Flax producers have two options when determining whether their crop contains marketable levels of fibre. The “quick and dirty” method, says Alvin Ulrich of Biolin Research Inc., is to twist a handful, much the way hay and grain in the swath is tested for moisture content before harvesting. To do this, take 10 to 15 […] Read more
Stories by Daniel Winters
Owning U.S.-bound cattle may cost
Retaining ownership of livestock finished in the United States is a growing trend as producers try to dodge higher costs at home. But are they really better off, especially when the practice could expose them to U.S. federal and state tax liabilities, in addition to Canadian taxes? Bruce Ball, a tax partner with BDO Dunwoody, […] Read more
Barn fires spark call for building codes
Three large barn fires that have killed almost 30,000 hogs this year have sparked discussions about whether construction codes should be applied to large industrial farms. Manitoba deputy fire commissioner Mike Jones said that in the coming weeks the Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) will hold talks with key stakeholders, including Keystone Agricultural Producers, […] Read more
New hemp hybrids open doors
New, fall-seeded hemp varieties could revolutionize the way the crop is grown in Canada, according to bio-prospector and hemp breeder John Baker. Most traditional hemp varieties grown for grain and fibre cannot survive the winter under the soil, which means that it must be planted in spring. Then the crop is vulnerable to shading from […] Read more
Hemp processing still stumbling block
Tucked away in a field behind a poplar bush a 15 minute drive north of Dauphin, Man., a small field of cannabis sativa is already waist high. Not the weekend project of long-haired teenagers looking for illicit riches, this crop is an industrial fibre variety that proponents say could change the way prairie farmers look […] Read more
Ancient tool makes comeback
A single operator using modern diesel-powered haymaking equipment can put up as much forage in a single day as an army of peasants a century ago would have been able to do in a week. But if supply disruptions or outright scarcity cause fuel prices to sprout wings and soar out of sight, livestock producers […] Read more
Pigeon King company grounded
Investors who stand to lose thousands of dollars in a failed pigeon-breeding scheme may be wondering if they were sitting ducks for the self-styled Pigeon King. Arlan Galbraith, owner of Pigeon King International (PKI), has handed his controversial pigeon breeding business over to a bankruptcy trustee, possibly leaving as many as 1,000 investors in the […] Read more
Land rent ripe for increase?
Cash rent is the talk of the Prairies this spring. “There’s a lot of landlord-tenant negotiations going on,” said Ralph Howes, an agriculture management specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, who added that a large portion of the inquiries to his office at the Ag Knowledge Centre are about rent. “This year is the first year in […] Read more
Show reopens horse debate
A CBC TV report last week that brought hidden camera footage of allegedly inhumane horse slaughter into Canadian living rooms has ignited a fresh debate over the industry. The issue has spilled over into the public forum, with editorial page writers and coffee shop pundits weighing in on the emotionally charged question of whether horses […] Read more
Feds help fund pork promotion
The federal government will spend $1.4 million to convince the public to reach for Canadian pork products on grocery store shelves instead of imports. Along with labels to be affixed on packages of fresh pork products, provincial pork organizations will work together to encourage Canadians to support farmers by buying Canadian pork, according to an […] Read more
