Breed that everyone seems to love needs an injection of enthusiasm to help it survive beyond ‘wild west’ portrayal
REGINA — Texas Longhorns are known for their horns, but Saskatchewan producer Deb Lesyk would like more people to know about the lean, nutritious meat they provide. And, she wants more people to raise them. “We need an injection of enthusiasm,” she said. “We seem to be a breed that everybody loves but nobody wants […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Innovation in intercropping saves time
Infield separator allows crops to be sorted before leaving the field to simplify both on-farm storage and sales
MIDALE, Sask. — The long winter’s work of separating mixed crops is getting easier on Rosengren Farms. Colin Rosengren has been intercropping for 20 years and staff used to spend months cleaning and separating grain after harvest. So, he designed and built an infield separating system to do exactly what it says: separate each crop […] Read more
Pollinator strips experiment underway
Customers of Regina-based Avena Foods see how their ingredients are grown on south Saskatchewan farms
GRIFFIN, Sask. — Organic farmer Shannon Knibbs took a leap of faith this year. She seeded nine quarters to intercrops and tried a pollinator strip. The five-acre pollinator strip is supported by Once Upon a Farm, an American organic company in which actress Jennifer Garner is involved that produces, among other things, oat bars and […] Read more
Farming north of 60 requires self-sufficiency
Former Alberta producers grow wheat, oats, peas, barley, camelina, canola and a wide variety of vegetables in the Yukon
WHITEHORSE — Thirty kilometres from Whitehorse, amid the mountains and the forest, canola is blooming bright yellow. The colour is unexpected, unlike the Prairies where it is so common. Yukon Grain Farm has been growing Polish varieties for the last four years. It’s a value-added proposition for the operation, which has a small crusher and […] Read more
National farm group asks for increased environmental funding
WHITEHORSE — The Canadian Federation of Agriculture says agri-environmental requirements under the forthcoming Sustainable Agriculture Strategy could cost billions. It wants adequate federal funding to make sure that burden doesn’t all fall on farmers. It also suggested an agriculture disaster relief summit among governments and producers to better plan for extreme weather events before the […] Read more
Former Sask. agriculture minister remembered
Flags at legislature flew at half-mast on the news of Lyle Stewart’s death; he headed the ag department from 2012-18
REGINA — Former Saskatchewan agriculture minister Lyle Stewart was remembered last week for his tough, no-nonsense style — both in and out of politics. Whether he was riding a steer at Canadian Western Agribition, fighting off a carjacker or debating in the legislature, he was defined by his years as a farmer and rancher who could, […] Read more
Farm groups analyze greenwashing rules
REGINA — Farm organizations say they are considering submissions to the federal consultation on greenwashing. Public consultations are underway until Sept. 27, following passage of new provisions in the Competition Act in June derived through Bill C-59. Those provisions tackle deceptive marketing practices by those who claim their products are green or environmentally friendly but […] Read more
Cattle theft charges stayed
Confusion over who actually owned the missing cattle resulted in the prosecutor’s decision REGINA — Cattle theft charges were stayed against a Martensville, Sask., man after his trial began July 31. Alvin Hamm had been charged with possession of property obtained by crime after 10 of 20 animals missing from Alberta were found in a […] Read more
Administration of APP could change
WHITEHORSE — Farmer-led organizations could lose their ability to run the Advance Payments Program, the largest administrator warned recently. About 30 organizations handle the program on behalf of the federal government. Dave Carey, vice-president of government and industry relations at the Canadian Canola Growers Association, said Ottawa is considering handing national administration to Farm Credit […] Read more
Farmers want data strategy
WHITEHORSE — Data will drive productivity growth on Canadian farms, farm organizations told agriculture ministers last month. They called for a national data strategy during a roundtable at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture summer meeting and ahead of the federal-provincial-territorial annual ministerial meeting. “The agriculture sector is in the midst of a transition characterized less […] Read more
