Sask. crop insurance acreage data is substantially different from Statistics Canada's numbers for many small-acre crops
Pulse and special crops growers and traders should get used to significant discrepancies between federal and provincial agencies when it comes to gauging the size of the Canadian crop, says an analyst. The bulk of those crops are grown in Saskatchewan where the provincial government often seems at odds with Statistics Canada. “It’s going to […] Read moreFlax
Scoular expands flax plant
A major U.S. grain company has expanded its flax-processing presence in Saskatchewan. Scoular has installed high-speed processing equipment and expanded storage capacity at its plant in Richardson, Sask., near Regina. The company initially opened the flax plant in January 2022. It was the first new flax facility in Western Canada in nearly 10 years. Scoular […] Read more
Harvest season reaches full swing on Prairies
Manitoba growers are behind the five-year average, but producers in Alberta and Saskatchewan are ahead of schedule
Recent crop reports show good numbers for the Prairies as harvest reaches full swing. Some Manitoba producers saw rain last week with regional precipitation hitting 18 to 33 millimetres. Progress has been slow for northwest and central areas with heavy rainfall and humidity causing concerns. Andrew Hector, agronomy extension specialist for cereal crops with the […] Read more
Reduced yields provide disappointing returns
Statistics Canada has come out with its crop production estimates, which includes average crop yields. Saskatchewan’s average yields are lower than Alberta and Manitoba and when you run the analysis, the net returns per acre are ugly. The table uses those Saskatchewan average yields according to Statistics Canada. Prices are based on current, publicly posted […] Read more
Artist depicts the Prairies in wool
A hooked yarn art project depicts flora and fauna native to the region in pieces representing every letter of the alphabet
Regina crafter Shelly Nicolle-Phillips’ A, B, Cs are three-flowered avens, bison or buffalo, and crocus — with each letter and its corresponding subject created in hooked yarn. Over the past two years, Nicolle-Phillips has used her creativity and rug hooking skills in her Prairie Alphabet Project. For each letter of the alphabet, she has designed […] Read more
Advocacy group promotes fibre
Saskatchewan produces plenty of different fibres, including fibre from sheep, alpaca, flax and hemp. Yet the market for locally grown natural fibres has remained small. Now, the Prairie Fibreshed Network wants to change that by connecting producers and consumers and spreading the news about locally made fibres, said Sonja Welford, Prairie Fibreshed’s treasurer and a […] Read more
Finding ways to grow crops with limited moisture
In the areas suffering from consecutive years of serious drought, soul searching is underway on what can be done differently to make better use of whatever moisture is available. Troy LaForge, a well-known agronomist from southwestern Saskatchewan, believes stripper headers on combines are going to become increasingly popular. LaForge farms near Cadillac and uses a […] Read more
Researchers coat phosphate with humic acid
The project is intended to determine if liquid form of humic acid will improve germination and growth in canola and flax
Researchers continue to search for ways to help growers make nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer applications more efficient. Derek Derdall, manager of Nutrien’s retail centre in Outlook, Sask., is looking at the possibility of coating phosphate fertilizer with a liquid form of humic acid, the natural acidic organic polymer, in hopes of improving germination and growth […] Read more
China resumes purchasing flax from Canada
High prices for Canadian crop had lost domestic produces considerable market share in China to the Black Sea region Canadian flax is moving to China after a two-year hiatus. Nine thousand tonnes of flax was exported out of the Port of Vancouver during week 50 of the 2022-23 marketing campaign, according to the Canadian Grain […] Read more
Flax production to fall
Farmers planted less flax in 2023 than last year, according to Statistics Canada’s survey-based estimates. The agency pegged this year’s crop at 609,200 acres, a drop of nearly 22 percent from last year. In fact, this year’s flax crop is the smallest seeded area since 1950, when 584,000 acres were planted. Agriculture Canada forecast 2023 […] Read more
