Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this morning announced $252 million in financial help for agriculture and food processing as part of the government’s pandemic response. The money includes $125 million in AgriRecovery for the pork and beef sectors, $77 million for food processors and packers to add personal protective equipment for workers and $50 million for […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Care home restrictions scrutinized
Restrictions in long-term care homes remain largely in place as governments begin to relax the rules around COVID-19. The facilities, many located in rural communities, remain a focus of concern since the vast majority of deaths in Canada have occurred in them. While the prairie provinces have not seen the devastating numbers that Quebec and […] Read more
Sask. COVID-19 plan remains flexible
Dates for later phases of Saskatchewan’s five-phase plan to lift the province’s COVID-19 restrictions will depend on what happens in the first two, Premier Scott Moe said last week while announcing the plan. He also said it’s too soon to tell if large sporting and entertainment events will be allowed this summer. Dr. Saqib Shahab, […] Read more
Sask. eases some road bans
The provincial government and rural municipalities are working to lift spring road bans on select Saskatchewan roads to move agricultural goods. Highways minister Greg Ottenbreit said the ministry and Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities are choosing roads that can handle secondary weights to move priority goods. This includes seed, grain, livestock, livestock feed, fertilizer, farm […] Read more
Sask. increases interim payments from AgriStability
Provinces are beginning to make changes to get AgriStability money into producers’ hands sooner. Following last week’s move to extend the deadline to enrol in the business risk management program, Saskatchewan announced April 22 that it would bump up interim payment amounts from 50 percent to 75 percent. This applies to estimated final 2020 benefits. […] Read more
Farm Progress Show postponed
Canada’s Farm Progress Show has been postponed due to COVID-19. This was to be a year of change for the show, held by Regina Exhibition Association Ltd., as it intended to move to a Tuesday-to-Thursday schedule. It was scheduled for June 16 to 18. The show advisory board and exhibition association decided to postpone but […] Read more
Sask. increases interim payments from AgriStability
Provinces are beginning to make changes to get AgriStability money into producers’ hands sooner. Following last week’s move to extend the deadline to enrol in the business risk management program, Saskatchewan announced April 22 that it would bump up interim payment amounts from 50 percent to 75 percent. This applies to estimated final 2020 benefits. […] Read more
AgriStability deadline changed
The enrolment deadline for the 2020 AgriStability program has been extended. The original deadline was April 30 but farmers now have until July 3 to enrol without penalty. The federal, provincial and territorial governments agreed to the change to help producers deal with current market disruption and production challenges. “This extension will give producers additional […] Read more
Broiler reduction hits hatching sector
The decision to cut an upcoming national broiler allocation by 12.6 percent will hit hatching egg producers hard. Drew Black, executive director of the Canadian Hatching Egg Producers (CHEP), said about 16 million eggs won’t be needed as a result of the decision by Chicken Farmers of Canada. The CFC board recently decreased production in […] Read more
Sask. unveils plan to lift COVID-19 restrictions
Saskatchewan’s five-point plant to re-open the province from COVID-19 restrictions will begin May 4 while maintaining current limits on public gathering size, physical distancing and travel. As restrictions are lifted, the chief medical health officer will monitor the number of positive cases and other factors to determine if further phases should be implemented. Only the […] Read more
