REGINA — Mary Robinson, former president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, has been appointed to the Senate. She fills a vacancy in Prince Edward Island. Robinson is a sixth-generation farmer and agribusiness operator in P.E.I. and current vice-president of the World Farmers’ Organization. She holds a bachelor of arts in economics and business. She […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
GSU accepts Viterra offer
REGINA — Members of the Grain and General Services Union who work for Viterra have voted to accept the company’s latest contract offer. The GSU announced the decision today, saying the support wasn’t overwhelming but enough to accept the offer. Local 1 voted 63 percent in favour and Local 2 voted 68 percent to accept. […] Read more
Sask. wetland plan to have local focus
YORKTON, Sask. — Saskatchewan continues to wrestle with how best to allow agricultural water drainage while retaining wetlands. The Water Security Agency recently completed consultation on a draft policy that would use a per-network approach to retaining a certain percentage of wetlands. It would use a floor concept within the network, or a conservation and […] Read more
Critics unhappy with proposed wetland policy
University of Regina researcher says embedding wetland policy within an agricultural drainage framework is backwards
REGINA — Critics of a proposed wetland stewardship policy in Saskatchewan say it fails to properly address the issue. Academics who sat in on consultations about the plan said it focuses more on agricultural development than retaining wetlands and habitat, and they don’t believe the Water Security Agency’s data that says 86 percent of Saskatchewan […] Read more
Three new books offer winter reading
REGINA — Bill Schroeder was told to halt his genetic work at the Prairie Shelterbelt Centre when the then-Conservative federal government closed the Indian Head, Sask. facility in 2013. The gene pool of hardy prairie trees that had been developed there since the 1880s was deemed unneeded. “I was told to discontinue my program and […] Read more
Company says resolution of oats contracts still possible
Farmers pursue legal action after Purely Canada Foods voided gluten-free oat contracts last year due to equipment failure
REGINA — The company that cancelled gluten-free oats contracts last year said it was surprised by an article stating that farmers are pursuing further court action. Purely Canada Foods chief executive officer Tyler West said in an email last week that nothing had changed in terms of court filings or processes. “We completed mediation and […] Read more
Reid out at REAL; Regina farm show still a go
REGINA — The interim board chair at Regina Exhibition Association Ltd. said all planned shows and events will go ahead after chief executive officer Tim Reid was fired earlier this month. That includes Canada’s Farm Show. “I would like to reassure every event holder, every person that’s planning on coming to an event, that our […] Read more
Sask. teachers plan one-day strike
REGINA — Saskatchewan teachers will be off the job Tuesday, Jan. 16, for a one-day province-wide strike. The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation issued notice Jan. 11, noting that it is only required to give 48 hours notice but wanted to give families extra time. “Additional notice also provides government an opportunity to change course,” the STF […] Read more
Court remedy sought for unfulfilled contracts
Sask. company claims equipment breakdown at a third-party mill caused it to declare force majeure on contracted oats
REGINA — More than two dozen farmers are moving ahead with legal action against Purely Canada Foods after it failed to honour contracts for gluten-free oats. A Jan. 8 news release said the 27 farmers had completed mandatory mediation with Purely Canada, and its parent company Above Foods, in late 2023 but the matter had […] Read more
GSU members vote on Viterra final offer
Workers will be working to rule during the voting period
REGINA — Grain and General Services Union workers employed by Viterra will vote on the company’s latest final offer over the next two weeks. Locals 1 and 2, representing country operations and head office staff, respectively, were set to walk out at 2 p.m. today if a deal had not been reached. In a website […] Read more
