Karen Briere

Karen Briere

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Karen Briere grew up in Canora, Sask. where her family had a grain and cattle operation. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Regina and has spent more than 30 years covering agriculture from the Western Producer’s Regina bureau.

Stories by Karen Briere

The committee on agriculture and forestry released a report on the state of the nation’s soil that includes 25 recommendations designed to prevent soil degradation and loss of agricultural land. | Getty Images
Crop Management, Livestock Management, News

Senate urges soil strategy

The two-year study of Canada's soils is now complete and recognizes that while conservation efforts over recent decades have been tremendous there is still more to be done

UPDATED: Tuesday June 13, 2024 – 1500 CST – to include comments from government and industry officials. REGINA — Canada requires a long-term overarching soil conservation and protection strategy, a Senate committee says. The committee on agriculture and forestry released its report on the state of the nation’s soil last week after two years of […] Read more
Ten national organizations say change to the capital gains inclusion rate and other proposed moves will impact farmers. | Getty Images
News

Farm groups sound off on budget concerns

Ten national organizations say change to the capital gains inclusion rate and other proposed moves will impact farmers

Glacier FarmMedia – REGINA — Canadian national farm organizations have united against proposed budget measures that they say will negatively affect farmers. Planned changes to the capital gains inclusion rate also drew specific concern and attention from the House of Commons’ agriculture committee. Related stories: In a May 27 letter to finance minister Chrystia Freeland, […] Read more
A research paper that will be published soon describes that 10,000 hectares (24,710 acres) per year are drained across the Prairies. | File photo
News

Prairie wetland loss estimates raise questions

Wetland retention is likely much lower than the figure advertised by the Water Security Agency, say scientists

REGINA — Scientists say the Water Security Agency’s claim that 86 per cent of Saskatchewan’s wetlands remain is based on recent rather than historical data. “My understanding is that they were using baseline years around 2006,” said Colin Whitfield, associate professor at the School of Environment and Sustainability and Global Institute for Water Security at […] Read more
Babco Meats, which opened earlier this spring northwest of Regina, will focus on local aged beef, as well pork, chickens and lamb. | Photo supplied by Darryl Babey
Livestock Management, News

New Sask. meat plant opens

REGINA — A new abattoir and retail meat store northwest of Regina is seeing strong demand just weeks after opening. Babco Meats is located along Highway 11 between Lumsden and Bethune. Owner Darryl Babey said many producers who slaughter just a few animals a year have already stopped in to see the facility and book […] Read more
The Food Waste Reduction Challeng was launched in November 2020 by Agriculture Canada and Impact Canada to create solutions to the country’s food waste problem. An estimated 58 percent of Canada’s annual food supply is wasted or lost. | Screencap via impact.canada.ca
News

New tech promises to reduce food waste

REGINA — Two Ontario companies were named winners in the novel technologies stream of the federal government’s Food Waste Reduction Challenge. Clean Works Inc. and Genecis Biodindustries Inc. will each get up to $1 million to take their solutions to the next level. Clean Works is based in St. Catharines and created a solution using […] Read more
An astronomer from the University of Regina says a 98 pound piece of a SpaceX rocket that fell in a Saskatchewan farm field this winter would have been much more serious if it had landed in an urban area. She says more must be done to prevent this from happening. | Photo supplied by Barry Sawchuk
Farm Living, News

Sask. farmer discovers space junk in field prior to seeding

Astronomer says more pieces of a Space X rocket that fell to Earth last winter are likely out there if farmers look for them

REGINA — Pieces of a SpaceX rocket found in a Saskatchewan farmer’s field raise questions about safety and who owns the debris. Barry Sawchuk, who farms near Ituna in east-central Saskatchewan, said he and his son were out looking at fields prior to seeding when they spotted what they thought was garbage. “We thought it […] Read more
The head of one of the companies proposing to build a renewable fuel project in Regina likens Saskatchewan canola fields to the oil fields of Saudi Arabia. | File photo
News

Regulatory certainty called vital to Regina project’s future

Renewable diesel plant proposed by FCL and AGT still in early design stages, waiting for Clean Fuel Standards to be set

REGINA — One of the proponents of a renewable fuel project in Regina says the regulatory environment must be clear before it goes ahead. Murad Al-Katib, who heads AGT Foods, said the front-end engineering and design for the facility planned by AGT and Federated Co-operatives Ltd. to produce both protein concentrates and renewable fuel from […] Read more
Regina-based AGT Foods took its idea of a family parcel ration program to the United Nations in 2016. Together they developed a 26-kilogram box containing Saskatchewan-produced lentils, peas and chickpeas, combined with other nutritional products. | Screencap via agtfoods.com
Farm Living, News

Prairie producers contribute to food aid

REGINA — Some of the first food aid to enter war-torn Gaza came from the Canadian Prairies. Regina-based AGT Foods took its idea of a family parcel ration program to the United Nations in 2016. Together they developed a 26-kilogram box containing Saskatchewan-produced lentils, peas and chickpeas, combined with other nutritional products. Other stories from […] Read more
Former prime minister Stephen Harper, left, Saskatchewan export minister Jeremy Harrison and Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe participate in a panel discussion during the Food, Fuel and Fertilizer summit held in Regina last week. | Karen Briere photo
News

Former PM praises Sask. global trade success

Stephen Harper says he admires how well the province has been able to market its agrifood products around the world

REGINA — Former prime minister Stephen Harper says Saskatchewan has a positive story to tell and is doing a good job of sharing that story around the world. “One of the really great trends in my political life has been the transformation process of Saskatchewan,” he said during the Food, Fuel and Fertilizer global summit, […] Read more
Ottawa and Regina announced $25 million through the five-year Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, and specifically the Strategic Research Program. It focuses on crop genetics, livestock development, food and bioproduct development and soils and environment. | File photo
News

Research chair funding renewed

REGINA — Governments have renewed funding for the 15 agricultural strategic research chairs at the University of Saskatchewan. Ottawa and Regina announced $25 million through the five-year Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, and specifically the Strategic Research Program. It focuses on crop genetics, livestock development, food and bioproduct development and soils and environment. Federal agriculture minister […] Read more

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