On the Farm: Expansion into the local irrigation district created an opportunity for the next generation to return to the farm
The drought of 2021 showcased the benefits of irrigation farming in a big way, says Jeff Ewen. He operates a 12,000-acre grain farm with his father and two brothers near Riverhurst, Sask. One-quarter of their land is irrigated. Irrigated durum yields averaged between 90 and 110 bushels per acre last year on the E3 Ag […] Read moreIrrigation
Irrigated cucumbers have potential in Sask.
The crop’s management requirements are high because it can go from its peak to an ‘unmarketable mess’ within days
Cucumbers are proving to be a promising crop under irrigation in Saskatchewan. Previous research has shown that growers can produce pickling cucumbers suitable for retail sale. The challenge now is to extend the harvest to better serve the retail market. Doug Waterer, the former vegetable specialist at the University of Saskatchewan and now a consultant, […] Read moreAG Notes
Crops convention postponed The 2022 Canadian Crops Convention scheduled for March 8-10 in Ottawa has been postponed until next year. Full refunds have started, which will take between five to 10 business days to complete. Contact Whitney Dencklau for registration questions. Sask. funds livestock innovation University of Saskatchewan researchers have been awarded $4.2 million to […] Read more
Groundwork continues on Saskatchewan plan to expand irrigation acres
The Westside irrigation expansion in Saskatchewan, a $4 billion plan, remains that, a plan. The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency is doing the groundwork before any earth moving begins. Environmental assessments of the soils’ appropriateness for irrigation and surveys of the planned routes are underway, said Clinton Molde during Saskatoon’s Crop Production Show earlier this month. […] Read more
Scientist sounds water crisis alarm
Researcher warns the prairie region could see its water system disintegrate rapidly as climate change impacts grow
The megadrought affecting the western United States has prompted a scientist to warn that Canada’s prairie provinces need to better plan how water is used across the entire Saskatchewan river system. “A water expert from California we had up here a few years ago said that Alberta and Saskatchewan reminded him of California and Arizona […] Read more
Irrigation groups still interested in merger
Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association and Irrigation Crop Diversification Corp. see benefits but remain cautious
A plan to merge the producer and research arms of irrigation in Saskatchewan is still unclear. Two organizations, Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association and Irrigation Crop Diversification Corp., have talked for years about amalgamating. Last year, they used funding from the province’s Industry Organization Development Program to hire a consultant. At the recent annual irrigation conference, […] Read more
Cantaloupe production can encounter size snag
Saskatchewan-grown cantaloupe is in demand for its sweetness but it doesn’t always meet size requirements for stores. “In order to sell into retail, we do need to meet some specifications,” said provincial vegetable specialist Connie Achtymichuk. There are specific sizes in the North American market, she said, but retailers can alter those if they know […] Read more
Cattle production victim of widespread story telling
Cows aren’t the new coal and they aren’t the new Tesla. Catchy as the recent Time Magazine headline, “Cows are the new coal”, may have been, it isn’t true. But it does fit nicely into a well-crafted and biased narrative that now plagues the cattle industry. Carbon is used by plants to create feed for […] Read more
Irrigation work continues behind the scenes
Work to date on the $4 billion Saskatchewan project has included consultation, soil sampling and preliminary design
The proposed irrigation expansion at Lake Diefenbaker is far from shovel-ready and the project is moving more slowly than some irrigators would like. Several attending the Irrigation Saskatchewan conference last week wanted a firm timeline on when work would be done. Dwayne Gelowitz from Clifton Associates, speaking on behalf of the three engineering companies serving […] Read moreGov’t threatens ag organization in public spat
Sask. budget report spins crop insurance as budget expense, outraged when called on it
A public spat between the provincial government and the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan last week should have been handled with a couple of phone calls, said premier Scott Moe. Instead, a letter from finance minister Donna Harpauer and agriculture minister David Marit, made public by communications staff, lambasted APAS for issuing a news release […] Read more
