Good weather and an optimistic industry helped draw a record crowd to this year’s Crop Production Show in Saskatoon, says an organizer. Some 20,384 people, up two percent from last year, walked through the gates at Prairieland Park to attend industry meetings, presentations and a trade show over four days this week, just missing a […] Read more
Stories by Dan Yates
Crop Production Show draws record crowd
Good weather and an optimistic industry helped draw a record crowd to this year’s Crop Production Show in Saskatoon, says an organizer. Some 20,384 people, up two percent from last year, walked through the gates at Prairieland Park to attend industry meetings, presentations and a trade show over four days this week, just missing a […] Read more
Ottawa establishes 16 agricultural centres of excellence
Citing improved access to information for stakeholders, the federal government announced yesterday the establishment of 16 centres of excellence across the country specializing in plant and animal health or food safety. According to a media release, the centres will consolidate expertise for specific programs in appropriate areas, providing industry and consumer stakeholders with more efficient […] Read more
Canaryseed gets federal funding
A $54,000 investment from the federal government will help canaryseed growers in Saskatchewan boost their yields and sales, say officials. Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz made the announcement today as members of the Canaryseed Development Commission of Saskatchewan met in Saskatoon as part of Crop Production Week. The event runs for the rest of the week. […] Read more
Couple has off-farm jobs but heart connected to farm
Value of livestock | Work for Heifer International Canada focuses on livestock as a means for community development
OSLER, Sask. — Gord Enns and his wife, Lynne Driedger-Enns, have landed in the perfect location. With family nearby and Saskatoon a short drive away, the couple’s rural home near Osler seems ideally located for the part-time Saskatchewan farmers. The couple’s commute is an easy one. Nearby Martensville is where Driedger-Enns, a PhD candidate, teaches […] Read moreConsumers serious about food safety
Consumer interest in sustainability and traceability isn’t a short-term trend, says the president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers. Customers want to know who’s behind the food sold in stores and primary producers and food processors are going to have to play along, John Scott told a recent Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan conference […] Read more
Empathize with your critics: consultant
Animal welfare | Transparency can help producers and processors win points with customers
Livestock producers and meat processors shouldn’t dig in their heels and prepare for a fight when they come under fire from animal welfare critics, says a former Maple Leaf Foods executive. Ted Bilyea, who is now an agri-food consultant, said industry officials should discuss concerns transparently rather than reacting defensively. The message he delivered at […] Read moreUse herbicide tank mix against resistance: agrologist
Reducing risk | Glyphosate resistant kochia is spreading, but officials worry about resistant wild oats, green foxtail and cleavers
Weed biologist Eric Johnson was telling farmers as recently as a few years ago to fight problematic weeds with a higher rate of glyphosate. The Agriculture Canada scientist has since changed his message, armed with a better understanding of how weeds develop resistance to commonly used herbicides and knowledge of glyphosate-resistant kochia on the Prairies. […] Read moreAboriginal initiative hopes to shrink education, job gap
Getting Back to Business Program seeks improvements in financial literacy by working with community mentors
With help from an organization spearheaded by a former prime minister, the Saskatchewan School Boards Association hopes it can engage Aboriginal students in entrepreneurship in schools and communities across the province. At its recent assembly in Saskatoon, the school board association ann-ounced a new initiative with Paul Martin’s Aboriginal Education Initiative (MAEI) dubbed “Getting Back […] Read moreFood security challenging in northern regions
Greenhouse feasibility | High heating and shipping costs present a deterrent to the region’s agricultural sustainability
Growing fruit and vegetables in Canada’s North has its challenges, but it’s been identified as paramount to ensuring food security in remote regions of the country. A recent conference in Saskatoon on northern food security emphasized that high food prices and a limited supply put the food security and health of these communities at risk, […] Read more
