Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister Lyle Stewart says the 2014-15 budget shows strong, consistent support for the industry. The budget sets aside $371.6 million for agriculture spending. The vast majority of that — $242.2 million — is allocated to business risk management programs, including crop insurance, AgriStability and AgriInvest. The provincial estimates are based on federal forecast […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Founding Agribition president dies
Chris Sutter, the founding president of Canadian Western Agribition, died March 14 in Calgary at age 94. Sutter was born and raised in Redvers, Sask., and spent most of his life there. Aqua Hollow Hereford Ranch became well known for its quality. In 1957, Sutter won the first-ever grand championship for a polled Hereford female […] Read more
Sask. gov’t asked to be more flexible on lease payments
The opposition NDP says the Saskatchewan government should be as flexible with its crown land lessees as it has asked financial institutions to be. Agriculture critic Cathy Sproule raised the issue during question period March 17 when she noted that Darcy Livingston, who farms near Sintaluta, had been told in January his lease would be […] Read more
Sask. premier warns of tight budget
The annual convention of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities has often been an occasion for the provincial government to offer pre-budget announcement tidbits. Not this year. Instead, premier Brad Wall warned the large crowd that the March 19 budget would be tight. “Revenues are flat,” he said. “That means we’ve got to make decisions […] Read more
Sask. releases transportation wish list
The Saskatchewan government has formally released want it wants from the federal government as it drafts legislation on grain transportation. Premier Brad Wall and others have been saying for weeks that mandatory service level agreements, more grain cars and stronger penalties are needed. In a March 17 news release, the government asked that the daily […] Read more
Next generation showcases skills
Saskatchewan 4-H show | Future ranchers gain experience showing animals at annual event
Colton Hamilton took his time assessing the steers assembled in the ring before him. The class winners and reserves represented the best of a strong showing by 4-H members from across Saskatchewan at the annual Regina Spring Steer and Heifer Show. “You better be thorough and be sure,” said the judge from Innisfail, Alta. He […] Read moreCFA realigns to avoid budget deficit following defections
OTTAWA — The Canadian Federation of Agriculture ended last year in a strong financial position despite the loss of four members. An $80,000 budget deficit projected for the year after the Canadian Pork Council, CWB, Pioneer Hi-Bred and the Canadian Horticultural Council left the organization did not materialize. In fact, CFA ended the year with […] Read more
Railway officials ‘blew it big time,’ says analyst
MOOSE JAW, Sask. — Cold weather, a new marketing environment and a huge crop all affected western Canadian grain movement this winter, says Mike Jubinville, a markets analyst and president of ProFarmer Canada. However, that doesn’t excuse poor performance by the railways, he told farmers at a Farm Credit Canada event in Moose Jaw March […] Read more
Ag officials unsure federal action on grain backlog is enough
Prairie government leaders say the recent federal announcement to get more grain moving is a good first step. However, they are waiting for promised legislation to find out how the situation could be prevented in the future. In the short term, Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway have four weeks to reach a level […] Read more
Grain backlog will take months to clear up: Raitt
Federal transport minister Lisa Raitt says she understands the six months or more it will take to clear up the grain backlog on the Prairies is not acceptable to farmers. “From a farmer’s point of view, no,” she told reporters after speaking to the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities annual convention. “But the reality is […] Read more
