Farmers and municipalities say they are curious to see how effective new agricultural drainage regulations will be as they are phased in over the next 10 years. The long-awaited new rules, announced Sept. 1, will bring all drainage into compliance, including works constructed before 1981, and will still require a landowner complaint before action can […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Bedbugs in barn rare occurrence
An infestation of bedbugs recently discovered in a Saskatchewan layer barn is not a common occurrence in Canada, says a poultry veterinarian. Dr. Jenny Fricke, poultry extension veterinarian at the University of Saskatchewan, said only one of about 70 poultry barns in the province has reported the problem after workers hired to clean out Pedigree […] Read more
Sask. budget goes in red; tax hike nixed
Extraordinary firefighting costs and declining oil prices have forced Saskatchewan into a deficit after the first quarter of the fiscal year. Finance minister Kevin Doherty last week said estimated expenses have climbed by $161 million. Revenue has dropped by $237.8 million. The result is a forecasted $292 million deficit at this point. However, Doherty said […] Read more
Sask. farmer, grandson die in grain accident
Farm safety expert says tragedy highlights the dangers of working with grain; number of incidents rising
A tragic fatal farm accident near Burstall, Sask., underscores the dangers of working with grain, particularly during the busy and stressful harvest season. Sixty-three-year old Dennis Becker and his 14-year-old grandson, Layne Langridge, died last week while emptying a dual hopper semi-trailer of grain on a farm about 16 kilometres east of Burstall at 6:30 […] Read moreSask. budget in deficit thanks to fires, low oil revenue
Extraordinary fire fighting costs and declining oil prices have forced Saskatchewan into a deficit after the first quarter of the fiscal year. Finance minister Kevin Doherty last week said estimated expenses have climbed by $161 million. Revenue has dropped by $237.8 million. The result is a forecasted $292 million deficit at this point. However, Doherty […] Read more
Ag keeps low profile in election campaign
Panelists at a recent discussion said the industry provides one in eight jobs in Canada but is often ignored by the public
A month into the campaign heading toward the Oct. 19 federal vote and none of Canada’s main political parties has made any specific agricultural promises. The industry’s profile in any federal campaign is rarely high, even though it provides one in eight jobs and food processing tops Canada’s manufacturing sector, noted panelists discussing agriculture policy […] Read moreFarm accident leaves two dead
A tragic fatal farm accident near Burstall, Sask. underscores the dangers of working with grain, particularly during the busy and stressful harvest season. Sixty-three-year old Dennis Becker and his 14-year-old grandson Layne Langridge died last week while emptying a dual hopper semi-trailer of grain on a farm about 16 kilometres east of Burstall at 6:30 […] Read more
Proposed water diversion project draws fire
Sask. considers diverting water from Big Quill and Little Quill lakes; opposition calls plan reckless
A proposed diversion project designed to lower water levels in Big Quill and Little Quill lakes is drawing criticism and has sparked a petition for more information. The Saskatchewan government is expected to decide later this fall on whether to proceed with the project. Record high water levels recently, have caused the two lakes to […] Read moreFires, low oil prices force Sask. gov’t into deficit
Saskatchewan is running a deficit after the first quarter of fiscal 2015-16 due to forest fires and declining oil prices. Finance minister Kevin Doherty released the numbers today, saying, “the government will work hard to bring the province’s finances back to balance by the end of the year through careful management and restraint measures.” Unprecedented […] Read more
Plans for next Growing Forward programs underway
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Canadian agriculture ministers and farm leaders are turning their attention to what a new agricultural policy framework should contain. It’s not yet clear how changes made to business risk management (BRM) programs for the 2013-18 Growing Forward 2 program have affected farmers. However, there is widespread discontent with AgriStability and many farmers […] Read more
