannot always accept information from lobbyists with the largest budget but have eyes and ears all over the world. Consumers have become more educated about food quality and safety. They rightly demand more ethically raised animals and want to know what and why certain drugs, hormones and feed additives are used. There will always be consumers who buy on price but a large majority are becoming concerned about the future of our air quality, cleanliness of our water, and the future condition of our soil in the world.
Farmers have always watched their neighbours to see how they are doing, what they plant, what kind of a bull they bought, how much they sold the pig for, how they could keep the hens laying all winter, even what kind of car they drove. Our politicians seem to spend a lot of effort getting re-elected. Leaders of communist countries don’t have that worry. I never want communist rule but our leaders better spend more time watching the flags of warning so our country remains competitive producing what other countries want too.
Ultimately, the consumer has control. Farmers will produce what they want. An example is the hormone-free, grass-fed beef that had to be imported when it couldn’t be sourced in Canada. Now almost all of this beef is grown in Canada. If other countries are demanding safe food with less chemical residues our Canadian consumers are reading the flags too.
Chris Judd is a farmer in Clarendon on land that has been in his family for generations.
gladcrest@gmail.com
