FAll 2003
Message from Murray Bast
Vaccines, Drugs & Disease
Miracles never cease to happen. Have you ever felt despondent and discouraged? Such was my case when I sat in the Memphis airport not too long ago waiting for my flight. I saw on television a medical doctor who was speaking out on the seriousness of autism in male children. He was admitting that some of the materials in childhood vaccines are very deadly. The Doctor continued with a caution to parents not to vaccinate children and acknowledged that there was evidence and compelling data that shows a possible connection between the drugs and hormones that we feed livestock and the types of diseases that people are getting. He went on to say that it is possible that some of the pseudo-estrogen mimicking plastics in new cars and some types of convenience foods could be responsible for certain types of disease.
My jaw dropped and I almost fell off the chair I was sitting on. If I wouldnt have had side rails on it, I think I would have. For someone in the medical establishment to finally recognize and make the admission that we have a problem in North America with autism & hyperactive children and to finally say that drugs are not the answer, well it almost floored me!
Genetic Engineering Payback?
As many of you know, I have ranted and raved for many years about these problems and have said that we will some day pay the price. Only recently I attended a supper where a speaker was talking about some of the problems associated with using GMO products, only to be verbally attacked by someone in the audience about how old fashioned she was. When I made a point about the fact that continued on next page
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$1.2 billion is invested on government research in genetic engineering, and that that money comes at the taxpayers expense; I was compared to the people who didnt want a hay baler back in 1948. However, the most profound statement was made by one of the gentlemen in the audience who asked the very poignant question: How has any of this GE work benefited agriculture? How much has the profit to the farmer increased? When he was finished, the whole room burst into applause and the verbal attacker looked rather sheepish as well he should. We later found out that he works for a front for the chemical companies, and did not necessarily like what had happened at that meeting.
I think as farmers we need to think very strongly about how we allow ourselves to get sucked into situations that have absolutely little or no bearing on the bottom line of our operations. Farmers can be put in situations that leave them so desperate that they will jump at anything to improve their bottom line. Over the last 15 to 20 years, many of the things that we have tried havent really brought us any bottom line solutions.
The Importance of Nutrition
On another note, I was recently startled by a conversation I had with a government employee. It was revealed to me that right now in this industry, there is a large multinational company that is beginning to test some of their products for nutritional value. Over the years, Bio-Ag has adamantly spoken out about nutrition and how important it is. It is very gratifying that in only the last few months we are starting to bear some fruit, so to speak, with a mass market suddenly paying attention to these matters.
Many of the countries in the world that are purchasing food and feed from Canada are now demanding good quality and nutrition as a priority. I hope the day comes when people will buy food based on nutritional value, and farmers will finally get paid for the quality they produce and not just for the quantity that they yield. If more attention was given to quality, I really believe that farmers would turn this thing around and produce food that would be of great nutritional benefit to every nutritional consumer on the planet.
In looking back on all of this, one has to wonder how we ever allowed ourselves to get into such a messy situation in the first place where all that mattered was quantity and not quality. We are now finding many young children who have serious allergy problems to dairy products and nuts. Before long, conclusions will be made that recognize the importance of nutrition and its link to health and vitality.
In all of the years that Bio-Ag has been in business we have been saying the same things over and over, that when you follow our program and choose our products, you will have a much better end product. Rest assured the day is coming when farmers will be paid for producing this kind of quality. Until then, we appreciate all our customers who continue to follow our program loyally and who recognize the value of what it is that we as a company strive to do. u
The trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.
--Molire
Natural Health Care Tips
The Treatment of Pink Eye ~ Naturally
There are many natural treatments for you to consider before applying the use of antibiotics in your herd. Pink eye can quickly spread and become a concern in the barn and for animals on pasture. Dry summers and large populations of pesky flies, can increase the spread of the bacteria that causes pink eye and other eye infections.
Often times pink eye can be an indicator to the conscientious farmer that vitamin A is deficient in the ration. Vitamin A is a very crucial vitamin that promotes growth and longevity. It is essential to the animals ability to naturally fight off infection. Cod Liver Oil is a substance that is high in vitamin A. Supplementing with Cod Liver Oil is an effective and relatively inexpensive way to prevent and treat pink eye infections. To treat this unpleasant infection, try collecting 140 ml of Cod Liver in a syringe. Cod Liver Oil can be purchased at a drug or health food store. Give one squirt in each eye and then administer the remainder of the oil orally. Repeat this procedure daily as long as necessary or until the infection has cleared up.
The homeopathic remedy Euphrasia Officinalis also known as Eyebright is an excellent remedy for pink eye and is also indicated for New Forest Disease. It can be used internally or, with adequate dilution, as an eyewash. The remedy Nitricum Acidum from Nitric Acid is indicated mainly for cattle with pink eye especially in cases where there are offensive discharges. One dose 2 times a day for five days should be sufficient for this remedy. u
Good Management
Saving Money & Energy
Imagine if there was a source of energy so powerful that it could produce all of the energy stored in the earths reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas in only 20 days. Imagine if that energy could be harnessed through modern technology for use on the farm to save you money, and to reduce pollution. Would you be interested? Continued on next page
Saving Money & Energy Continued from page 3
The time has come to stop imagining, because the source exists and it is the sun. Through modern technology we are now able to effectively harness its clean energy. The easiest way that farmers can incorporate solar energy on the farm is to renovate or build barns to use natural light as opposed to electrical light. This has been proven to be more cost effective in the long term according to trials done on dairy and swine in confinement settings. Not only is solar energy practical and cost efficient in the long term, it is also good for the animals.
Besides using the sun for lighting it can also be used for crop and grain drying, greenhouse heating, and providing electricity to remote areas through photovoltaic (PV) panels that collect solar energy. PV systems are a highly reliable and low maintenance option for electric fences, lights and water pumps. They are an excellent choice for any remote place where it is difficult to get wires or expensive to run batteries. Current prices for solar panels make them too expensive for most crop irrigation systems, however PVs are economical for remote livestock water supply, pond aeration, and small irrigation systems. The cost is projected to decline significantly over time, which will make this method more cost wise in the near future.
Besides using PV panels, farmers can renovate or build new buildings to take advantage of the sun. These are called passive systems because they use no separate solar collectors and no medium to transfer the heat from the collector to the livestock. The building itself does the collecting.
Even if you arent yet convinced to switch to solar power, consider constructing buildings and additions today with the proper orientation and consideration for solar energy collection in the future. You can always add a solar system later if you plan for it now.
To obtain more information on solar systems and energy there are several good resources for farmers. Try searching on the Internet under the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Foods website. There you can find contact information for several organizations. Your public library is also a good source for researching this fast growing source of renewable energy.
Profile of a Dealer
Chantal Theyn, Bio-Ags newest dealer knew since she was little that she wanted to work on a farm. Chantal grew up in Holland and even though her family didnt live on a farm she became involved in farming at the age of five when she started helping out on local farms. As a result she went to an agricultural high school in Holland where she passed all her exams with ease.
During her school years she worked part time as a veterinary assistant at two different vet clinics, one for large animals and one a mixed practice. After high school, Chantal enrolled in a four-year college program that specialized in Dairy farming. It was during this time that she pursued an opportunity to do a co-op term in Canada as a trainee. After college, Chantal decided to immigrate to Canada where she worked as a herdsman on a dairy farm near Brampton for several years. Chantal later became employed as an AI technician for GENCOR.
It was through friends in the dairy industry that Chantal became acquainted with Bio-Ag products. She decided to become a dealer in July of this year, because of the enormous potential for natural alternatives. Over the years, she has first hand observed the deterioration in the health and well being of farm animals, and noticed that a lot of farmers are looking to try something different. She felt that Bio-Ag had unique products that differed from the mainstream but that were effective. has some goats, geese, a potbellied pig, and a calf. Her sales area includes Woodstock to Haldimand and Norfolk.
To find out if you are located within Chantals dealer area please call our Head Office. If you would like to contact Chantal about any of our products or to place an order or schedule a visit she can be reached by phone or fax at (905) 768-7167 or e-mailed at chantal.theyn@sympatico.ca