Who is paying Ralph Goodale?????

[bucket]

The funny thing about Ralph is that he was in government and was pretty quiet about even starting these projects....now he is an expert? ?????

[bucket]

Bucket your rants on irrigation’s shows your ignorance . Just because lentils are grown in your area? You mean you couldn’t grow something else? Have you Driven from Lethbridge to Medicine Hat and see the gigantic operations going on there. Maybe it’s you that’s doesn’t have a clue what he is talking about. If you want to bring back Industry and people them irrigation is one answer. Can support and family no problem with 640 acres

I highlight your comment about gigantic operations because more than likely there is government money in it....

And if there is always government money in it......it doesnt pass the litmus test for being self sustaining....


25 years ago I was at a SIPA meeting and was told if you are growing wheat or canola under a pivot its not a money maker...

Sure 60 BPA canola looks good under a pivot....guys up at Kamsack do that on dryland. And I don't think they are getting 40 dollars an acre plus their infrastructure built for them...

If people want to do irrigation ....great....just get out your cheque book....not mine through taxes.....

The other reason I complain is that there are plenty of private irrigators that have spent their own money...look at those guys along the Milk River that have been told no water this year....they are getting no instant infrastructure money to rebuild a structure that should only take a week to rebuild...


Or guys that have invested to irrigate out of named lakes that are essentially sloughs refilled by spring runoffs or rains....there is no equal 40 dollars an acre for 5 years for them to maintain or improve their systems that were not built by the government...

You see my point...

As for being ignorant....Really.... I don't think so....you would be surprised with what I might be able to tell you about operating pivots....I don't speak with no experience on the subject.....unlike Ralph.

[furrowtickler]

Ralph needs to go away already lol
But reality is there is virtually no one in the liberal party with much real experience, that Ralph does have . But everyone has their day , his time has come and gone but keeps coming back like a wood tick to suck free blood from the taxpayer .
I agree Bucket , he had his chance , for many years to get involved but hated farmers . Now he is an expert behind this irrigation project ... lol
Like bo bo the Ag minister , has a garden and is the federal Ag minster ... what a circus we have .
And yes Ritz was no better , an Ostrich hobby farmer that made some very poor decisions

[bucket]

What is really funny and odd is that Ralph got his opinion in the Western Producer....wasn't he an AG minister at one time?????

While some may think Ralph has some experience....his only credentials are living off the taxpayers for some 40 years....

As far as this file on irrigation goes....he knows nothing....just repeating what he is told....he has no critical thinking skills.

[Rareearth]

Saskatchewan is one of the driest grains producing areas in the world, less annual rain fall than Arizona- a desert.

You certainly bring forward interesting perspectives and points Bucket, but it does raise other questions:
- assuming the irrigators are neighbours of yours?
- you don’t have any irrigation opportunities (or owned land)in the irrigation project area ?
- your feuding with neighbours for some reason over the past years ?

It’s difficult to believe that so many ag regions around the world rely on irrigation and related infrastructure / industry and that its bad, costly, not necessary, etc., has to be hundreds of millions of acres around the world.
The doom and gloom Saskatchewan perspective is persistent. It seems the younger generation has discovered Lake Diefenbaker after 50 years of socialism.

Looking forward 50 years, with such infrastructure is wow! I guess I’m a dreamer, but I think a realest as well.

Perhaps turning highways to gravel roads, makes a lot of sense as well. Centralization of schools and hospitals, etc

Not a Ralph fan at all, but it doesn’t mean that he isn’t right on this.

[jazz]

Irrigation around the world is typically for high value crops, not field crops.

Look at some of the driest areas who brought in irrigation. They aint growing canola. Almonds, g****s, vegetables, etc.

If thats the vision for Canadian ag, then we need a real paradigm shift.

I dont like Ralph but sparking a change in thinking can be useful. Because field crop ag has gone about as far as its going to in the west.

I have to agree his diversion idea from Diefenbaker to increase flow to the chain lakes is a good one.

[Zephyr]

Irrigation around the world is typically for high value crops, not field crops.

Look at some of the driest areas who brought in irrigation. They aint growing canola. Almonds, g****s, vegetables, etc.

If thats the vision for Canadian ag, then we need a real paradigm shift.

I dont like Ralph but sparking a change in thinking can be useful. Because field crop ag has gone about as far as its going to in the west.

I have to agree his diversion idea from Diefenbaker to increase flow to the chain lakes is a good one.

Untrue.

Corn, wheat, brassica all grown under irrigation in the US, Southern Hemisphere, and parts of Europe



The reason usually high value crops are grown under irrigation here is because it's rare to have the infrastructure.


Belittling and discounting irrigation is absolutely foolish.

Irrigation, along with tile, creates massive yield gains and evens production from year to year.

Greater revenue and production benefits the entire food chain and the country as a hole through more Fx.


Unfamiliar with water requirements of lentils... But most crops like wheat canola oats and corn you can almost bank on double the yield of dryland... Not to mention being able to fertigate.


Hay production is another one.... Massive amounts of alfalfa and Timothy is grown under pivot, it's the only way to produce steady, even, high yield crops.

[furrowtickler]

Where irrigation becomes tricky is GDD and crop maturities the farther north you go .
Yes hay crops are a great fit , but earlier season crops with ideal moisture can be tricky when frost free days are very limited, especially now .
Maybe in a few years thing will change as sun spot activity picks back up
Outlook area is generally very good for frost free days and is a fit but I know last year this area had less than 45 frost free days . That’s why irrigation on regular field crops would be very risky for the massive amount of financial investment. Hay , Timothy and certain early season high value crop probably worth the risk

[furrowtickler]

Not saying it won’t work but crop options become much more limited say north of Hwy 16 tgan southern Alberta

[bucket]

Untrue.

Corn, wheat, brassica all grown under irrigation in the US, Southern Hemisphere, and parts of Europe



The reason usually high value crops are grown under irrigation here is because it's rare to have the infrastructure.


Belittling and discounting irrigation is absolutely foolish.

Irrigation, along with tile, creates massive yield gains and evens production from year to year.

Greater revenue and production benefits the entire food chain and the country as a hole through more Fx.


Unfamiliar with water requirements of lentils... But most crops like wheat canola oats and corn you can almost bank on double the yield of dryland... Not to mention being able to fertigate.


Hay production is another one.... Massive amounts of alfalfa and Timothy is grown under pivot, it's the only way to produce steady, even, high yield crops.

If there is massive yield gains then the guys with those massive gains can write the cheques....

If you look at the increase in production over the past 40 years on dryland with better agronomics. .. .. shouldn't dryland farmers be subsidized the same way?


Do the math on putting a pivot to gain an extra 40 bpa ....might as well buy another dryland quarter or two....rather than create more work and ask the taxpayer to subsidize the operation.

[Zephyr]

If there is massive yield gains then the guys with those massive gains can write the cheques....

If you look at the increase in production over the past 40 years on dryland with better agronomics. .. .. shouldn't dryland farmers be subsidized the same way?


Do the math on putting a pivot to gain an extra 40 bpa ....might as well buy another dryland quarter or two....rather than create more work and ask the taxpayer to subsidize the operation.

1.

Highways and rail lines created massive wealth. I guess grain companies should have paid for that infrastructure as opposed to the government building it? Same argument. Irrigation and drainage canals are national infrastructure. It is for the betterment of society and I have no problem with it being paid for with public funds.

2. And production on irrigation has had likewise increases. You doubled dryland they doubled on irrigation, guess what you're producing 40-50 bpa canola and irrigated is running 80-100.


3. That is the most stupid backward hillbilly Saskatchewan logic I've ever heard. While everyone else is advocating producing more from the same or less acres you'd advocating producing less on more acres. Our drill and combine cost per acre is the same wether we do 80 bpa or 40. But the difference between 2000 acres and 4000 is massive.


And yes, we have some irrigated land... And some dry.

Furro, those are good points. We are blessed with 2400-2600 chu here

[bucket]

This idea of feeding the world when the industry euthanizes animals and feed potatoes to cows while funding food banks is flawed....no?

[bucket]

1.

Highways and rail lines created massive wealth. I guess grain companies should have paid for that infrastructure as opposed to the government building it? Same argument. Irrigation and drainage canals are national infrastructure. It is for the betterment of society and I have no problem with it being paid for with public funds.

2. And production on irrigation has had likewise increases. You doubled dryland they doubled on irrigation, guess what you're producing 40-50 bpa canola and irrigated is running 80-100.


3. That is the most stupid backward hillbilly Saskatchewan logic I've ever heard. While everyone else is advocating producing more from the same or less acres you'd advocating producing less on more acres. Our drill and combine cost per acre is the same wether we do 80 bpa or 40. But the difference between 2000 acres and 4000 is massive.


And yes, we have some irrigated land... And some dry.

Furro, those are good points. We are blessed with 2400-2600 chu here

When you write the cheques for the infrastructure cost of putting in a billion dollar project to gain a little .....ROI from the government investment should be what exactly...

They handed a 75 million dollar project over to 20 people and they are still receiving taxpayer funding.

SSRID is getting the 40 dollars for 5 years plus the recently announced 2.8 million for canal rehab. ..

As a private irrigator do you receive that level of support. ..

My bitching is more about the funding than the irrigation itself...

I should have been more clear...

But I also think if they are developing these projects the high value crops should be a prerequisite to funding...that insures the industry finds its way here...

If people just want to grow 100bpa canola and live off taxpayer funding .....it's not sustainable on its own

[furrowtickler]

There are several farms here north that got caught up in the big push to max out fert / herb / fungicide..... going all in . Well the past two years have bankrupted a few and left others teetering bad financially . Meanwhile the input dealers have had a hay day convincing guys to go all in .
These shorter growing seasons , frost in August and snow in September that has decimated yields and crop quality has left many farms in a financial mess .
So to expect others to pay tax dollars to this is wrong when they are financially strapped for zero benefit for their situations.
Tax payers everywhere are being asked or told to pay way more than need be in this country already for others to benefit

[Rareearth]

Funding for tax payer and social benefits

Many, many choices with no ROI that’s measurable
NATO
Who
BL matter
Arts in general
Tar sands
Indigionus issues
Etc

Water is the very foundation of every economy on the globe. Take it away and what’s left?