MOOSE JAW, Sask. — China’s slowing growth shouldn’t concern producers too much, says Farm Credit Canada’s chief agricultural economist. J.P. Gervais told an agricultural outlook seminar earlier this month that the active working population in China, which includes people aged 15 to 59, began to decline in 2012. Productivity has to go up when populations […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Sask. sharing rail legislation concerns with federal ministers
Saskatchewan agriculture officials are meeting today with federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz and federal transport minister Lisa Raitt to express their concern about Bill C-30. The Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act unveiled yesterday in Ottawa does not meet all of the province’s expectations, said agriculture minister Lyle Stewart. He sent a letter to Ritz […] Read more
Guy Lafond inducted into conservation hall of fame
By Karen Briere Regina bureau The Soil Conservation Council of Canada has posthumously honoured agricultural researcher and soil conservationist Guy Lafond for his work in no-till development. Lafond, who worked at the agricultural research farm at Indian Head, Sask., for nearly 30 years, died in April 2013. Last week, he was inducted into the Canadian […] Read more
Sask says rail legislation falls short
By Karen Briere Regina Bureau Saskatchewan agriculture minister Lyle Stewart says he is disappointed with the federal grain transportation legislation unveiled Wednesday. Suggestions from the province as to what the legislation could and should include were ignored, and Stewart said he believes the problem occurred in the federal transport department. He told reporters that he […] Read more
Feds introduce new railway legislation
The federal government introduced its much-anticipated Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act today. Bill C-30 includes amendments to both the Canada Transportation Act and the Canada Grain Act that the government says will improve the entire grain transportation system. The proposed amendments to the grain act would enable the regulation of mandatory grain contract provisions […] Read more
Man., Sask. weigh in on grain transportation issues
The Manitoba government has added its voice to the chorus calling for rigorous federal legislation to deal with the grain transportation backlog on the Prairies. Ottawa is expected to introduce new legislation when Parliament resumes sitting March 24. Provincial ag minister Ron Kostyshyn and other Manitoba government reps say Ottawa needs to craft legislation that […] Read more
Spring forecast
Alberta: Above-average snowfall across much of Alberta this winter may help replenish soil moisture when it melts. Last year’s dry weather and open fall had allowed farmers to harvest a bin buster of a crop. However, neither Alberta Agriculture nor Alberta Environment are willing to predict spring soil moisture levels, given that spring snowstorms are […] Read more
SARM delegates give rail service wish list to Ritz
About 1,000 delegates to the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities have advice for the federal transport and agriculture ministers as they develop grain transportation legislation. A 10-point resolution passed on the last day of the annual convention in Regina suggests amendments to Bill C-52 that the delegates believe would help alleviate rail congestion. The federal […] Read more
Premier wants ‘lifeblood of this economy’ to stay on track
Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall suggested last week that Canada’s transportation infrastructure should be an essential service under federal legislation. He told the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities annual convention that it’s at least worth having a conversation about the idea, when so much of the country’s economy relies on exports. “That transportation system is the […] Read more
Sask. RMs want Ottawa to return pastureland
Several Saskatchewan rural municipalities say they want the land they transferred to the federal community pasture program years ago returned. They are willing to go to court to see that agreements dating back to the 1930s are honoured, said delegates at last week’s Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities annual convention. The municipalities of Mount Hope, […] Read more
