Most irrigators have had adequate access to water during the drought, and many say their crops remain in good shape
Pivots have run nearly non-stop this summer on the portion of Anthony Eliason’s farm near Outlook, Sask., that is irrigated. About a quarter of Golden Dee Farms, or 1,250 acres, is irrigated and typically canola, dry beans, flax, fababeans and wheat are planted on that land. This year, Eliason said he seeded higher value crops […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
UAE plans agricultural smart city
The United Arab Emirates is building a new smart city focused on agriculture and food production for its desert climate. Food Tech Valley will be “an integrated modern city that develops alternative proteins, creates drought-resistant crops, and uses 3D technology and robots to help sustain food production, create super foods and provide answers to global […] Read more
Food security institute hopes to unite innovation sector
Steve Webb sees the Global Institute for Food Security as a bridge between good ideas and marketable products. The chief executive officer of GIFS said Canada hasn’t done a good job of innovating in the ag tech space. “One of the challenges that we face before we can realize our vision of Canada as an […] Read more
Agricultural leader envisions industry’s future
A decade after Rob Saik offered 10 key drivers he believed would shape agriculture in the next 10 years, the agrologist, entrepreneur and author has another list of 10. During a recent presentation at Canada’s Farm Show, Saik said sustainability in all its forms figures prominently in the future. To feed a growing population agriculture […] Read more
Swath or desiccate? Risks and reward at lentil harvest
Colour brings a premium, but wrinkles and sprouts can quickly downgrade a crop and wipe out any potential gains
Harvest season is often a race against time and for lentil growers looking for optimum quality, timing is everything. Seedcoat colour, particularly for green lentils, is a quality factor that may earn a premium, but obtaining that premium depends on, yes, timing. Seeding early, using varieties that retain colour better and paying attention to disease […] Read more
Sask. finds first anthrax since 2019
Anthrax has killed at least one sheep and possibly four others in a flock east of Regina. The provincial agriculture ministry confirmed the cause of death in a July 8 news release. The affected farm is in the Rural Municipality of South Qu’Appelle, which includes the communities of McLean, Qu’Appelle, Edgeley and Avonhurst. Chief veterinarian […] Read more
Alta., Sask. cattle producers ask gov’ts for drought help
Alberta producers are advised to ask their municipalities to declare states of emergencies to trigger AgriRecovery relief
Widespread drought and unusually prolonged high temperatures have prompted Alberta Beef Producers to urge all levels of government to find ways to help ranchers and mixed farmers weather what is becoming a crisis. “It’s extremely stressful on people — you can hear it in people’s voices,” said ABP chair Melanie Wowk, whose ranch is in […] Read more
Collaboration hoped for as ag ministers meet
COVID recovery, ag policy, ASF preparedness and retail fees on agenda as ministers talk ahead of their September meeting
Canada’s agriculture ministers are meeting virtually July 15 ahead of their regular annual meeting in September. The agenda had not been finalized as of July 12 but is expected to include agriculture’s role in the economic recovery post-COVID-19, the next agriculture policy framework, African swine fever preparedness and retail fees. Saskatchewan agriculture minister David Marit […] Read more
Grain shipments delayed in B.C. fire aftermath
Rail service in and out of Vancouver has been restricted by the damage from a major wildfire on CN and CP’s main lines
Rail traffic, including grain, is backed up in British Columbia due to forest fires but the size of the problem is unknown. “It’s a very fluid situation,” Branden Leslie, policy and government relations manager at the Grain Growers of Canada, said July 12. Grain companies contacted about the backlog said they either couldn’t or wouldn’t […] Read more
Federal government says no to Saskatchewan’s carbon plan
Ottawa has rejected Saskatchewan’s plan to replace the federal carbon tax with its own carbon pricing system. Premier Scott Moe, in a statement released July 12, said the federal government also indicated it would not accept any further submissions until 2023. “Saskatchewan’s submission would have protected families, jobs and industries while exceeding the federal minimum […] Read more
