Saskatchewan cabinet ministers who met with rail company executives last week are now calling on the federal government to oversee negotiations between the railways and the grain companies to get grain moving. Economy minister Bill Boyd said Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway told the delegation from Saskatchewan that they were willing to sign […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
WIT sale stirs court challenge
The battle for control of Weyburn Inland Terminal has shifted to the courtroom after the board of directors tried to stop a group of dissident shareholders from soliciting proxies to scuttle the deal. The judge denied that request but did order the dissidents to amend the information circular they presented at a Feb. 4 meeting. […] Read more
Little new in federal budget
Food safety | CFIA receives boost in funding to add inspectors
Farm organizations welcomed additional spending on food safety announced in the Feb. 11 federal budget, in the absence of major new agricultural initiatives. With Growing Forward 2 already in place as the industry’s main agricultural policy framework, leaders weren’t expecting significant announcements. Canadian Federation of Agriculture vice-president Humphrey Banack noted that considering where the government […] Read moreProvincial officials can tap into infrastructure fund later this year
Provincial officials can begin sorting through lists of potential projects now that the federal government has released its 10-year infrastructure plan. The details of the $53-billion New Building Canada Plan are still unclear, but the money is supposed to be available beginning this spring. Prime minister Stephen Harper announced the plan Feb. 13, two days […] Read more
Sask. gov’t to meet with grain companies
A delegation of Saskatchewan cabinet ministers was expected to meet with grain companies in Winnipeg Feb. 14, after deadlines for this issue, to seek solutions to the transportation backlog. Premier Brad Wall said he was sending agriculture minister Lyle Stewart, economy minister Bill Boyd, highways and infrastructure minister Don McMorris, and Stewart’s lesgislative secretary, MLA […] Read more
Sask. ministers leave for railway talks in Montreal
The cabinet ministers appointed by Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall to meet with stakeholders in the grain transportation industry will be in Montreal Thursday to meet with Canadian National Railway. They will meet with Canadian Pacific Railway on Friday. Economy minister Bill Boyd said the railways must move more grain. Grain handlers told the ministers in […] Read more
Sask. improves corn coverage, introduces bee loss insurance
Saskatchewan’s crop insurance program for 2014 will include improvements for grain corn coverage. Corn acres grew 46 percent last year compared to the previous year, rising to 20,000 acres from 9,000. Farmers and ranchers have been asking for production insurance, said agriculture minister Lyle Stewart. “As a result of the high demand, we are introducing […] Read more
Case made to keep WIT independent
Weyburn Inland Terminal | Farmers discuss proposal, many speak out against offer from Parrish & Heimbecker
WEYBURN, Sask. — Shareholders opposed to the proposed sale of Weyburn Inland Terminal have urged others to vote against the deal at an upcoming special meeting. The dissident shareholders said the terminal should remain independent and will be profitable. Eleven men put their names forward as nominees for the board of directors, including two who […] Read moreNon-reversionary rule hinders land leasing
Some federal land must be offered to the ag department and government agencies before it is offered to patrons
SASKATOON — The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association says the federal government should exempt the non-reversionary land in some of its pastures from the Treasury Board disposal process. Non-reversionary land is land that the federal government owns but can’t transfer to the province without first offering it to the federal agriculture department and other government agencies. […] Read moreLast year’s Sask. flood zone could be hit again
The first spring runoff forecast issued by Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency suggests residents in areas that flooded last year could be hit again. Above normal runoff is expected in the Saskatoon, North Battleford and Prince Albert regions. Other areas should see near normal runoff. Snowfall has ranged from below average in the southeast to well […] Read more
