Young producers face particular challenges as they cope with a COVID-19 pandemic that has upended the cattle industry
Even though she says she’s surrounded by the excitement of spring, Kendra Donnelly worries about the future. The third generation feedlot operator and her family have been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s brought lots of uncertainty. “It might wipe a generation out of business. We may lose an entire generation because of the […] Read more
Jeremy Simes
Stories by Jeremy Simes
An urbanite says farewell to the WP
If there ever was a poster boy for a city slicker, I may just fit the bill. My jeans are probably tighter than most farmers and, for the majority of my life, I knew very little about agriculture, even though I consumed it daily. That all changed when I was hired by The Western Producer […] Read more
Private rail crossing upgrades could cost farmers
Farmers with private rail crossings will have to decide whether to keep them when new regulations come into effect late next year. The regulations require railway companies and public transport authorities to meet new safety standards by Nov. 27, 2021. Landowners with private crossings must also meet the regulations, and may be required pay for […] Read more
Saskatchewan’s carbon credit system inches forward
The province anticipates having a system in place by 2021 that is expected to pay producers for sequestering carbon
The Saskatchewan government is developing a carbon credit system that will likely provide an additional revenue stream for producers who practise no-till. The system is still being worked on, but aggregator companies have begun encouraging producers about the possible benefits of being paid to sequester carbon in the soil. “Agriculture is trying to do its […] Read more
Largest ever CP grain train embarks from Alta.
The train left Paterson GlobalFoods terminal near Bowden, Alta., with 16,313 tonnes of grain en route to Vancouver
The largest ever Canadian Pacific Railway grain train recently took to the tracks, carrying a massive shipment to the West Coast. Paterson GlobalFoods said the train transported 16,313 tonnes of grain and comprised 167 new high-capacity hopper cars. It was loaded at Paterson’s Foothills Terminal in Bowden, Alta., arriving at the Alliance Grain Terminal in […] Read more
Alta. launches $40 million funding opportunity for ag
The Alberta government will be providing funds to agriculture ventures that demonstrate they can help boost the economy and lower carbon emissions through innovation. The $40 million in new funds, announced in early June, will be funnelled through Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA). The provincial corporation is requesting industry members to submit applications. The forestry industry […] Read more
Bid system to ease feeder backlog
The Alberta government will launch a bid system to identify which cattle should be processed, helping address massive bottlenecks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are no timelines yet on when the system will be in place, but it’s part of the government’s staged approach in helping producers weather impacts caused by the crisis, said […] Read more
Alta. removes fusarium from pest act
The Alberta government is removing fusarium graminearum from its pest regulation, a move industry says will allow for better management of the disease. The government said in a news release today that regulating the disease has failed to stop it, arguing the changes allow for the modernization of management practices. It said rates of fusarium […] Read more
Alta. to set up bid system for backlogged cattle
The Alberta government will launch a bid system to identify which cattle should be processed, helping address massive bottlenecks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are no timelines yet on when the system will be in place, but it’s part of the government’s staged approach in helping producers weather impacts caused by the crisis, said […] Read more
Grain shipments made more gains in April
Grain shipments increased 8.1 percent in April compared to the previous month, Canada’s grain monitor reported in its April report. Quorum Corp.’s report, released last week, said 5.5 million tonnes were shipped last month, which compared to March’s 5.1 million tonnes. That lifted year-to-date shipments to almost 42.2 million tonnes, a 2.1 percent increase from […] Read more
