Possible checkoff | The Saskatoon Berry Council will collect samples to analyze and promote the fruit’s health properties
Saskatchewan fruit growers can’t build an industry on their own, say two industry officials. The Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association (SFGA) and the Sask-atoon Berry Council of Canada (SBCC) hope to prove that there’s power in numbers by collecting information from individual producers about prairie fruit production. “As an industry, it’s no different than the canola […] Read moreStories by Dan Yates
Alta. farmers boost processing potato acres
Exports to United States | U.S. french fry exports are increasing and ‘with their growth, comes our growth,’ says PGA official
An additional 2,000 acres have been contracted for fry processing potatoes in Alberta following increased demand from processors, says the executive director of Potato Growers of Alberta. The additional acres will bring production up to 40,000 for 2012, which Edzo Kok said is a record. Total acreage in the province, when seed and fresh potatoes […] Read moreTired bull sign of a productive animal
An efficient and practical breeding system might not be an attractive one, says Eric Weisbeck. “Is he crippled or is he tired? At the end of the breeding system, the bulls should look like rags,” said Weisbeck, a community pasture manager in Saskatchewan. “A good rooster is a skinny one.” As manager of the federal […] Read more
Pet food excites pulse growers
New opportunity for crop | Pulses are major ingredient for Saskatchewan company
Of the millions of Saskatchewan acres seeded to pulses this year, a small portion of the harvested crop will stay at home and be turned into pet food. It’s not a huge market for growers, but with North American consumers spending billions of dollars a year to feed their furry housemates, it’s one that has […] Read moreInterest in small-scale farming increasing
Return to organic, local food | Small farmers can capitalize on the trend, says the co-ordinator of a farm mentorship program
Interest in sustainable, organic and small-scale farming is growing, says Sharon Taylor, co-ordinator of the Manitoba Farm Mentorship Program. However, she admits that progress can be difficult to gauge. Her program, a product of the Organic Food Council of Manitoba, offers training and networking opportunities for new and aspiring farmers, many of whom don’t come […] Read moreStress, heat, injury can jeopardize semen quality
Some bulls prone to stress | Stressful situations that last several days can reduce testosterone production
A one-day event isn’t enough to negatively impact a bull’s sperm production, said Colin Palmer of the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Veterinary Medicine. To influence fertility, the event has to occur over a longer period of time, such as a snowstorm or a prolonged bout with lameness or illness. “There’s been a lot of […] Read moreAg Canada worker played key role in canola expansion
Dave Mallough Helped speed canola development by finding winter breeding sites for seed multiplication
Long before canola was king on the Prairies, Dave Mallough delivered the seed to producers in California. His efforts helped reverse the fate of the oilseed north of the border, bringing new varieties to market, improving the oilseed’s oil and meal quality and diversifying its use beyond industrial oil. In 1970, the fatty acid composition […] Read more
Beef ‘bacon’ adds value to trim meat
Looks the same | Canadian Beef Bacon boasts fewer calories and less cholesterol than pork
Richard Janzen is putting a new twist on the marketing slogan, “where’s the beef?” Janzen is manufacturing beef bacon from cow bellies. The president of Calgary-based Canadian Beef Bacon, which also markets beef ham, says his product adds to the animal’s total carcass value. “When you’re taking an extra 50 to 100 pounds of a […] Read more
Take time to tackle foot problems
When producers bring cattle with a supposed case of foot rot to Chris Clark, the veterinarian says it’s almost always something worse. Foot rot is a common cause of lameness, but the infection between the animal’s toes should improve after a few days of treatment with an antibiotic, he told producers at the Farm Animal […] Read more
Food makers need to take labels seriously
Food manufacturers aren’t necessarily trying to dupe consumers when the nutritional information accompanying a food product doesn’t match the actual contents of the package. A number of factors can create that gap, but it behooves manufacturers to provide due diligence and ensure accuracy, says Anne Kennedy of Agriculture Canada’s food regulatory issues division. “It doesn’t […] Read more
