CFA says changes to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program have hit the sector hard
OTTAWA — Farm operations differ from coast to coast and commodity by commodity, but a significant labour shortage is affecting them all, said delegates to the Canadian Federation of Agriculture annual meeting. New Brunswick dairy farmer Reint-Jan Dykstra said he has watched workers leaving his province for Alberta’s oil patch, which was a more lucrative […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
CFA sees surplus in ’14 but expects deficit in 2015
OTTAWA — The Canadian Federation of Agriculture recorded a healthy operating surplus last year but is still projecting a deficit for the year ahead. It predicted a $23,000 shortfall last year but recorded a surplus of $166,283 after members approved bylaws to streamline operations and work on earning more revenue. Lower travel costs, staff expenses […] Read more
Workers wanted
OTTAWA — An agricultural labour task force is recommending a workforce plan outside the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to help the sector deal with a lack of employees. It presented its plan to federal officials in late February and is now fine-tuning it, said Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst, executive director of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council. […] Read more
CFA miffed farmers not at food security talks
Not having a seat at the table is ‘mind boggling’
OTTAWA — Ron Bonnett was alarmed to learn last fall that United Nations policy discussions about food security were taking place without farmers at the table. The president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture said the committee on food security included academics and experts in other fields but not those who actually cultivate. “It’s mind […] Read moreRunoff risk above normal in Sask.
Snow in February has increased the chance of above normal spring runoff through central Saskatchewan, said the Water Security Agency in its March update. A month earlier, most of the grain belt was expected to see near normal runoff conditions after a mild January. But now officials say above normal snowfall has changed that forecast. […] Read more
Wet years prompt CFA demand for faster fungicide approvals
OTTAWA — Farmers dealing with several years of excessive moisture want Ottawa to fast-track the registration of generic fungicides that are more effective and cheaper than those available in Canada. Norm Hall, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, said the increased moisture has led to more problems with diseases such as fusarium. “We […] Read more
STC receives $10.3 million from Sask. gov’t this year
CORRECTION: Tuesday March 10, 2015 – 1215 CST – The first version of this story incorrectly listed the amount STC would be receiving as $13.8 million. The correct amount is $10.3 million. Saskatchewan’s bus line will get $10.3 million from the provincial government this year to operate its network. Last year Saskatchewan Transportation Company received […] Read more
Sask. drops plans for surface rights law this spring
Changes to Saskatchewan’s surface rights legislation won’t be coming this spring. Energy minister Bill Boyd pulled the bill from the order paper March 9. The government had consulted on its aged surface rights acquisition and compensation act since 2013, noting that both the energy and agriculture sectors have changed since the act was introduced in […] Read more
Mosaic plans expansion at Sask. potash mine
Mosaic Co. has announced a $1.7-billion investment in its K3 mine at Esterhazy, Sask. The spending comes on top of $1.5 billion announced in 2009 when the first stage of the project was approved. Walt Precourt, senior vice-president of potash, said the company’s board of directors had spent the last year analyzing the project and […] Read more
Runoff risk increases in Sask.
Snow in February has increased the chance of above normal spring runoff through central Saskatchewan, said the Water Security Agency in its March update. A month earlier, most of the grain belt was expected to see near normal runoff conditions after a mild January. But now officials say above normal snowfall has changed that forecast. […] Read more
