Persistent concerns about who is buying Saskatchewan farmland have pushed the province to act. Agriculture minister Lyle Stewart said the province has hired a special investigator to study recent and future large land deals and trace the flow of money. “There are lots of rumours about it,” Stewart told the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan’s […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Regina OKs building fund for Agribition
Ten days after the leaky roofs in the Regina buildings used for Canadian Western Agribition drew headlines, a city committee has allocated money for repairs and to develop a long-term plan. The finance and administration committee Dec. 4 recommended that $100,000 from the city’s Community Investment Fund money be used to fix aging infrastructure. The […] Read more
APAS takes steps to increase membership
Incentive program | President urges directors to become more active within their rural municipalities
Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan president Norm Hall challenged directors last week to build a stronger organization based on the success of the last year. “You need to take ownership of it,” he told delegates at the start of their annual general meeting in Regina. He said they need to be more active within their […] Read moreIrrigation project proposal in limbo
No word from Ottawa | Farmers have not received answers to questions on finances or operations
MOOSE JAW, Sask. — Southwestern Saskatchewan farmers who will take over federal irrigation works by 2017 hope to know in January if their financial terms have been accepted. Darren Steinley, a member of the producer negotiation committee representing the six flood irrigation projects, said the producers submitted a proposal to Agriculture Canada in May but […] Read moreQuality sheep at Agribition
Prices were down slightly at the Saskatchewan Sheep Breeders Association sale held during Canadian Western Agribition. SSBA president Colleen Sawyer said the lower prices reflected the current market. “The price of market lambs is down right now and has been dropping the last year or so,” she said. “It seems to be affecting the female […] Read more
Province increases school funding
The trend of declining enrolment in Saskatchewan schools has reversed, leading the provincial government to provide mid-year funding for divisions that saw huge increases. Eight divisions will receive a share of $6.6 million, education minister Russ Marchuk announced in November. While urban schools snagged the lion’s share, rural schools with higher enrolments also benefited. There […] Read more
Agribition will contribute to young cattlemen initiative
Canadian Western Agribition has signed on as a future mentor to the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders program. Chief executive officer Marty Seymour said the details of the show’s participation in the program have yet to be worked out, but he expects the relationship will include helping a young person develop business acumen through show involvement. Agribition […] Read more
Tough year ahead for Wisconsin producers
Wisconsin’s agriculture secretary says producers in that state could be strapped for money next year because of drought and tighter banking regulations. Ben Brancel, who met with several Canadian producers as well as representatives from North Dakota, Colorado and Minnesota during the seventh international roundtable discussion at Canadian Western Agribition, said the state is known […] Read more
Kazakhstan delegates looking for forage seed
New buyers Officials from Kazakhstan examine forage crops as country expands beef production
Kazakhstan is well known for its grain production. Delegations from that country have been attending Canadian trade shows for years, looking at equipment that will work on fields and climatic conditions that are similar to those in Saskatchewan. However, a delegation to this year’s Canadian Western Agribition was looking for something a little different — […] Read moreFertilizers won’t be lost to the ground
Mineralization | While weather brought down 2012 yields, growers should see long-term benefits
Canola growers who fertilized last year in anticipation of a 50 bushel crop, only to watch disease and wind diminish yields, shouldn’t despair. Jeff Schoenau, a soil science professor at the University of Sask-atchewan, says they should get use out of those inputs in the year ahead depending on how much mineralization takes place in […] Read more
