Supply managed system:

It is no secret that, over very many years, the dairy industry in Canada has been successful in preventing huge volumes of milk from the United Sates flooding in and undermining their market.

With the current Brexit negotiations underway, there may well be a lesson here for British farmers to learn.

Earlier this year, after some prompting from dairy producers and organisations in the US, President Trump pointed to Canada’s dairy system as one that harms American. However, according to Wally Smith, President of Dairy Farmers of Canada, the numbers paint a different picture.

Smith, who was in Washington last week, said he was in the US capital to discuss potential impacts on the Canadian dairy industry if NAFTA (a North Anerican Free Trade Agreement) gets re-opened - and how it might also negatively impact the US dairy industry and it’s dairy farmers.

“We’re here to say that the US already has huge market access into both Canada and Mexico under NAFTA and that the dairy trade between these countries is all in the US’s favour,” Smith said adding: “US exports into the Canadian market are five times greater than the exports from Canada into the US. There is more American dairy product exported into those two markets than anywhere else in the world, including China.”

He pointed out the population of California alone is greater than the population of all of Canada, and the same goes for the bovine population. “The number of cows in Wisconsin is greater than all the animals in Canada, so there’s a huge disparity there,” he added.

While Smith said he had not experienced any anti-Canadian sentiment while in Washington, there were questions about how the Canadian dairy industry works, and about US exports to Canada.

Some US dairy groups said Canada is violating the NAFTA trade agreement and that US dairy processors are suffering due to Canada closing a loophole through which US exporters were selling ultra-filtered milk.

“It is an opportunity for us to explain the situation, to inform the American public that the Canadians are not involved in the export market. I think only 0.3 per cent of Canadian production is traded internationally - Americans need to know that and people need to know that.”

He said Americans need to know they already have a very lucrative market in Canada, and a very lucrative market in Mexico. Smith said he, and Canadian dairy farmers, are very sympathetic to the plight of the US farmers, as they are to farmers in the UK.

“I’ve been following a long time now some of the blogs from farmers that are writing about how the low prices are affecting and impacting on family farms and their operations and, if the Americans thought that opening up the Canadian market to their production would lift them out of their level of low prices, I think they need to have a second sober discussion around that issue.”

Canada has a supply managed system, which means that Canadian dairy producers only produce the forecast requirements for their domestic market.

“Our government in Canada, as well as other political parties in Canada, as well as the Canadian public, are very supportive of supply management.

“There is no subsidy from government, we don’t export into the international market, we don’t do any dumping, so I want to go back to my earlier point - if you take all those factors, and you look at the enormous opportunities that American dairy producers already have providing products to the Canadian and Mexican markets, my question is, “What more do they want?”

Our cousins celebrate?

In September of this year, the Borough of Narberth, Pa., plan to start a community driven planning process that will help residents develop strategies and recommendations for preserving the heritage and character of their community.

Narberth, Pennsylvania, is located on a parcel of land originally deeded to Edward Rees (which later became ‘Prees’ and eventually ‘Price’), who arrived from Wales in 1682. A portion of this original tract became the 100-acre farm of Edward R. Price, who founded Elm as a Quaker-friendly town in 1881.

The town name changed to Narberth in 1893, and Narberth was incorporated in 1895 and, in 1995, the borough celebrated its centenary with a year-long celebration.

Because of its small size, many of Narberth’s shopping and recreational facilities are within walking distance of residents’ houses and the main railway line separates North Side from South Side.

Narberth, Pa. is mostly a residential community, with a central business district along Haverford, Narberth, Forrest, and Essex Avenues. The borough is bordered by the towns of Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, Merion, and Penn Valley, Pennsylvania.

Narberth’s business district has a variety of small, generally independent businesses, some of which have been there for decades, including the American Family Market, The Cheese Company, Ricklin’s Hardware, and Real Pizza.

In recent years, many new businesses have opened, including the Narberth Bookshop, Le Petit Mitron (a French bakery), and Village Treats - it also has. Narberth also has an independent cinema/theatre located in its downtown.

Many borough businesses belong to the Narberth Business Association, which promotes the town as a shopping destination and also puts on occasional events, including the Spring Sidewalk Sale and the Narberth Dickens Festival.

Opinion

From a retired hospital sister: “I am getting so sick of people saying RIP NHS. For goodness sake, the NHS has been in trouble for a long time because it simply cannot sustain the high level of use.

“You want to save the NHS? Then educate yourselves -stop going to the GP for stupid reasons, stay out of A&E unless its an absolute emergency.

“Start taking responsibility for the health of yourself and your family - don’t drink or take drugs to such an an extent that your organs fail and stop eating so much that you become a health hazard.

“I’m not saying everyone needs to become a doctor - be a little less ignorant and just start paying for your medication like paracetemol and inbuprofen instead of demanding it for free on prescription just because you can.”

Catholic joke

The Pope and Trump are on the same stage at The Yankee Stadium in front of a huge crowd. Leaning towards Trump, the Pope said: “Do you know that with one little wave of my hand I can make every person in the world go wild with joy? This joy will not be a momentary display, but will go deep into their hearts and they’ll forever speak of this day and rejoice.”

Trump replied: “I seriously doubt that - with one little wave of the hand! Show me.”

So the Pope backhanded him and knocked him off the stage and the crowd roared and cheered wildly and there was happiness throughout the land. (Catholic journal).

Little things

Ten signs you are doing well in life: 1. You have a roof over your head; 2. You ate today; 3. You have a good heart; 4. You wish good for others; 5. You have clean water; 6. Someone cares for you; 7. You strive to be better; 8. You have clean clothes; 9. You have a dream; 10. You’re breathing - be thankful for the little things for they are the most important.

Quote:

“I wouldn’t have to manage my anger if people could learn to manage their stupidity!”

More Larry

Larry’s class were on a field trip to their local police station where they saw pictures tacked to a bulletin board of the 10 most wanted criminals.

One of the youngsters pointed to a picture and asked if it really was the photo of a wanted person.

‘Yes,’ said the policeman. ‘The detectives want very badly to capture him.’

Larry asked: ‘Why didn’t you keep him when you took his picture?’