Karen Briere

Karen Briere

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Karen Briere grew up in Canora, Sask. where her family had a grain and cattle operation. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Regina and has spent more than 30 years covering agriculture from the Western Producer’s Regina bureau.

Stories by Karen Briere

Mugshot of Todd Lewis, Canadian senator.
News

Former Sask. farm leader appointed to Senate

Todd Lewis served as president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan for five years until 2022

Todd Lewis, the former president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, is now a Canadian senator.
A large blue tractor with eight tires pulls a large air seeder during spring seeding.
News

SaskOilseeds delegates reject emissions data resolution

A resolution introduced at AGM noted gaps in empirical evidence that could help Canadian products access more markets

Growers at the SaskOilseeds annual meeting rejected a resolution calling for more research into best practices to supply accurate information throughout the food chain and meet market demand.
Various cuts of raw red meat are on display in a meat shop.
Livestock Management, Tariffs

Red hot beef sector faces new threat

Report estimates the 25 per cent U.S. tariff on Canadian imports will reduce wholesale beef prices by at least a 13 per cent

Market analyst Kevin Grier said despite numerous threats over many years, from concerns about red meat consumption to the arrival of plant-based “meat,” the per capita consumption of beef, pork and chicken has continued to rise.
Lush green bullrushes surround a prairie slough.
News

Sask.’s new drainage policy gets mixed reviews

Conservationists and drainage proponents both have problems with the province’s Agricultural Water Stewardship Policy

Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency announced its Agricultural Water Stewardship Policy last week, nine years after regulations first set out the province’s intention to manage drainage. It appears stakeholders involved in the consultations on both sides of the debate aren’t happy with the final policy. Those who view drainage as a management tool say they could […] Read more
Black cattle are feeding on hay in a snowy pasture.
Livestock Management, News

Research funding announced for Sask. beef, forage projects

SASKATOON — Saskatchewan and Ottawa today announced $6.9 million in livestock and forage-related research funding for 2025. Provincial agriculture minister Daryl Harrison told the Saskatchewan Beef Industry conference that funding from industry partners will push that to $7.2 million. The money flows through the Agriculture Development Fund. “Innovation is the key to staying competitive and […] Read more
A field of flax plants in full bloom.
Crop Management, News

Newly formed oilseeds organization introduced

SaskCanola and SaskFlax make their final presentations as SaskOilseeds gets to work representing producers’ interests

REGINA — SaskOilseeds took the stage as the newest provincial crop commission earlier this month, with the final presentations from SaskCanola and SaskFlax and the reveal of a new logo. The merger of the two was official Aug. 1, and after wrapping up some final financial transactions, the new entity has settled in to handle […] Read more
Retaliatory tariffs provide short-term survival, but Ted Bilyea, a consultant and trade policy specialist, says this could be the time to reduce dependence on the U.S., add value at home or export to different countries. | File photo
News, Tariffs

New trade policy suggested

REGINA — The pressures on Canadian agriculture point to the need for a forward-looking strategy, said panelists discussing whether the sector’s luck will run out this year. The immediate reaction to proposed tariffs from the United States was retaliation, but they said the situation could be the impetus for a strategy to take primary agriculture […] Read more
Grain is dumped from the bottom of a trailer at an inland terminal.
Crop Management, News

Grain delivery declarations should not be taken lightly

REGINA — Grain farmers should be sure they understand commercial delivery declarations before they sign them. While grain handlers have required farmers sign these for a while, they now often come together with the eligibility declaration required by the Canadian Grain Commission. Lawyers from the Winnipeg law firm D’Arcy & Deacon said producers can ask […] Read more
A group of hogs are close together in a pen.
Livestock Management, News, Tariffs

Analysts believe American tariffs are inevitable

REGINA — Canada’s livestock sectors have been anxious about the prospect of tariffs since Donald Trump won the American election in November. Dennis Laycraft, executive vice-president at the Canadian Cattle Association, said without knowing exactly what is coming, the organization could analyze the threatened tariffs only so much. “They could announce tariffs that come into […] Read more

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