Freight a factor in donations | Organizers hope truckers will volunteer to haul hay at reduced rates
Joel Miller believes the tough times that eastern Canadian farmers faced this year because of drought are sure to hit him someday. That’s why the young farmer from Avonlea, Sask., and newly minted mayor of the village, donated a truckload of hay to the HayEast 2012 campaign. It arrived in Ontario last week and was […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Puratone gets more time to secure buyer
Puratone Corp. was expected to be in a Winnipeg courtroom Oct. 30 asking for more time to secure a buyer. According to an affidavit filed by Puratone chief executive officer Raymond Hildebrand and two associated companies, extending protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act until Nov. 12 should result in a sale. Puratone entered court […] Read more
Big Four honour recognizes importance of ag innovation
Air drills, tractors, sprayers and combines were recognized Nov. 1 as the Big Four of agricultural innovations that led Saskatchewan to build a $6 billion grain industry. The Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute, based in Humboldt, Sask., celebrated 35 years of innovation by naming the equipment as critical tools in the industry and looking ahead to […] Read more
Maple Leaf to buy Puratone
Maple Leaf Foods has announced it wants to buy Manitoba hog producer Puratone Corp. for $42 million. The deal would include livestock, facilities and interests in some joint ventures. “This acquisition will ensure a consistent supply of hogs to our processing facility in Brandon, which is an integral supplier to our value added, prepared meats […] Read more
Sask. plans ag awareness summit
Saskatchewan’s agriculture ministry is planning an agricultural awareness summit in Regina in February. The idea is to find ways to improve public perception of the industry and promote its benefits. Agriculture minister Lyle Stewart said when he was first appointed in May that this was one of his priorities. “Our industry has a great story […] Read more
Irrigation proponent optimistic
Roger Pederson thinks big things are about to happen for Saskatchewan irrigators. Two government reports issued last week give the Outlook farmer and president of the Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association (SIPA) hope that sustained development is finally in the works. The province’s 25-year water security plan and a growth plan for the next eight years […] Read more
Saskatchewan makes big plans for ag as it charts future
2020 target | Government to develop crop research and development strategy to increase production by 10 million tonnes
Rural Saskatchewan has its work cut out for it if a provincial growth plan announced last week by premier Brad Wall is to be successful. As the home of the province’s economic engines — agriculture, energy and mining — rural activity figures prominently in the plan to increase the population to 1.2 million, cut debt […] Read moreRising Canadian dollar linked to poor hog production profits
The rising Canadian dollar is largely to blame for financial problems in the hog industry, say producers both past and present. They acknowledge the more recent factors of the U.S. drought and high feed costs that are resulting in losses of up to $50 per pig, but few let the 65 cent dollar of the […] Read more
Olymel enters new territory with bid for Big Sky Farms
Potential owners of Big Sky Farms have until Nov. 9 to outbid Olymel, which last week offered $65.25 million for the troubled Saskatchewan-based hog producer. The receiver, Ernst and Young, expects other bidders to step forward now that a judge has approved the sale process, which included the selection of Olymel as a stalking horse […] Read more
New arena hopes to drawmore livestock to Regina event
Organizers expect more livestock in a new show footprint at next month’s 42nd annual Canadian Western Agribition. A couple of older barns have been retired and a new sale arena constructed in the commercial cattle barn, said chief executive officer Marty Seymour. “I think the biggest thing you’re going to see is a completely new […] Read more
