LANG, Sask. — Two-year-old Blythe Waddell-Holtom easily handles the livestock on her family’s farm. She carts a squirming Nigerian Dwarf goat kid around until it slides down and kicks out of her grasp, scampering off to join some others. It’s the kind of thing that could occupy a toddler for a while. But the goats […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Hail claims already double in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan hail claims are already double the usual number for this time of year, says the Canadian Crop Hail Association. About 2,200 claims had been filed by the middle of last week, and CCHA chair Murray Bantle of Co-operative Hail Insurance Co. in Regina said July 6 that he expected many more. “We’re snowed under,” […] Read more
Natural gas better than diesel for machinery
MOOSE JAW, Sask. — Natural gas motors would make farming more efficient and sustainable by lowering production costs and carbon emissions, says former Saskatchewan premier Grant Devine. He predicts a shift to natural gas motors in vehicles of all types over the next few years as the world looks for ways to enhance food security […] Read more
Ottawa may cut $2 billion from farm program
Ottawa and the provinces are nearing a deal in principle that will sharply cut farm income support in the next five-year agricultural program. The result could be more than $2 billion in spending cuts over five years for Ottawa and the provinces combined — approximately $1.2 billion in lower payments for Ottawa alone. The federal […] Read more
Cattle producers upset over short notice of pasture closures
It could be weeks before Saskatchewan and Manitoba cattle producers who use federal pastures know which five will transfer to each province next year. Those affected won’t have much time to make alternative grazing arrangements for 2013, acknowledged the federal bureaucrat in charge of the divestiture. “Time is getting short in terms of identifying pastures,” […] Read more
Mine could use sewage effluent
If the Western Potash Corp. solution mine proposed for Milestone, Sask., goes ahead, it could use treated sewage effluent from the City of Regina. The two parties announced an agreement June 25 that would see the effluent piped 30 kilometres southeast of Regina and used to extract potash. The project would divert 60,000 cubic metres […] Read more
Research projects get $550,000
Federal and provincial agriculture ministers recently announced research funding of almost $550,000 for 66 producer-led projects in Saskatchewan. The money was allocated under the Agricultural Demonstration of Practices and Technologies Program (ADOPT). The focus of this program is to help farmers test new methods and technologies to see how they work in their own regions. […] Read more
Czechs find much to praise at Farm Progress Show
Canada’s Farm Progress Show is known for attracting farm equipment buyers from around the world. Among the more than 640 international visitors it attracted this year was a group from Czech Republic, who attended for the first time. The three — Miroslav Andel, Martin Divis and Jirina Pospisilova — represent a farm company called ADW, […] Read more
Farmers need to champion ag industry
The pride that farmers have in their industry is evident at events like Canada’s Farm Progress Show, but a campaign is on to promote that pride all the time. Agriculture More Than Ever was spearheaded by Farm Credit Canada earlier this year and saw its first major western Canadian exposure last month at the Regina […] Read more
Judges toast winemakers as young farmer nominees
Sue Echlin and Vance Lester had chores to do before their trip to Regina. It was actually one big chore: picking 8,000 pounds of rhubarb. Two days later, the couple accepted the award as Saskatchewan’s Outstanding Young Farmer nominees for 2012. “We gotta go home and pick rhubarb again, I think,” Echlin said, laughing, after […] Read more
