Debris was scattered for miles, grain bins punctured, equipment tossed and windows in most of the equipment and vehicles blown out
Trenton Zakaluzny’s plan to take over the family farm as his father eases up has been hit by one blow after another. Two floods, a devastating fire last winter, this year’s drought and then last week an EF-2 tornado that destroyed most of the yard and equipment on the farm south of Hodgeville, Sask., all […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
AgriRecovery to pay $200 per cow in Sask.
Provincial government announces details of the program, which is intended to help producers weather this year’s drought
Saskatchewan announced details of its AgriRecovery drought funding Aug. 30 and is accepting applications as of Sept. 1. The 2021 Canada-Saskatchewan Drought Response Initiative will pay a maximum of $200 per head for female breeding stock. The money will come in two payments. The first will be $100 per breeding female equivalent in inventory as […] Read more
Ag deserves election focus, say hog producers
Election ’21: Pork council wants African swine fever action plan to be at the top of the agenda for federal politicians
Canada’s pork producers say their industry and agriculture as a whole should have already been a focus of the current federal election campaign. Canadian Pork Council chair Rick Bergmann said he hasn’t heard agriculture mentioned at all and hopes party leaders will step up and recognize the importance of a safe and secure food supply. […] Read more
SARM asks for infrastructure assistance
Saskatchewan rural municipalities continue to push for more infrastructure funding from the next federal government. Ray Orb, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, said he is making the familiar requests for better broadband and bridge-repair programs because there is much more work to be done. Federal governments always pledge to spend more to […] Read more
Producers pin hopes on intensive grazing
GLADMAR, Sask. — Mark and Laura Hoimyr have changed the grazing system on their operation this year, moving to a more intensive system they hope will improve the soil. They’ve typically put their cattle on pastures for one to two passes each year, trying to leave some vegetation to regrow. “We’ve basically turned that on […] Read more
Drought increases Sask. deficit estimate
Agricultural drought support has pushed Saskatchewan’s projected deficit to $126.5 million, according to a first quarter update from the finance minister. The province has committed more than $700 million on drought spending. Finance minister Donna Harpauer said that will be offset by some unexpected higher revenue. “Higher oil and potash prices and increased federal transfers […] Read more
Singapore approves all Canadian beef exports
Singapore has become the first country to approve all Canadian beef exports, including offal, with no age restrictions since the OIE recognized Canada as negligible risk for BSE. Although Singapore isn’t a large buyer, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association said this is an encouraging sign that could lead to greater market access. Singapore had been accepting […] Read more
Producer margins ‘exceptional,’ pork packers take hit
Canada’s pork exports to its number one market are down, contributing to lower overall numbers in the second quarter of this year. Livestock analyst Kevin Grier told a recent third quarter outlook presentation that China replaced the United States as Canada’s main customer a few years ago and that comes with challenges. “Our exports to […] Read more
Feed regulations subject to ‘overdue’ update
The last complete review of livestock feed regulations was done in 1983, with work ongoing for last decade
Consultations are underway on proposals to modernize Canada’s livestock feed regulations. The last complete review was done in 1983 and work on an update has been ongoing since 2010, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Town hall meetings were held in 2016 and feedback used to develop the regulations published in Canada Gazette Part […] Read more
More flexibility urged for next ag policy round
Former assistant deputy agriculture minister says farm programs must be designed differently because world has changed
Rising east-west tensions could erode the foundation of Canada’s agricultural policy framework even as governments negotiate the next one, says a former federal civil servant. Douglas Hedley, in a paper commissioned by the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute, said the stability established through common policies 20 years ago is now shaky. He helped develop the original […] Read more
