A parliamentary committee is also told that harsher sentences are needed to keep criminals behind bars longer
Rural residents affected by crime want stiffer penalties for young offenders, a federal committee studying the issue heard recently. Nick Cornea, a Briercrest, Sask., farmer who founded the Facebook page Farmers Against Rural Crime last February, said children as young as 11 are committing crimes without fear of a record or penalty. He represents about […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Sask. trespass survey finds support for mandatory permission
The survey results of Saskatchewan’s consultation on trespass laws show the majority want mandatory permission to enter rural property. However, the response numbers were low. Only 1,601 people participated in the consultation held between Aug. 9 and Oct. 2. Two-thirds of the responses, or 1,039, said anyone who wants to enter privately owned rural property […] Read more
Higher incomes not alleviating farm stress
Despite a rising trend in farm income over the last 10 years, farmers are experiencing significant uncertainty and stress, says a University of Regina researcher. Dr. Amber Fletcher, speaking to the House of Commons agriculture committee during its study of mental health, said her analysis of farm income between 1981 and 2017 “shows that since […] Read more
Hemp growers apply for national checkoff
The Farm Products Council of Canada is reviewing producers’ application for a promotion and research agency
Canadian hemp growers have asked for a national promotion and research agency. A producer committee has applied to the Farm Products Council of Canada to establish an agency funded by levies. The council is accepting comments online until Nov. 24. Don Dewar, a Dauphin, Man., grower, said the application has been in the works since […] Read moreWorking groups to determine support for dairy and poultry
Canada’s supply managed sectors are waiting for more details about working groups the federal government has announced to deal with trade concerns. Ottawa said Oct. 29 that two groups for dairy and another for poultry and eggs would work on how best to support producers and processors affected by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the […] Read more
Saskatchewan continues to miss its BSE testing target
Canada is meeting its national targets for BSE testing, but Saskatchewan continues to lag behind. Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association chief executive officer Ryder Lee said that hurts the country’s goal to become a negligible risk country rather than controlled risk. “Our goal last year as a province was 7,500 head and we made 1,500 head,” he […] Read more
CWD found in new area of Sask.
Chronic wasting disease has been discovered south of Melfort, Sask., marking a new area of the province for the disease. The province said a three-and-a-half year-old bull elk submitted as part of the voluntary CWD surveillance program tested positive. It was found in wildlife management zone 42E. CWD has now been confirmed in 45 of […] Read more
Sask. clears path for smoother program funding
Saskatchewan has eased the application process for some of its strategic initiatives under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership after a deluge of applications in the final months of Growing Forward 2. Richelle Bourgoin, executive director of the agriculture ministry’s programs branch, said there were, for example, about 7,750 applications under GF2 for the Farm and Ranch […] Read more
Ag groups unite against carbon tax
Canadian agriculture has lined up against the carbon tax Ottawa announced would take effect in four provinces next April, saying it will make the sector uncompetitive. Organizations denounced the tax imposed in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick after those provinces failed to implement a carbon pricing plan that suited the federal government. The $20-per-tonne […] Read more
Sask. selects wind farm project for province
Saskatchewan’s largest wind farm project should be operating by 2021. Environment minister Dustin Duncan, who is also responsible for SaskPower, said Potentia Renewables was selected from among 29 candidates to build a 200-megawatt facility just south of Assiniboia. The Gold South wind farm would include up to 60 turbines in the rural municipalities of Lake […] Read more
