Applications for retail cannabis permits in Saskatchewan have far exceeded the number available and interest in rural areas is strong, said the province April 20. The government previously said it would allow 51 permits in 32 places that met population thresholds. It received 1,502 submissions, or 30 times the available number of permits, under a […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Rail backlog strands more grain on Prairies
The grain monitor says at least two million more tonnes of grain than usual are still stored on prairie farms because of the rail backlog. Mark Hemmes, president of Quorum Corp., said the exact number is hard to pin down. “We’re between two and 2.5 million tonnes more sitting on farms than what we would […] Read more
Successful Agribition earns record profit as attendance rises
Canadian Western Agribition’s record-breaking year resulted in a profit of $270,411. Chief executive officer Chris Lane said the show posted its highest-ever operating revenue in 2017 at $4.6 million. However, it cost the show more to operate in the new International Trade Centre, so expenses were up as well to $4.4 million. The non-profit organization […] Read more
‘Eat meat, respect the cow’
SASKATOON — As a former high-performance athlete, Chelsey Parker knows the value of good protein. The past national speed skating team member from Saskatchewan also knows her customer. Today’s consumers are more conscious of animal welfare and food quality, she says. They’re busy, and they’re getting mixed messages about what they should eat. “You can […] Read more
Sask. budget boosts ag processing
Saskatchewan has unveiled a new tax incentive to attract more agricultural processing. The Saskatchewan Value-Added Agriculture Incentive will provide a 15 percent non-refundable tax credit for capital investments of more than $10 million. Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said the government has worked closely with industry to develop the program. “We think that […] Read more
Former Sask. cabinet minister fined on conservation charges
Former Saskatchewan Party cabinet minister and Kindersley MLA Bill Boyd has been fined under the province’s environmental legislation. Boyd pleaded guilty in February and was sentenced in provincial court April 17. He was fined $35,000. The charges arose after conservation officers investigated a possible violation of the Wildlife Habitat Protect Act in June 2017. Protected […] Read more
Farmers take rural crime fight online
Nick Cornea never imagined that a Facebook page he started for farmers to discuss crime would take off the way it did. A month after the Briercrest, Sask., farmer established Farmers Against Rural Crime, it had more than 16,225 members from coast to coast. What’s more, the discussion has been relatively respectful with many seeking […] Read more
Farmers push standardized data for grain movement
Farm leaders who met with Canadian National Railway vice-president Sean Finn last week say the entire supply chain should use the same data so all players are working from the same numbers. Todd Lewis, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, said he and representatives from commodity groups met informally with Finn in Regina […] Read more
Sask. budget forecasts $365 million deficit
Despite concern about tax hikes and extensive cuts, the Saskatchewan budget released today contained no huge moves one way or the other. There was no PST hike, as some expected, and there were no large cuts similar to those seen last year such as the closure of the Saskatchewan Transportation Co. Instead, Finance Minister Donna […] Read more
Successful Agribition earns record profit
Canadian Western Agribition’s record-breaking year resulted in a profit of $270,411. Chief executive officer Chris Lane said the show posted its highest-ever operating revenue in 2017 at $4.6 million. However, it cost the show more to operate in the new International Trade Centre, so expenses were up as well to $4.4 million. The non-profit organization […] Read more
