Farmers can present all the facts they want on a particular issue but still won’t necessarily change consumers’ minds, says the director of the Missouri-based Centre for Food Integrity. “Facts don’t rule the day for consumers,” Roxi Beck told the Canadian Bison Association annual convention. She said consumers are drawn to ideas of people they […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Sask. increases inspection fees, dealer licences
Brand inspection fees in Saskatchewan are going up Jan. 2. Inspection costs will rise 75 cents per head to $2.75, while registering or renewing a brand will increase to $50 from $25 for a four-year registration and to $600 from $200 for lifetime registration. Livestock dealer licences are doubling to $200 from $100. Livestock Services […] Read more
Sheep average $530 per head
Brad Magnus of Luseland, Sask., bought six of 14 lots in the Katahdin sheep sale at Canadian Western Agribition, including the high seller. He paid $800 for the grand champion ram, BRT 875B, from B & R Farms of Raymore, Sask. He also took home another ram and eight ewes from several different consignors. The […] Read more
Sheep producer sells purebreds to focus on improved genetics
Patty Smith dispersed one of her two purebred sheep flocks at Canadian Western Agribition last month. It wasn’t a matter of downsizing as much as it was sharpening her focus on the real reason she got into the business in the first place. “My ultimate goal was genetic advancement,” she said. That means bringing in […] Read more
Heifer sale raises almost $48,000 to honour Arnal brothers
SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — It’s the season for giving, and Saskatchewan people did that in a big way last week as they built a bursary fund established to honour three brothers killed in farm accidents. Three bred heifers from Bircham Ranch at Piapot, Sask., one each for Blake, Sean and Lyndon Arnal, sold for a […] Read more
Heifer sale raises money for charity
SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — The Arnal Boys Memorial Bursary for Young Farmers begins on strong financial footing after three donated bred heifers sold for a total of $35,500 at the Rock Solid Bred Heifer sale here Dec. 8. The heifers consigned by Wayne Bircham and Bircham Ranch kicked off the 10th annual sale at which […] Read more
Happy producers pay more at auction
Bison prices soar | Two-year-old bulls average $8,612 at Agribition sale
Bison sale averages soared at the Canadian National Show and Sale held during Canadian Western Agribition last week. They reflected the good health of the industry and mood of producers. Average prices were up over last year with two-year-old bulls averaging $8,612 compared to $2,913 last year. Yearling bulls averaged $5,787, up from $2,150, and […] Read more
Highest priced horse wins ranch competition
It was clearly Ranaldo Pablo’s day. The four-year-old bay gelding earned $5,000 after winning the ranch horse competition at Canadian Western Agribition and then brought the highest price in the sale, going for $15,900. Trained by Dale Clearwater of Hanley, Sask., a perennial winner at Agribition, the gelding was consigned by Dave Freeland of Edmonton […] Read more
Students get ag career ideas at Agribition
More than 200 Saskatchewan high school students attended Canadian Western Agribition last week to learn about how agriculture might fit into their future plans. A new ThinkAG Career and Education Expo, funded by the provincial and federal governments and Cargill, was designed to showcase the diversity of available careers. Provincial agriculture minister Lyle Stewart said […] Read more
Tears flow at sale of champion doe
Sherry Weber Powell had tears in her eyes as she walked Beat Bella through the sale ring. It wasn’t easy to sell the five-year-old doe, which was more a pet than a breeding animal. However, Bella was named the grand champion commercial doe during the Canadian Western Agribition goat show, and that left Powell with […] Read more
